The Time is Right: Living A Creative Life

Like those days in school where we're asked to write about what we did over vacation, John and Kevin discuss what they learned last year about their own creativity, and how they plan to apply those lessons this year. This is an activity every creator should do. By reviewing and evaluating what's working and what isn't, we move our creativity forward and keep the energy flowing. When the flow isn't there, it could be because we haven't dropped habits that hold us back. Oh, and you get your money's worth in this episode. It's a long one, so grab a favorite beverage and pull up a comfy chair... Resources for Creativity: John's resource is How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy. A book John describes has having three halves. Kevin suggests exploring your family artifacts. Those items, letters, and photos from previous generations. Note: book links are affiliate links to bookshop.org supporting independent bookstores everywhere, including Modern Folklore Bookstore.

Do you get distracted by your creativity tools? Do you put off your creative work because you haven't found the perfect tools? Do you argue online about your favorite tools? In this episode, we talk about these concerns and how to work through the temptation and get to work. A Resource? Neither of us read this book, but it appears useful. Unclutter Your Mind: 500 ways to Focus on What's Important by Donna Smallin. Book links are affiliate links to Bookshop.org supporting independent bookstores.

This episode is a little more personal for us. We dig into how we each have managed our creativity while dealing with unexpected and emotionally difficult times. Each creative deals with this in their own way. There is no single best approach other than to use or perform creative work in the manner that serves you best. Creativity can be a therapeutic benefit, but it can also cause anxiety and stress. Knowing yourself and "going with the flow" of what feels best, being open to change, accepting setbacks, etc. is probably the only guidance we can give. But if you've ever struggled with being creative while facing life's biggest challenges, give this a listen. You're not alone.

In this episode, John and Kevin discuss whether creatives should focus on making weaknesses stronger or double down on our strengths. How do we even evaluate what a strength or weakness is? Should we label something as a weakness? We each want to improve in our craft, but what's the best way to frame how we do that? Resources Kevin suggests reading Cory Doctorow's article about how social media platforms change over time. Why they always (so far) serve the owners and never (so far) their users or the content creators in the long run. Read it here. John recommends a strengths and weaknesses listicle from Elite Daily. The presentation undermines the message, which isn't actually wrong, but sounds like it is.

In this episode, John and Kevin discuss why taking a break or slowing down our creativity can actually make us more creatively productive. Taking the time to consider our work: the content, techniques, and approaches, even our mindset, will benefit our overall effort. Bonus! Stay tuned for a special, surprise ending. Resources: Kevin suggested The Art of Slow Writing, by Louise DeSalvo - not just for writers. DeSalvo discusses the idea that our best work comes when we've taken our time to let ideas filter to us. First blush ideas are the easy ones. Lots of examples of famous books that took years not just to write, but for authors to figure out what their story idea was about. John suggested Laura Veirs's Kaleidoscope Creativity Cards. Draw three cards and put them together as a creativity prompt. Note: Links to books are affiliate links to Bookshop.org supporting independent bookstores.

The Lemon Juice Episode This episode features an interview with singer, songwriter, and storyteller, Dany Horovitz. Possibly the voice of his generation. Dany talks about practice, process, and the importance of community and collaboration. He also recommends living life! You can find Dany's music wherever you prefer to listen. Dany's links: https://lnk.bio/danyhorovitz Resources: John read Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day and highly recommends it. Kevin suggested starting a Creativity Journal. He keeps multiple: poetry and nonfiction ideas and thoughts, a reading journal, a story journal, and a work diary. Here are a couple of resources to get you started: *Book links are affiliate links supporting the Modern Folklore Press bookshop.

In this episode, John and Kevin dig into how the pursuit of perfection in our creative work can hold us back. They discuss how and when perfectionism can manifest during the creative process and ways they have overcome the pitfalls. Resources Psychology Today primer on the psychological definitions of perfectionism: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/perfectionism Mindful Art Studio: How Perfectionism is Killing Your Creativity: https://mindfulartstudio.com/how-perfectionism-is-killing-your-creativity/ Psychology Today: Getting Creative by Striving for Excellence Vs. Perfection: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-innovating-minds/202110/getting-creative-striving-excellence-vs-perfection

