The Courage to Flourish

At a bonfire last night, standing close as I could get for the warmth, I took part in a small wonderful celebration of the solstice, the longest and darkest night of the year.

Kelley Harrell, author of Gift of the Dreamtime, led this ceremony. The heart of it was her reminder that: OUT OF THE LONG DARKNESS CAN COME CREATIVITY. (I certainly have felt a burst of creativity after a difficult time, and then the same pattern again: almost like stitches in a fabric, the thread sinking, then reappearing.)

In last's night's cold, we each tossed into the fire some symbol of whatever we wished to be finished with from the past year. Because OUT OF DESTRUCTION, SOMETHING NEW must inevitably come.

I threw in a handful of dead leaves; I'd forgotten to bring a home-made symbol. Those leaves stood in for the dead, dry images of the "starving artist" stereotype, whatever limited ambitions I have had that allowed me to run a business that "gets by." This choice had emerged weeks ago from the Creative Capital seminar I've been writing about these recent days.

Now those no-longer-useful ideas are smoke that has dispersed out of existence. I replace them with practices that will allow me and my work to flourish.

For once, I do not fear that this is a New Year's Resolution that will go away. I know it's here to stay.

After solemnizing this vow, I warmed myself with a new taste sensation: hot chocolate made of white chocolate and laced with Triple Sec. Mon Dieu! it was good. A toast to all the births and re-births of the season!

An Uplifting Thought about Artistic Productivity

Here's a piece I (significantly) forgot to mention when I posted the writer work-day recommendation from the Creative Capital seminar.

Part of the 60% of our time we're advised to spend on productive work should be UNCONVENTIONALLY PRODUCTIVE.

That means that taking a walk to clear my head counts.

In a comment to my previous post, "Billie" described ending her work day with a bath in which a MISSING PIECE for the revision of her book popped up in her mind. Obviously, that counted. But this time need not be immediately productive to be crucial.

The RULE OF THUMB advised for unconventional productiveness (whether it produces immediately or not) is 20% of total productive time. For an 8-hour day, that works out to be roughly AN HOUR. I think that's right; feel free to check my math.

I didn't always know about the value of this kind of time. Years ago, I did a lot of work for ad agencies. I remember times I worked in agencys' offices and saw a copywriter sitting at her desk flipping through magazines, and another making paper airplanes and sailing them out a window.

Pretty brassy, I thought, to be loafing like that with the door open. Then I saw how much faster and easier it is to come up with an ad concept and headline with a variety of visual stimulation coming from a lot of different unrelated directions.

So take a walk or a bath for an hour, or more precisely for 57.6 minutes, if I've figured correctly.

And another thing--thanks for visiting here. I feel your presence and I'm glad you're here. Please won't you leave a comment about your own experience. It would help a lot of other people (not to mention keeping the wonderfully-wise-and-frequent-commenter Billie and me company)

Writer Work-Day Report

Today, as promised, I tracked my work-time to see how closely I came to the Creative Capital guideline for a good writer's workday.

What was recommended was 60% of the time spent in production, and 20% each on administration and promotion.

MY OUTCOME: Today I spent half my time on production, about 20% on administration, about 6 percent on promotion, and nearly a quarter on personal errands.

MY REACTION: Well, could be worse since it's almost Christmas.

The awareness of time was very interesting. I did those personal phone calls, last Christmas cards, etc. a lot faster than I might have. I was terribly efficient.

BOTTOM LINE: This practice is going to be useful to me. I do think I got more done, with less lying to myself. And I felt LESS STRESS. Paradoxical, but true.

More later on the lessons from the Creative Capital seminar on Strategic Planning for all kinds of artists.

The Writer's Work Day

Here's a rule of thumb I learned at the Creative Capital seminar for effective organization of a work day for a writer or artist of any other sort.

It's very simple. APPORTION THE HOURS in this way:

Production------ 60%

Administration-- 20%

Promotion------- 20%

This looks like a reasonable plan to me, designed to keep me from spending the whole morning on e-mail. The numbers probably aren't magic, but they seem about right.

So, here's MY PLAN. Tomorrow, Friday, I will track my time all day and see how I actually spend my day.

MY EXPECTATION: I'll be much more productive, spend much more time on my novel and my manuscript consulting than I otherwise would, BECAUSE: I'll know I'm watching. And I don't want to face being unhappy with myself.

