I’ve recommended Todd Henry’s book The Accidental Creative to dozens of people over the last few years. It’s a phenomenal book for re-thinking your approach to creative industries, and it appeals to any number of friends who have struggled with productivity systems that don’t account for the rhythms of creative life.
That said, there are always gaps. For all people tend to get something out of the book, they rarely find themselves able to implement his process as a single block. There are parts that just seem counter-intuitive, such as intentionally chasing stimuli, and there is also the problem of his approach to relationships. There are a number of formal approaches he advocates that are hard to set up, particularly if you’re a shy, retiring creative type who dislikes the outside world.
One of the ones that seems to have universal appeal in theory, yet never quite gets off the ground in practice, is the idea of a Creative Circle.
The appeal of the circles Todd Henry describes is simple – bring together a group of creative-types who help each other stay focused and engaged, inspiring each other and sharing tips/knowledge, facilitating insights that wouldn’t happen if you were toiling away alone.
The recommendation is that you meet weekly, which is one of the reasons it’s so difficult to implement. Creative-types are like herding cats at the best of time, getting them to actually sit down and engage in a formal process on a weekly schedule is a complete pain in the arse.
Traditionally, writers have all sorts of informal approaches to this, from crit groups to gatherings like the Inklings. They’re close to what’s at work here, but not quite there. For one thing, they exclude the possibility of being inspired by people in other creative fields.For another, they tend to focus on the work itself, rather than staying focused on big picture issues.
I like focusing on the big picture. On the handful of times I’ve done this, face to face, with other people, it’s that part of the process that was most useful.
Given the difficulties of scheduling this sort of thing, I figured I’d attempt something similar here on the blog for those who are interested in being involved. Largely, I’m doing this because I wanted the focus a regular check-in would give me, and because I enjoy hearing about what other people are up to on the creative front.
If you’d like to join me, the process is simple: run through the following questions.
What creative project getting the most of your focus in the coming week? What are the challenges associated with it? The goal here is to give people some context for what you’re working on and clarify the parts that have your attention, so that people are aware of what’s on your plate and how they may be able to help.
Even posting something simple like a rough genre can be enough, if you’re not that comfortable with going into details; the mere mention of Space Marine stories in my current obsessions post last week scored all sorts of useful book and film recommendations that are going to help with my work.
We’re all creating on the back of other artists and there is a lot of power in hearing about what’s getting other people engaged in their artistic practice.
It also offers insight into the way other people are approaching their work. For example, I had a quick conversation with Anna Campbell at GenreCon where she raved about a jewellery exhibition she’d attended and how vital it was to her writing. That kind of research has never been on my radar before, but I quickly started thinking about how I could do something similar for my current project.
Pick a part of your project that you’ve been avoiding because you haven’t had the time or energy to get it done, and put it into words. This is, perhaps, the most uncomfortable part of the process, but every creative project has its obstacles and everyone has bad weeks where they’re trying to figure stuff out.
Articulating the problem is generally the first step to solving it. For one thing, it’s harder to avoid once you’ve acknowledged that it’s there. For another, putting it out there means folks will be in a position to offer accountability and encouragement.
What am I working on? This coming week is all about the first few chapters of Space Marines: Pew! Pew! Pew!, a short novel project that is increasingly in need of a far better working title.
What’s inspiring me at the moment? Neil LaBute’s not-quite-a-sit-com, Billy and Billie, about a step-brother and sister who start dating. There is not a single character on the show that is not incredibly awkward, but I’ve been fascinated by the dialogue, the way it sets up scenes, and its willingness to be slightly off-kilter. Definitely not going to be to everyone’s tastes, but there is something ambitious about its willingness to alienate people that I enjoy.
What part of my project am I avoiding? Chapter three. I’ve rewritten the opening two chapters of this book a handful of times without moving forward. Chapter three scares me because I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff that needs to be researched, and I haven’t yet figured out how to make a military briefing exciting.
Interested in being involved? Post your answers in the comments or on your own blog (with a link back here, so the rest of us can find you). Throw some thoughts around about other people’s projects, ask questions if you’re so inclined. Be supportive above all.
Then show up again next Sunday when the circle updates next, letting us know how you did on your weekly project and what you’ve got coming down the pipe in week two (if you’d like to part of the circle, without subscribing to the rest of the blog, you can sign-up for reminders via email here).
I’ve ended up taking a short, unscheduled break from writing newsletters over the last fourteen days. Regular GenrePunk Ninja transmissions will resume
Like many of you, I have good weeks and bad weeks on the writing front. This week has been rocky, and if
Welcome to GenrePunk Ninja supplemental, where I occasionally post foundational essays written before I launched the GenrePunk Ninja newsletter, especially if they’re
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What am I working on? Juggling a few things at the moment – closing out an audiobook, progressing a couple of projects in their early conceptual stages for next year, developing characters for a video game voice over project, as well as continuing work on re-jigging systems for next year.