This month we explore how boredom and tedium can help with the creative process. Do you get your best ideas while washing the dishes or walking the dog? There's a reason for that. Our minds need to associate freely between ideas, thoughts, and memories. But when we consciously try to direct our attention to create, often the associations don't come. Science says we often need to be distracted just enough for the creative mind to shift into gear. Resources: Why Being Bored May Not Be Bad: A Study Article: The Unexpected Value of Boredom for Well-Being and Creativity Bored and Brilliant, by Manoush Zomorodi Creative Quest, by Quest Love Kevin suggests: Read a memoir written by a creator, artist, writer, comic creator, etc. Not a biography, and not ghost written, but a personal memoir by the creator. Reading about the lives of other creatives can unlock your own. If you need an example, I recommend Upstream by poet Mary Oliver. John Recommended: The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin

In this episode, we're joined by Dewi Hargreaves, who is an author and artist. He shares his creative mindset and process, and his journey to living a creative life. You can find him here. Resources Mentioned Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity by Felicia Day You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): A Memoir, by Felicia Day The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron John is reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin but has not finished it yet. Find Your Prompt! If you're stuck or just looking to do something new, find a resource for prompts in whatever creative endeavor you do, and unlock your creativity.

This month, we go deeper into the idea that the process is more important than the outcome. We discuss why valuing, even honoring, the creative process is so important to our creativity. We explore the significance of practice, experimentation, and intention. Also, why it's important to create our creative spaces and time. For a creative: if time is money, then process is the currency and the outcome is what you've purchased. Resources Mentioned The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron The Slowdown podcast

The last episode for the year was supposed to be a review of our favorite books about creativity. That didn't work out so well. But we did look at what inspired us and what we'll be doing in 2023. Resources Mentioned The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker Ezra Klein Show: This Conversation About the 'Reading Mind' Is a Gift

This time, John and Kevin discuss finding creativity. Finding a creative path in the first place, or finding our way back to creativity. Recent years have been both a boon and a bane to creative work. We offer some thoughts and ideas for getting going or getting going again, and why you should. Resources: John is reading: Essentialism by Greg McKeown The Science Behind Creativity This article summarizes some of the science around creativity: https://extension.sdstate.edu/mental-health-and-creativity One article talks about the benefits of Expressive Writing. https://www.psychreg.org/expressive-writing/ We might not think of journaling as creative, but it absolutely is. So is knitting, for example: https://www.mhanational.org/blog/mental-health-benefits-knitting And, we discussed why creativity is important in Episode 1.

In this episode, John and Kevin discuss sharing our creativity. Not just posting a picture on social media or putting something up for sale, but sharing our process. Or even sharing the activity itself and discoveries we make along the way. How do you share creativity? Resources Mentioned Figuring by Maria Popova Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky Venus Theory, Musician and Youtuber Mary Spender, Musician and Youtuber Show Your Work, by Austin Kleon Inspired to Write, Instagram account by Amie McNee Reading Glasses Podcast with Mallory O'Meara and Brea Grant. Are you a creative with an interesting story about finding your way to a creative life? Would you like to share it through our podcast? If so, tell us about yourself here. Don't forget to rate and review The Time is Right podcast on your favorite platform.

Jordan Duncan is a multi-creative writer, poet, editor, blogger, and more. She's half of the Coffee Book and Candle blog duo. You can find out more about her and her work at Twitter and Linktree, and her poetry here: Quill and Crow Publishing. Creativity Resources Mentioned: Dan Koboldt: Putting the Science in Science Fiction Audacity: free audio editing Davinci Resolve: video editing Movavi: audio and video editing Canva: Image editing Gimp: photo manipulation Affinity: photo editing Photoshop Lightroom (mobile): photo editing

Marijah V. is a writer, poet, editor, photographer, musician, adventurer and all-around creative. Marijah joined us for a conversation about creativity and how her various outlets have grown and changed. She's a firm believer in putting your creativity out into the world because you will receive more than you give. You can learn all about her at her website: marijahvwanderlust.com or Instagram or Twitter. Resources mentioned: Virtual Reality: Oculus (Now called Meta Quest) with travel apps to explore the world you can't visit. Marijah V. Wanderlust photos, volunteering opportunities, and more. A Field Guide to Getting Lost, by Rebecca Solnit. Essays on finding yourself by allowing us to lose ourselves. Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver. Poetry as Essay. She discusses feeding creativity by finding a quiet place that speaks to you and just notice the details.

