When we started the Creative DoubleShot, Ginger and I had one rule: We would do the podcast as long as it was fun. Along with that rule, we had a goal: Create content that would be useful to creatives no matter where they were in their journey. While it may not have always been pretty or direct, we feel pretty good about how far we've come. We set a timeline of one year to see where we were and how--or if--we wanted to continue. With Episode 50, that time is here, so we leave you with a few words of thanks and discuss what the podcast has meant to us and what might be down the road. We're taking at least through July off, but possibly August too to re-evaluate what comes next. Thanks for joining us on this journey. Heart emoji.

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Join us as we talk about Ginger's experience at the Taubman Art Museum's Sidewalk Art Show this past weekend in Roanoke, Virginia. We discuss the convergence of art and commerce, being on display along with your art and the power of the broader community. You can't predict the weather, although it was great for the show, and you certainly can't predict what or why people are going to buy art. Another reason to make art that excites you first and foremost.

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If you've ever heard the idiom "greater than the sum of its parts", you know that Frankenstein's monster was a helluva guy. If you've ever heard someone say "less is more", they may have also been talking about Frankenstein's monster. But we digress. In this episode we shamble through the concept of leaving stuff out, not doing too much and provide some real world examples from Jonathan's visit to the virtual Nebula Awards conference. It's a hoot, owl tell you. A genuine hoot. Join us in the trust tree for another exciting episode.

NOTE: We apologize for leaving you, our dedicated listeners, high and dry last week. The truth behind the absence of the Creative DoubleShot last week and the machinations of the podiatric gods shall be revealed when you listen to this week's episode.

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We get so hung up on things like measuring productivity, keeping in line with our own impressions of ourselves, and perfection that we forget we have the power to lay all that stuff aside in service of getting the most out of our creative practice. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and examine our narratives and notions to understand how impermanent--not to mention undermining--they are. This episodes all about you, so give yourself permission to join us for our patented CDS Empower Quarter Hour. Just rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?

Links:

1. Breaks, Permission and Writing, Nathan Bransford
2. Oprah's Book Club website on timshel and East of Eden
3. Shitty First Drafts, excerpt from Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

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Taking to time to examine what's come before has its utility. The trick is being able to tell the solid ground from the quicksand, but when you do, reflection works on so many levels, from the day to day to keep your focus and your enthusiasm, to recurring themes in your creative practice. And best of all, don't forget the mistake-a-tunities that present themselves on the regular. Take some time to navel gaze to enrich your creative practice.

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If you ever find yourself wandering the foggy moors of creative practice with nary a flickering lantern to guide you, it may be time to set some intentions, intentionally working with all the intent you can muster. Sound confusing? It is! But only when you look at the concept inside Jonathan's brain. In this episode we talk intention and how it can help guide you even in your darkest creative hour.

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In this episode we talk about focusing on the little victories to keep us going and keep the fires of begeisterung stoked. Too often we focus on the barriers to creating what we want, whether it be lack of time, immature craft, jealousy or a rug that needs a good vacuuming. Dump the negativity and seek out those little wins. This includes anything from trying or learning something new, completing a thing, reading something that inspires and so much more. Ginger talks about how liberating not showing her current work to anyone for seven months, which is unheard of. While Jonathan explores moving beyond intuition in character development in favor of employing new tools. This episodes got a lot packed into a short time, so listen closely and maybe you'll find something to help you find a treasure trove of things to cheer about.

Links: The Art of Character, by David Corbett Terra Ignota Series, by Ada Palmer Writing Excuses podcast

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This past weekend we left our home for a modest cabin in the woods for a couple of days dedicated to creativity. It's not about productivity so much as it's about having the permission to ignore everything else and dig into those things that fill the soul, such as reading, playing music, journaling or just staring at the fire with a mug of hot coffee in your hand. Oh, and s'mores. Lots of s'mores. Clearly we think this is a good idea. And we hope you consider it for yourself, if you don't already.

