Artists, Want to Blog More Often? Here’s How.
by Thea Fiore-Bloom, Ph.D.
Wish you would write more posts for your art blog?
Or maybe you have a dream writing project that you can’t seem to start, never mind finish?
You should know all writers, even the famous ones, spend a disproportionate amount of time — trying not to write.
Sitting down to write can seem impossible.
What is standing in our way of getting some words on a page?
And how can we help ourselves write, even for 15 miniature minutes a day?
Ralph Keyes has a beautiful answer for us in his book, The Courage To Write.
But before we get to what will help us write more, we need to mention three surprising things that won’t.
Here are 3 Things That Won’t Help You Write More
1. Truck Loads of Talent Won’t Help
If only we had truckloads of writing talent.
Then we’d write all the time right?
We’d be skipping meals to rush to our computers to pour out our buckets of brilliance.
But it’s not a lack of talent, skill, or even schooling that kills the dream of consistent writing.
Veteran writing teachers will tell you; it’s often the most talented writers in their class — that give up on writing the fastest.
Who in their class ends up published or even famous?
The average writer with the drive to work, explore and persist is the one who sees their work in print.
“Like teachers, editors find that the writers they publish most often are seldom the best ones. Brilliant writers tend to have trouble producing publishable material on a regular basis,” writes Keyes.
But maybe we know the reason we aren’t writing isn’t about talent.
It’s about time.
We’re too busy just trying to make a living, right?
2. Having Tons of Time Won’t Help You Write More Either
Sorry, in my experience it’s not a lack of time that dashes the dream either.
You know that expression; Want something done? Ask a busy person.
It’s often true, isn’t it? Think of the most efficient person you know.
If they’re like the extremely busy people I know they have systems, limits, and methods for getting things done. And done fast.
The most successful magazine journalists I’ve met (the ones who put me to shame productivity-wise) have been mothers of young kids. Some with day jobs!
These moms know they have zero time for resistance. (For the greatest book I’ve ever read for overcoming resistance go here.)
After they put that baby down for a nap they power out a few more paragraphs. The cumulative effect is impressive.
Okay, maybe we use lack of time as an excuse.
But the lack of $ money $ thing, that’s real my friend.
Right?
3. Even Airplanes Full of Cash Won’t Help You Write More
Too much money can also be bad for writers.
Because it equals too much time.
Coffee shops in Los Angeles, Paris and Portland are spilling over with frustrated, desperate, wanna-be published writers who’ve got boxes of money.
Money enough to be sipping turmeric-laced lattes all day and staring plaintively into their MacBook Airs.
Waiting for their computers to do something — anything.
Because these writers have no deadlines, they tend not to finish projects.
They’re still trying to work on that block-buster screenplay they told you about ten years ago.
I’m not saying — “Hey, it’s swell to be broke.”
It’s not.
I’m not saying — “You’re a failure if you haven’t finished your screenplay.”
You’re not.
My point here is that cartons of cash won’t lessen writing avoidance.
It often increases it.
‘Okay,’ you say;
‘Fortunately, I’m not Pulitzer-prize-type-of-talented, or filthy rich.
So what’s stopping me from pounding out the pages?’
What’s The Real Reason We Don’t Write More?
Fear.
We don’t write that post once a week or even once a month because we’re shaking in our boots with fear.
You and I may not be finishing that book because we’re afraid of being exposed and laughed at for our wildly different take on things.
We may get nauseous even thinking of being vulnerable on the page.
And who’s to blame us?
Studies still say the most shared fear humans have is public speaking.
And as Ralph Keyes puts it: “Writing is merely public speaking on paper, but to a much larger audience.”
If you take nothing else from this post, please remember this:
Dreading writing is normal.
Therefore, you are normal.
But if everyone dreads it, what differentiates the person who sits down to eke out those first drafts from the person who doesn’t?
What Will Help You Write More Often
I believe Keyes would say there are two things that differentiate the consistent writer from the occasional writer; acceptance and courage.
Consistent writers have come to accept that writing is terrifying and insanely revealing — and they do it anyway.
“The most understandable trap is to wait for fear to subside before starting one’s writing journey,” writes Keyes.
“It doesn’t, won’t, and shouldn’t.”
