Another Tool to Get Yourself Moving on Your Creative Project
I've designated January "How To Get Going On Your Projects Month"
Starting a creative project can be tough. That's why I am sharing tools all throughout the month of January, that can either help you get started, or get further into a creative project you're struggling with. In the first week of January I talked about how to find the purpose of your project, and how that can keep you motivated if you run into resistance.
And, last week, I showed you how to have a conversation with the project itself. I hope you tried that, as weird as it might have sounded. I talked to my forthcoming book: Artists: Don’t Starve! It told me to write 30 minutes every day. I have two weeks of that under my belt and surprise! It WORKS! I’m halfway through the final revision and on track to hand it to the editor in the next 30 days.
Here's Tool #3: Talk to your people
It’s akin to last week. In addition to talking to the project itself, you can also talk to the part of yourself that knows who the people are that need you to finish your project.
Here’s an edited example of me talking to the part of myself that knows who needs Artists: Don’t Starve! (my forthcoming book)
Me: Can I talk to the part of myself that knows who needs my book?
Part: Sure.
Me: Who needs my book?
Part: Their most important characteristic is that they view themselves as outside the mainstream. They feel like outsiders and that they don’t belong in the world the way it is. You show them that their particular weirdness doesn’t need to change--that how they are is not just okay, but necessary in the world. You show them they are wanted.
Me: Okay. Thank you. I didn’t know this before.
Part: You help people understand they belong.
Me: Thanks.
This description of the people who need my book strongly motivates me to finish because I often feel like a misfit myself. I’d love to help other people understand that there is a place for them in the world just as there is a place for me.
Will you try this? Even if you aren’t stuck, you might get helpful information that you can use when you finish your project and want to get it into the world. You’ll already know who needs it.
Your work matters.
Let me know in a comment below, will you be using this technique to start a creative project? Tell me about it.