Links:

1. Draft No. 4, piece by John McPhee in the New Yorker
2. Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process, by John McPhee
3. Pity the Reader: How Kurt Vonnegut Made Me A Better Writer, Michelle Boring, Chatham University Blog
4. A Review of Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell’s “Pity the Reader”, Zachary Houle, Medium

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Most of us look back at one point or another and wish we'd had the benefit of the hard won wisdom we now possess, but would our younger selves have been receptive? And even if they had, would they have put that wisdom to use? In this episode we discuss some of the things we think might have been useful knowing full well it may fall on unreceptive ears. We also harmonize badly and talk about conventional wisdom. Pull up a stool and grab some snacks and join us for another episode of the Creative DoubleShot.

Links: Pity The Reader, On Writing With Style by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (New York Times: Book Review)

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Craft is something that forms and evolves over time. It's also one tool of several you apply to your creative practice, albeit more akin to a multi-plier than a flathead screwdriver. Okay, that's probably enough of the tool metaphor. In this episode we talk about craft, ways to hone it, pitfalls to look out for and how being a lifelong student is a pretty solid approach enjoying its evolution.

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Sometimes the idea you think you have is not the one you ultimately wind up with. We talk about ideas, not so much where they come from, but what to do with them once they drop into your skull like a quarter in a gumball machine. Because many initial ideas are born from things we've seen or heard, they may manifest at first as cliché, but give them time to percolate or work them over from many different angles, and you may just find the sweet spot that inspires you to keep going.

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Hang on to your bagpipes because in this episode we talk about storytelling, the forms it can take, how to indulge in your inner minstrel or gleeman or busker by dragging the story(ies) inside you out into the world, bit by bit, or, as Anne Lamott would say, bird by bird. We reference a few of our favorite storytellers and in the process mention Sir Rod Stewart two times too many. If that has scared you away, you are in for a laughter filled treat recorded after a long day of day jobbery.

Links:

1. 7 Lessons Learned About Writing From Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott, post at tunerstories.com.
2. Every Picture Tells A Story, Rod Stewart
3. What's He Building, Tom Waits
4. The Greek Chorus Explained, video from the Millennial Classicist

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Sometimes too many choices can paralyze us in life and in our creative practice. In these instances it can be useful to set some limits whether it be in your choice of media, your time, your palette or your tools. And those limitations over which you have no control? You may just want to embrace the hell out of them and see what happens.

Links:

1. Phil Hansen, Embrace The Shake TED Talk
2. Tim Ferriss (4 Hour Work Week) Interviews Writer and Creative Legend Margaret Atwood
3. The Psychology of Limitations: How and Why Constraints Can Make You More Creative, Buffer Blog

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Join us on a meandering, um, Journey (you'll see) of exploration on those features of our modern world that chip away at our creative practice. We don't have any tips about how to beat Father Time, but we do offer up some tips on how to make the most of our time while we're here. From the demands of the modern work life and the silicon valley inspired side hustle/gig economy to the way we choose to fill our days, you're sure to find a treasure amid the conversation hoard we lay before you.

Links:

1. 4000 Weeks, Time Management For Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Sincerest apologies to Oliver Burkeman, who I referred to as Oliver Burke throughout the episode. The fact remains, his book is a must-read.
2. A Soft Manifesto. Artist and writer Cortney Cassidy on the anti-capitalist values that helped her launch Mail Blog, and a set of principles you can apply to your own values-driven art making.
3. Also, apologies to Journey, the song we were groping for was Faithfully.

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With the Russian invasion of Ukraine dominating headlines, we dig into creating while the world seems to be crumbling around us. What's the point? Why bother? Turns out there are many reasons to keep the faith and keep creating. Creativity in uncertain times may seem frivolous or a guilty pleasure but it's fundamental to our humanity and holds great value both on the personal level and in our communities.

Links:

1. Why Make Art When The World Is Burning? Blog post by Brad Blackman
2. We Learn Nothing, by Tim Kreider

As Ginger prepares for her first day of her new job at the library, we talk about maintaining your creativity while holding down a day job. It might seem daunting at first, but there are ways, dude, and we want you to know. Also, If you have a full-time job and you just don't think you have the time for a creative practice, guess again. You just have to ask yourself one crucial question. And lastly, if you're on the fence about listening to this episode, let us entice you with the mysteries of oyster metaphors. It'll be fun!