“Too much good writing comes from writers on the edge. Trying to portage around normal writing anxieties merely postpones the day when we confront our fears directly and find the courage to write.” — Ralph Keyes
So if you really want to write more do this:
- Accept that writing is terrifying.
- Accept that the fear never goes away.
- Know all writers are feeling the same disemboweling terror you are. Every day, every imperfect paragraph.
- Remember you’ll survive it.
- You’ll even thrive as a result of living on the sexy thin line between fear and courage.
- And finally, remind yourself that at heart you’re a psychological Wonder Woman who feels the fear and shows up anyway.
Give It A Go
Give it a go.
Just keep a barf bucket by your desk just in case.
(And if you want someone to hold your hand while your barfing you could always consider doing one-on-one coaching with me.)
Or check out my posts The 5 Best Books on Writing I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Earlier or 5 Secrets To Improve How You Write About Your Art.
Anyway, even if you never publish a thing you still win.
Here’s why:
“Past their twenties, most people’s lives become rather predictable. Writers’ lives don’t. Taking chances is a lifelong occupation. I often meet people who lament — sometimes bitterly — their choice of career. I’ve rarely met any writers who feel this way.” — Ralph Keyes (The Courage To Write)
_____________________________________________________________________________
I don’t think I’ve ever met an artist who lamented their choice to become an artist either.
Have you?
Does anything here ring true for you as an actor, artist, musician, or photographer?
Let me know your thoughts in the COMMENTS. 🙂
You may also like these other Charmed Studio posts:
How To Write a Kick-Butt Opening Paragraph: With this Easy Paragraph Sandwich Template
Start Writing Your Book in 7 Days, With Tea
How Do I Get More Comments on My Art Blog? 7 Secrets You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else
Get Your Foot in the Door of a Museum Store: Insider Tips from a Top Museum Store Manager
51 Blog Post Topics for Heart-Centered Artists for 2020
Artists and Priorities: A Magical Method for Organizing Your Time
This post is dedicated to artist and subscriber Kat Bergman. Thank you Kat for always laughing at my jokes. It helps me be brave and leave the humor in my writing.
Check out this encouraging two-minute clip from cartoonist/ musician James Kochalka.
He thinks if you can draw or play guitar, you probably can write too.
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Thank you for a great article. As an abstract artist, I enjoy tremendously creating abstract paintings. I also like to share the hidden beauty of abstract art with others, but the challenge I always come across is finding interesting topics to write about abstract art. Interesting topics to other people that they may find useful, helpful, educational, entertaining, etc. I have already written several articles about abstract painting on my website, but I seem to be stuck at the moment for more articles. I’m conscious of repeating similar topics again and again.
Hi Suhail,
If it makes you feel better, the problem you mention is a huge one for many, many artists. I wrote an article to address this and I hope it helps. 51 Art Newsletter Topics That Your Readers Will Love
Let me know if this gives you some new ideas or jumping-off points.
As always, thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate it.
That is another great article and enjoyed reading it a lot. It never ever occurred to me that writing personal stories might be of interest to anyone. I have always been thinking about writing art articles without bringing personal experiences in. Why would anybody be interested in my personal stories? But it might be food for thought. Thank you.
Hi Suhail, Think of stories as EXAMPLES. Good, clear, writing includes one example for every major factual point you make. Facts need stories to bring them to life. We all hesitate to include our own stories on our blogs, falsely believing that we aren’t interesting. But it isn’t true. The ironic thing is, personal story-based writing usually makes for an artist’s most popular and accessible blog and podcast content. One of my most popular posts and podcasts to date was a little story about a morning I had on the beach a few years back and who I met there and what happened.No famous people involved.
You can hear it here:Letting Go of Approval: A Story for Artists (That Involves Underwear)
Also, for another example pop on over and read the story of how mega blogger Jon Morrow’s uses personal story to make his writing shine.
How Vulnerability Can Make Your Art Writing Shine
Hope this helps. Take care.
“…turmeric laced lattes…” Ha! I love it, and the article. Succinct, direct, pragmatic (in the best way), thus, excellent! Thank you, Mmlle. Fiore-Bloom.
