I ran my first online Go Creative! Workshop on Tuesday, something I’ll be doing every first Tuesday this year.
It was not my finest hour. Squeezed preparation time due to too much Christmas frolics and an unexpected family obligation was topped off by technical challenges in the middle of the workshop.
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Let’s just say that things did not go according to plan.
I’m managing not to mind, and it’s helping that it’s part of what I want to do here, as I publish my long awaited Go Creative book series and bed down the Creativist Club: show the misfires as well as the scores.
I’m not doing this book series, these workshops, for the creative entrepreneur who is a natural at business, at tech, at PR and marketing. I want to show those who struggle in these areas that the struggle is part of the growth, not a reason to give up.
The creative process is messy. We seldom see that. We see the shiny finished product and wonder at it.
I understand completely why creatives want to put their best foot forward, and not talk too much about what happens behind the scenes. But I’m in the lucky position of already making a living as a creative entrepreneur. This gives me the freedom to show the truth of what it is to create something new.
When we start something new, we are a beginner again. It doesn’t matter that we’ve done it before, over there. The lessons are over here.
The Growth Is In The Learning
Of course my ego, con mind, would love if my first online workshop had been a roaring success. But one of the most fundamental principles of creativity is acceptance of what life sends.
It is what it is, tech glitches and all.
We co-create with life, we are the junior partner and we don’t always get what we want, the way our ego mind would want it.
It’s what we learn from it, then what we make of the learning, that earns us our creative stripes.
Creative Intention
The workshop wasn’t a complete disaster. I’ve managed to get a good 15 minutes of information about the difference between a Creative Intention and a new year’s resolution. And I will follow up with the attendees to make sure that they get value.
And next month, we’ll try again. The core of the workshop was to be a mapping of the year’s creative intentions. It needs people to be able to speak and share.
I’ll be doing lots (more) tech testing in advance to get that part right next time. I’m no tech natural but I’ve managed, always, to harness it when it’s useful.
Try, fail, try again, fail better, as the great Mr Beckett put it.
Did I Mention That The Creative Process is Messy?
My creative intention for this blog, for this new year, is to lift the veil and show my process, in my writing, publishing and business endeavours.
I’ll share my thoughts and efforts as I publish my nine-book series and establish a club that provides motivation and accountability for starter creative entrepreneurs, those who are not yet earning a living from their work.
As I write a film script and poetry and revise my books.
And as I do my work for the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Creativist Club, two of the most creative, mature and savvy groups of authors and creatives on the planet.
It is my hope that you will join me and make some fine messes of your own, on your way to making something marvellous.
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