Links:

1. How To Balance Full-Time Work With Creative Projects, by Jeffrey Silverstein at The Creative Independent
2. Practical advice on managing a creative practice while working over at Medium: How to Pursue Your Creative Calling While Working Full-time by Bernadette Cay
3. On Writing (with a Day Job), by Richard Mirabella at Catapult

Sometimes the answer to a question about, or a solution to, a creative conundrum lies within ourselves, we just need a way to get it out. Enter journaling. In this episode we talk a bit about our very different approaches to journaling and others that are out there. We also talk about the benefits of journaling ranging from the mental to the spiritual to the physical. We also take a side trip to the land of rainbow pens and Mork & Mindy t-shirts. Come aboard! We're expecting you.

Links: Daybook: The Journal of An Artist, Anne Truitt To Spring From The Hand, YouTube channel about Paulus Berensohn Leuchtterm Notebook, Composition - B5 Uni Ball Vision Pen .7mm

Sometimes you're just itching to share your work with someone. Anyone. But is that always the best indicator that it's time to put your latest creative project out there? In this episode we identify a few potential indicators that can help you know when the time is right. And perhaps more importantly, we examine some of the reasons why you'd want to share, including ego, feedback and spreading joy. Knowing what you want to get out of sharing (and what's in it for the other guy!) is an immense help in knowing what to expect when you do share. Pull up a chair and prop up your feet and enjoy!

Links:

1. You Can't Create Under Surveillance, post by Austin Kleon that compliments this episode very well
2. NYT Review of The Selected Works of Audre Lorde
3. To Spring From The Hand, The life and work of Paulus Berensohn, documentary
4. Beyond the Visible: Hilma Af Klint, documentary trailer
5. Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, website

It seems as if we're always striving to finish our creative work, but sometimes it seems as if the finish line moves or disappears altogether. Or maybe we never knew where it was to begin with. So how are you supposed to know when you're really finished? We throw out some sign posts that help us know when we're finished, but also when we've still got work to do or when we've destroyed our latest project by working the life out of it. Come for the discussion about markers that can help you gauge where you are in the lifecycle of your project, stay for the baking metaphors.

Links:

1. How Do You Know When You're Done Writing? - Author News, Penguin Random House
2. How To Know When Your Art Is Done - Nicholas Wilton
3. The Three Times Your Novel Is Finished - Lit Reactor
4. Recommended: A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver - Poetry Tea Time

Sometimes we suffer from inertia in our creative practice. Whether just starting out on our creative journey or working at it for years, there are times when it all seems pointless or overwhelming or just blah. In those moments we find it hardest to take that first step, to put brush to canvas or fingers to fretboards. It's something we encounter regularly, so we need to figure out ways that make getting started less daunting or even exciting.

Links: Austin Kleon, Keep Going Robert D. Richardson, First We Read, Then We Write: Emerson on the Creative Process Steven Pressfield, The War of Art CreativeLive, "The Single Biggest Thing You Can Do For Your Career: Show Up"

The way forward is not always clear, despite our best intentions, our diligent planning. What do we do when we find ourselves lost in the process with no map to guide us home? In this episode we explore the benefits of leaning into the uncertainty of the creative process (hint: it's where much of the magic happens) and some possible ways to find your way to the end. Or at least an end. Join us on a pleasure barge through the mist of process and have a few laughs along the way.

Links:

1. Accidental Creative podcast with guest Michael Bungay Stanier, author of _How To Begin_
2. Stuart Shils, artist, writer, teacher
3. Amy Clay reviews Pema Chodron's _Comfortable With Uncertainty_
4. A writer's review of Shaun McNiff's _Trust the Process_
5. The Creative Independent interviews with Mindy Kahn, who offers a lovely perspective on the creative process

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In this episode we trot out everyone's favorite tired concept, New Year's resolutions. We delve into why they kinda suck and why they make us feel so bad. We put forth the idea that maybe, just maybe there's a better way to approach 2022. When we come from a place of self-compassion and curiosity, when we play to our strengths, we have a better shot of living the creative life we want without all that prescriptive, magazine cover B.S.

Links:

1. "Don't Make Any Goals Next Year" by Kate McKean
2. The Guardian reviews of **4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
3. "Get Centered Fast", a blog post about taking 10 second to re-center by Eric Maisel
4. To Spring From The Hand | The life and work of Paulus Berensohn (film)

In this episode we look back on six months of The Creative DoubleShot, give shoutouts to some great books and the power of face to face interaction. We bandy the idea of returning to the same concepts over and over again as guide posts to keeping that spark alive in your creative practice. Keep you eyes peeled for an annotated bibliography over at creativedoubleshot.com, coming in January!