LOL, I’m guilty of drinking a number of those tumeric laced lattes myself. AT Peets, when I am avoiding writing. Thank you so much Michael for reading the piece and for your kindness and presence.
Truer words were never written. I find I always do my best writing when I know I’m going to have to leave in a half hour or so. The closer I get to the time to go the more into my writing I become, so that I am inevitably late.
Thanks for the great compliment Gina. I like your technique! You could patent it and call it “The- I’m -Leaving -But-I -Am- Just -Gonna- Jot -This- One- Thing- Down” Technique. 🙂 Those 30-40 minute jot down sessions get to the heart of the matter. Yes, what we scribble down when we have limited time can be our best writing. I wonder why? Maybe because we just get to the point because we are on the fly. No time to mire and obscure our true meaning in a word soup of padding and missed connections. Is that why you think?
Could be. But to get back to the point of your blog, I think it takes away the fear because the expectation that you could/should continue writing is gone. Also, we all want the opposite of what we have. Tell me I have to write & I’llI clean 10 litter boxes first. But tell me I can’t write & out comes a flood of words. I start out just “jotting something down” & before I know it I’m writing. I have to start getting up from my computer every hour & I’ll even have to set an alarm. I’m thinking this might improve my procrastination problems. What do you think?
Actually that’s a great idea. You can pretend it is for the health of your spine. ( Which it actually is anyway.)
Great as always, Thea. Keep these coming!
In order to be doing anything really of note, we absolutely HAVE to have one foot in the light (the things we know and can predict) and one foot in the dark (the unknown, terrifying abyss.) I think this is what you mean when you say “that sexy thin line between fear and courage.” I also think that that is what the concept of faith is really all about at its core.
Thanks so much Chey. “That sexy thin line between fear and courage” line was the only sentence of this post I felt totally comfortable with and didn’t re-write 20 times! So it’s amazing and gratifying to me you singled it out.
Yes, one foot in the known and one foot in the unknown (as you so eloquently put it) is where the action is. I had a writing teacher once say academic writing was a tight rope walk between creativity and rigor. But I think writing in general, even acedemic writing, is a tightrope walk between creativity and fear. Fear can crowd out rigor. Fear can trump a lot of things. If writing was a rock, paper, scissors game- fear is a multi-use tool that can convert like a transformer into rock, paper or scissors to counter and crush what sign we throw— but only if we don’t acknowledge the fear is there. I think acknowledging that fear is in the room with us diminishes its power over us and allows us to have faith that even though we don’t know what we are doing exactly, we’re goin’ in anyway and hoping for the best. And the best in my eyes is when someone else benefits from us putting our liver out on the table. The super best is if you find out someone identified or benefited from the writing and tells you in a wonderful comment like you sent me. Then all the liver exposure is worth while right?
I feel like this was written for me! Thanks so much for these different ways of thinking, I will let you know soon if they slapped my fear in the face 😀
So glad you got something out of the post.You can slap that fear down as you say but it has a way of popping right back up again.Maybe keep trying to live WITH it, accept fear as this feral cousin who sleeps over a lot. lol. And try to write anyway.
haha! that is a terribly funny way to put it – I’ll try:D
Thanks for reading, and for always laughing at my jokes Kiko! Good luck with your budding, new group on D.A.
Been using prayer to turn over fear to God. Working it!
That’s great John. Having celestial help sounds like a plan. Maybe when you sit down at that desk by the window looking out on your pond you could ask God to hold the fear for you, just for an hour, or whatever the amount of time you are writing. 🙂 That’s not a big ask right?
Returning to the simple prayers of my Catholic upbringing is calming the monkey mind and bringing me easier connection to my own Higher Self. Been a beautiful process.
I feel more peaceful just reading about it. I’m happy for you John. Maybe a post on the relationship to spirituality and creativity should be in the offing?
The more I retrace my steps through the Catholic rituals of my youth, which I abandoned with SpeedRacer rapidness, the more I see how powerful the words and rituals of that system CAN be if they are tweaked enough to resonate with one’s one truth and time. For me, that is the treasure trove of creativity as it is coming directly from source and our connection to it. Heck, there may even be a new `religion’ in the offing here! Ha! And I am awaiting a new rosary! Who would have know this evolution would have occurred!