Are You a Creative Fraud? Some refer to this as Imposter Syndrome, but that can be a serious condition, and while it doesn’t have an official diagnosis, psychologists treat it seriously. Untreated, the effects can be devastating. If you believe your condition is serious or chronic, seek a professional therapist. What we’re talking about are the feelings creatives get periodically where we believe our work doesn’t stand up to that of others or the vision we set for ourselves. Feeling like a Creative fraud. In this episode, John and Kevin discuss the times they've experienced this and what they've done to cope with and get beyond these periods. Resources Mentioned: Skill Share Guide: Creative Imposter Syndrome: How to Beat Feeling Like an Artistic Fraud Time Article: How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome APA Article: Feeling Like a Fraud Psychology Today Article: Imposter Syndrome An Introvert's Guide to Beating Imposter Syndrome

Kristin Osani is a queer writer who lives in Kyoto, Japan where she works as a freelance Japanese-to-English video game translator when she’s not wordsmithing, working on nerdy cross-stitching, or cuddling her two cats (three if you include her husband). Her fiction has appeared in FlashPoint SF, the Arcanist, and Ghost Orchid Press’s Beyond the Veil: Supernatural Tales of Queer Love anthology. Kristin's website is https://www.kristinosani.com/ Kristin shared her experience with creativity through her work as a video-game translator, her writing, cross-stitching, and drawing. Kristin's creative resources: For writers struggling to create protagonists well: The Protagonist Problem. Brandon Sanderson's Creative Writing Lectures on Youtube Ellen Brock's YouTube channel Writing Excuses Podcast Save the Cat!, by Blake Snyder Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing, by Libbie Hawker The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface, by Donald Maas Wonderbook: the Illustrated Guide to Creating Fiction, by Jeff VanderMeer The Nebula Conference is a great place for SFF writers to connect and learn. John suggested The Listening Book: Discovering Your Own Music, by W. A. Mathieu Kevin mentioned** the book The Lady from the Black Lagoon, by Mallory O'Meara **Actually, Kevin mis-titled the book repeatedly in the episode. That's what happens when you don't look at your notes. 🙄 Apologies to Mallory O'Meara.

This time we're joined by author, artist (painting, NFT, sculptor), musician, and teacher Jonathan Hansen, aka Johan Michaels. We talked about deciding which creative endeavor to pick up when he has so many, creative energy, his influences, writing, and music. Jonathan also talked about NFTs as a creator. Jonathan's website: https://johanmichaels.weebly.com/ Resources we mentioned: NFTsPexelsDistrokidOn WritingFabulaOpenSeaObjkt Also, take a walk when the going gets tough, and keep a creativity journal.

We continue our interviews, this time with Sci-Fi author Geoffreyjen Edwards. We get into many aspects of creativity, including collaboration and how challenging yourself by going big rather than going home can be a successful creative strategy. Before becoming a science-fiction writer, Geoffreyjen led a successful career as a full-time scientist. Indeed, he populates his world-building by drawing on experience in fields as diverse as astrophysics, artificial intelligence, geomatics, design, disability studies and the performing arts. Plenum: The First Book of Deo, is his first published novel. Dr. Edwards lives and works in Quebec City, Canada, and has published smaller pieces in both English and French. He also is a fashion designer. Look him up at http://www.geoffreyjenedwards.com. Our Resources Mentioned: Kevin talked about Art Breder: a site for making art cooperatively with artificial intelligence. John suggested everyone bring and use their phone's recorder to capture notes and ideas in those hot moments they occur. Also, a towel. Geoffreyjen mentioned a site for ongoing conversations called Infinite Conversations. They are also running a publishing cooperative called Cosmos Coop.

Our first interview with someone who isn't us! We spoke with Lily Hammer (aka Kate), a writer, drummer, photographer, and all around creative. She talked about her approach to creativity, and how her creative efforts and interests have changed over time. She also shared how creativity helped her cope with a dark time in her life. How placing creativity at the forefront helps her be the hopeful and creative person she is today. You can find Kate (Lily) on her website, Twitter, and Instagram. This week's creativity resources Kate mentioned a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson during the interview. She also suggested the book Deep Work by Cal Newport. John talked about the book Silence by John Cage. Kevin recommended the poet Joy Harjo's body of work. Poetry, essays, and flashes of memory. You can sample her work here and her books are here.