What’s inspiring me at the moment? I’m falling hard for the cyberpunk genre all over again. One of the great things that came out of our conversation about Accidental Creative when you were down in Melbourne is allowing myself to be passionate about things that aren’t directly related to work again, so with a little bit of structure, I’m letting my mind and heart wander. And a budding Netrunner obsession, coupled with influences in a project I’m doing a little research for, has led to a fascination with cyberpunk. Woo!
What part of my project am I avoiding? A particular character concept for the video game project, because I’m having difficulties bringing the right vocal register, accent and emotional state together for how I want it to sound. It’s juggling a lot of balls, and making me want to avoid it like the plague for fear of sucking.
If you’re looking for cinematic cyberpunk, the 2002 Rollerball remake is one of the best adaptations I’ve seen without ever actually firing up a nethacker scene. It’s still a pretty secondary McTiernan film compared to his classics like Die Hard and Predator, but it’s on my rewatch list every time I’m in a cyberpunk mood.
Thanks man – added to the stimulus list! I haven’t seen Bladerunner in FOREVER, so I’m thinking it’s time I watched that as an actual functioning adult, too.
Regarding your quandary around making a military briefing interest – I’m at sea when it comes to narrative, but some of the more memorable ones I’ve seen have been interesting because there’s been information either revealed to characters (better option) or to the audience that significantly changes context.
For example, the strong reaction to even the name ‘Event Horizon’ in Weir’s briefing got me fascinated about what the story was behind the ship: the fact that it clearly had a reputation that preceded it. The strength of Sean Pertwee’s character’s reaction shows us how dogmatic and fearful he is.
Maybe that’s some help…
Oh, just remembered: Moxyland by Lauren Beukes. Easily the best full-length cyberpunk novel of the last ten years.
Ooh – thanks! Added to the reading list!
(Let’s see if I can get the formatting right.)
What am I working on? A novel which I guess if I squint kinda falls into the genre of “paranormal romance”. We have magic, and a kidnapping, and a love story.
What’s inspiring me at the moment? Hanging out with my characters in my head and getting to know them. Plus worldbuilding stuff. Also Gilmore Girls (largely unrelated).
What part of my project am I avoiding? I’ve broken ground on Chapter Two, and I know what’s happening in this scene, but I somehow don’t quite have a handle on how to write it. So I’ve been avoiding that all day.
What am I working on? This week I need to (a) sort out a plan of attack for getting the reference poses for a book cover, (b) prepare to discuss a new picture book idea with an author via Skype and (c) dust off a novel plan (Georgian theatre) and do some preliminary research. I’m trying to keep the goals low this week.
What’s inspiring me at the moment? Recent travels, and the enchanted life of ongoing creative circles that seems to exist in those cities. I want to have that here. We can have that here, can’t we? Jedediah Berry’s choose-your-own-adventure/Twitter-poll storytelling (http://thirdarchive.net/untine/). I’m looking for a new podcast, too – I’ve been pointed to Lore (http://www.lorepodcast.com/episodes/) but I really want something harder – engineering or aircrash investigation, which are a better counterpoint to my art and writing. The gentler mythic/linguistic/music ones (though I love them) are too close to what I’m doing. Oh! And I’m very interested in business development/management stories as a source for plot ideas, too.
What part of my project am I avoiding? All of it. I’m coming down off a travel/convention high, tired, hot, carless, workmen putting on a new roof, and I have three weeks of the day job left, and I don’t know *exactly* what next year holds yet, so it is very easy to throw my hands in the air and go hide somewhere with a/c.
Have you looked at the 99u podcast? It’s still a but design- focused, but their focus is on entrepreneurs and start-ups: http://99u.com/category/podcast
I had not, but I will look it up – thanks!
What am I working on?
A Novel(la) called The Finite. Alongside the second part of an interview with another writer, organizing a blog series on the studio albums of Iron Maiden for next year, and my December My Life In Horror which will also be Maiden themed. I’ve also had an idea for a new long-running blog series which I’m stoked about (music related).
What’s inspiring me at the moment?
Anger, mainly. Also just read a literary horror anthology, and interestingly while I didn’t actually enjoy it a lot, I got seed ideas from two of the short stories. So that was useful.
What part of my project am I avoiding?
The actual writing part. It’s gotten better, but I had some modest success with my first novel (more than I expected, anyway) and I’ve found myself gun shy with the new project as a result. Always easier to ‘check’ social media than it is to put one word in front of another. I need to bury the internal editor and concentrate on letting D1 be D1.
REALLY like this initiative. Thanks for setting it up. 🙂