I will also report back to you what the day produces. That's A SECOND STRONG INCENTIVE to do right. So, thanks for being in on this with me.

More Arts Marketing Strategy

I just talked by phone with my partner from the Strategic Planning for artists seminar--a conversation that re-inspired me about my work, as if that were currently needed.

During the Creative Capital/NC Arts Council workshop, we paired off into buddies to continue to stay in touch and encourage each other. Of course those conversations work as deadlines too: I want to have some progress to report.

My partner Bridgette Lacy works a few blocks away from me in downtown Raleigh; she's writes features about authors and others for the News & Observer, and is finishing revisions on a novel.

We found that we'd taken similar steps since returning to Raleigh from the conference a week ago. We both began to ORGANIZE RUTHLESSLY.

I'm whittling down my desk pile of stray things-to-do. This usually feels like procrastination; now that issue is not worrying me. Getting my mind and desk organized feels NECESSARY.

I also made a decision about an offer to teach at a university. I'd been agonizing over it, because the school is a Christian evangelical one and I knew in my heart that I wasn't really a fit. I'm a Christian among other things; I and my upcoming novel COBALT BLUE take a serious interest in voodoo. END OF AGONIZING: I said no and didn't look back.

Bridgette--well, her story is hers to tell and she promises me she's going to tell it here pretty soon. But you can rest assured that she is on a roll.

And she left me a bit of wisdom from the weekend that I had forgotten. Here it is:

BIG DREAMS, SMALL STEPS, WRITE IT DOWN

That probably doesn't need a lot of explanation, but here's a bit anyway. Set your goals as large as you can imagine. Break them into the smallest possible steps. Write the steps down and then tackle them, tidbit by tidbit. The power of those little steps begins to accrue, thus beginning a CAREER GROWTH SPURT.


A personal BOLDNESS ADDENDUM: This weekend, as a graduate of a class called Singing for Non-Singers, I sang a solo at the talent show at my husband's office party. I had had nothing to drink but a lemon-lime soda. And I was fairly at ease.

My husband Bob Dick is a psychologist in a practice with 31 other psychotherapists. I had learned a song in the class called "Be Gone, Dull Care" that I thought was appropriate for this group. I told them it was an ancient psychotherapy song from the British Isles. People were very kind and encouraging to me, even though I had to follow a terrific rendition of "Bobby McGee."

An Artist's Life Plan

Last night while I was waiting for the AAA guy to come get my keys out of my locked car, I sat in a Whole Foods grocery store and started writing my obituary.

This obit-writing was an ASSIGNMENT from the Creative Capital how-artists-can-make-more-money workshop I attended last weekend.

THE IDEA: focus on what I want my life to be and amount to, so I can be sure I'm doing what I can to make that happen.

RESULTS SO FAR: I learned that: it stirs me up to think long about this stuff. That I'm pretty much (except for my procrastinating time) spending my time in the right pursuits. That I can be much more effective with less effort by a little more focusing and with a lot more THINKING BIG.

And that I mean to spend my 100th birthday on a round-the-world cruise on the QE2.

I'm still working on this obit. My plan is to post it here when I'm done, in hopes that going public will strengthen its impact on me and help me measure my progress.

The Elevator Pitch for Selling Your Art

Pretend you're in an elevator and suddenly realize that you're standing next to the person you want to publish your book or stage your play, to carry your project forward. What do you do?

This is what we each practiced at the Creative Capital arts careers seminar on Saturday. We took turns pitching our hottest projects at seminar leader, Daniel Jones, a writer/performer/director recently named by American Theatre Magazine to their list of the top 15 upcoming movers-and-shakers. In this case, Daniel was playing the part of whatever mover-shaker we each most wanted to meet.

First we each assembled what we'd say.

THE HOW-TO:

*LIST three nouns and three verbs that describe the piece of work. Very precise and concrete. One of my nouns to describe Cobalt Blue was "novel." The other two were "painter" and "sex." My verbs were "arouse, offend, seduce."

*WRITE a sentence or two using those words, or most of them, to tell the person what the project is about. No arts jargon, nothing flowery or scholarly. Tell it straight and get across your own excitement about it.

*PRACTICE the roughly 30-second elevator moment with a friend.

