Now that so many creators share their process online it's become no mystery that constraints are beneficial to the creative process. However just like commonly accepted ideas such as
reverse psychology
or "sleep is important", I think most of us fail to actually take this accepted idea and apply it.
I've now wrote for over half a year everyday straight and somewhere in the middle i realized why people can't write. The reason is as banal is the idea "constraints beget creativity" and thus most writers will ignore it thinking they are immune. And yes, reluctantly admitting that it's real but simply going along the same old path you've always taken is not actual personal acceptance but rather accepting as a show for others.
But any writer who says they want to write but proves near daily that they actually don't are simply in
creative debt
. Their expectations of what they will produce is larger than the sacrifices they are willing to accept. Thus we have armies of people wanting to write the next [INSERT LAST BOOK THEY READ AND LIKED HERE], which will probably be an enormous endeavor, yet they think that writing once a day for 15 minutes is such a hard thing to manage.
I remember few years ago I would cry -- yes literally tears in my eyes -- about not being able to be a writer or entrepreneur --whatever I had been fired up about that week -- because I had to do trivial things that didn't matter like cooking or cleaning. My girlfriend miraculously put up with this insanity but insanity was what it was. Because I truly believed what was getting in my way of being a 'great' writer or business person was that I had all these stupid normal people obstacles.
But one time while doing dishes I heard
50 Cent
's voice. I imagined a skit in his head where there was a young rapper who claimed he wanted to make it big. He was willing to hustle and grind. And in this skit the young rapper can't manage to do the dishes. And that's when Fifty comes over and makes his smirk of disbelief and says, "You can't do them fucking dishes? You tell me you're ready to ride and you can't even wash dishes? Mother fuckers get paid under minimum wage to wash fucking dishes. Get the fuck out of here!"
Your story resonates with me, I think I was in a similar situation, wanting to be an artist and an entrepreneur but always finding situational excuses. It was not my fault that I couldn't do this or that thing, achieve that dream, it was the circumstance.
Now, I figured what I was doing wrong, one was to not do it out in the open like we do with writing and the second was to have too high standards. The best is to start small and keep constant.
Regarding constraints, In design parlance, we say things like embrace constraints or constraints are your friend. To focus you must have constraints. Otherwise, you'll run free on green prairies chasing butterflies all day long.
Can I get a post from you going more concretely on this idea?
Now, I figured what I was doing wrong, one was to not do it out in the open like we do with writing and the second was to have too high standards. The best is to start small and keep constant.
The barrier to entry for writing is very low and makes it seem like it's easy. Anyone with pen and paper or any device can perform the physical act of writing. Becoming a "writer" is quite a different task and skill set entirely. Many people are spinning their wheels because they haven't come to grips with the fact that "becoming a writer" is not in the cards for them.
hello therealbrandonwilson As long as they're "spinning their wheels" it's great, and if there's some joy to get out of writing then, that's a WIN, and you know what, that makes them "aspiring writers". That sounds so seductive doesn't it ?
Julian.com said "Writing is the most radical thing you can do without spending a dollar. " What do you think about that? I think that's very spot on.
Nedzen I get a lot of joy out of writing, but I see many people who are frequently stuck with "writer's block" or seem to be dragging themselves to the keyboard every day who don't appear all that joyful. I agree fine if it's working for them, but there's also the opportunity cost of what they are not spending time on. Regarding the quote, I suppose it depends on which definition of radical is being referenced.
Now, I figured what I was doing wrong, one was to not do it out in the open like we do with writing and the second was to have too high standards. The best is to start small and keep constant.
Regarding constraints, In design parlance, we say things like embrace constraints or constraints are your friend. To focus you must have constraints. Otherwise, you'll run free on green prairies chasing butterflies all day long.
Now, I figured what I was doing wrong, one was to not do it out in the open like we do with writing and the second was to have too high standards. The best is to start small and keep constant.
Julian.com said "Writing is the most radical thing you can do without spending a dollar. " What do you think about that? I think that's very spot on.