*INCLUDE THESE ELEMENTS:
Introduce yourself.
If you can, say something about the luminary's work and how it's relevant to what you're doing.
Say what your project is, using a relaxed, conversational version of your sentence.
Give them a business card or some other way to contact you.
Close with a way to keep the connection going, such as an invitation to a signing or an art show.
Say thanks and withdraw.
Be prepared to say something else useful if the person wants to extend the conversation.

MY SCRIPT: I said approximately this to Daniel who was playing the part of an unsuspecting publisher:

Peggy: Hi. I know who you are. I just read in The Times about your new imprint. Congratulations.

Daniel: Thank you.

Peggy: I'm dazzled to get to meet you. I'm just finishing my third novel Cobalt Blue about a painter who has a religious experience while she's working that causes her to go hog-wild with sex. It's about tantra. It's pretty serious literary stuff. Sort of like some of the books you've done: a bit disturbing. It'll either offend or seduce you. May I have my agent call?

Daniel: Oh, yes!

Peggy: Let me give you my card. (awkward sympathy-inducing moment of trying to get one of my cards out of the plastic sleeve of my nametag where I'd stashed them) Here. Thanks. Good-bye. (getting off "elevator" dizzy with the rush of adrenaline)


Well, by the time that experience was over I was more excited than ever about working on my book, and ready for any elevator.

What was also cool was to see the others in the group do their pitches. People were very good at it, it was just a matter of loosening up and getting into the spirit of it.

For anyone who didn't see the previous post, this one-day seminar is offered at locations across the country by Creative Capital in cooperation with other agencies. This particular class was co-hosted by the the N.C. Arts Council and held at McColl Center for Visual Art.

HIGHLY Effective Marketing for Writers and Artists

Saturday I showed up, brimming with eagerness and high expectations, at the long-awaited arts marketing seminar.

BOTTOM LINE: What I learned there met all my hopes.

I am as excited about my work and my career as I have ever been in all these 33 years of freelance writing. This excitement is based not, as usual, on a piece of good news like a book contract. Instead it is based on having some new tools to better take charge of my own career and the fate of all my books.

For anyone who didn't see the previous post, this one-day seminar is offered at locations across the country by Creative Capital in cooperation with other agencies. This $30 class--I couldn't believe the price--was co-hosted by the indefatigable crew at the N.C. Arts Council and held at McColl Center for Visual Art.

I'm going report here about what I learned. Because there is so much material--even just hitting the high points--I'm going to spread it out over many days.

Some of what I learned amounted to A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE. And some was NUTS AND BOLTS. These two are equally important.

Here are TWO EXAMPLES OF WHAT I TOOK HOME, one from each category:

*The most important change of perspective: Shift from thinking "what do I need to get by?" to "what do I and my art need financially in order to flourish?"

*Nuts and bolts item: Create a financial team.

HOW TO DO THIS: Get a free consultation at your bank. Choose a bank that's a patron of the arts. Talk with friends who are passionate and successful with the workings of money about who to consult and what to do.

Study what you spend and find out what you need, then ask a consultant: how can I get x amount of passive (no work-involved) income, by x year. Find out what it will require, what step you need to take next. Do it even if you're currently insolvent. Especially if you are. It's possible to buy your freedom; it takes some time-and-money figuring, and developing new and expanded and alternative markets and possibilities (more on this later). Create financial stability rather than a constant hand-to-mouth crisis.

Realize that artists are good financial managers. Nobody squeezes more out of a buck. So don't "diss" yourself.

Find an accountant who is proficient in arts tax laws.

When you talk to bankers, etc. don't bad-mouth money and say you don't like financial stuff. However you word it, ask these folks to be your partners. Get the person's interest in what you're doing and make them part of it. In addition to using their advice, as appropriate, invite your financial team to your book-signings, art openings, or your movie premiere.



In addition to these notes I jotted, I (and the others) received written materials on types of funding sources and how to approach them.

In summary: attendees typically increase their income by at least 20% in the first year, with significantly less time spent at earning. And that came with added visibility of the art work and wider opportunities for more work.

MY RECOMMENDATION: If one of these day or weekend workshops shows up near you, GO! Or fly to wherever it is. Everyone I spoke with was wowed.

I'll keep reporting in this space about what I learned, how I'm putting it into practice and how it's working out. I INVITE YOU to add your thoughts, experiences and questions about each of these topics. And if you've attended one of these classes, please share any stories about how this approach is working for you. It'll help the rest of us.

Thanks!