Thanks to those who've been listening (and reading the show notes!). Here's to 2022 seeing a continuation of your creative practice and more conversations about the same.

REMINDER: There will be no episode on Jan. 4, but we'll be returning Jan. 11 with a new episode that keeps the conversation going.

In this episode we pretty much hammer home the value of repetition in your creative practice over and over and over. From repeating techniques or returning to the same subject matter over and over and everything in between repetitions serves to free our minds, hone our skills and enter the flow state. That's why they call it a creative practice!

Links:

1. On the value of trial and error. Multi-disciplinary artist Juan Miguel Marin discusses not fearing imperfections, the science and meaning behind repetition, being yourself, and embracing generalism over at the theindependentcreative.com.
2. Removing the inner critic through repetition

Play is often scorned and maligned (I think we all know who does the scorning and maligning, don't we? Dour hats and shoes, both with buckles, hmmmm?). It's frivolous and unproductive. So how can it be so damn important? Well, listen up good, uh, listeners and we'll take you on a dizzying journey to find out why, touching on how play opens our minds and puts us in the flow state.

Links: A fairly hardcore view on not working with some solid musings on the concept of play. Author Bob Black Why It Is Good For Grownups To Play from Jennifer Wallace in the Washington Post Creativity vs. Consumption looks at the effects of favoring consumption over creativity

When the winds of excitement have turned into the doldrums of disinterest, how do you revive that initial spark that got you pumped about the project in the first place? In this episode we discuss ways to keep the stoke alive in your creative practice by being curious about, well, just about anything from asking why the work of an artist you admire causes despair instead of inspiration to why don't I like what I'm working on? Being curious not only about your creative practice and your current project, but also about the world in general is a great panacea to get you back on track and crreating.

Links:

1. Embrace The Shake TED Talk
2. Starship Sofa Interview with Jack Vance (around minute 24 you can hear Jack talk about how he "ran out of gas" and lost interest in writing science fiction. A minute or two later he talks about how he's a bit of a musician now, playing jazz coronet.
3. Jon Stewart interviews Brian Grazer, producer and author of A Curious Mind: The Secret To A Bigger Life.

This week, in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, we talk about gratitude, the connotations of the word and some other ways to think about it. For our creative practice, how can we find it in the small places and use it to recenter? We also highlight a few things we're grateful for here at the Creative DoubleShot. This episode goes by fast, so hang on to your ziplock full of leftovers and give it a listen.

Link: (One is all you need this week!) On Being Grateful from The Creative Independent. A few highlights from their archives. If you haven't checked out this website, please do! It's a fantastic resource.

This week we do our best to wrangle the digital dragon and come to a middle ground of schadenfreude videos and nurturing our creative practice. Technology is everywhere and it can be amazingly useful. The flip side to that is it can be a time slip, a rabbit hole, oh come, a temporal vampire, if you will. One minute you're check the weather, the next you push your look up with bleary, bloodshot eyes and wonder, how did I get onto this page about illegal armadillo wrestling in Flatbush? Or maybe, where did the last 3 hours go? We have much of the world's knowledge at our fingertips yet we spend much of our time online looking at other people's lives, cat videos (just ask Ginger!), or sports recaps (just ask Jonathan!).

Links: Freud's Nephew and the Birth of Modern PR - He took Freud's complex ideas on people's unconscious, psychological motivations and applied them to the new field of public relations. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport - Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World The Social Dilemma - The technology that connects us also distracts us The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think by Jennifer Ackerman. Just a fantastic book that's a great alternative to picking up your device when you're at loose ends.

Creating deep meaning takes commitment and patience and awareness. In this episode we discuss what it takes to imbue your work with deeper meaning. We talk about that sweet, sweet convergence of technique, patience and begeisterung and the competency scale. We don't mention the Puritans, not even once.

Links: Four Stages of Competence, Wikipedia Tangled Up in Blue, Bob Dylan, who appears to be in Kabuki theater make-up How To Make Art That People Really Care About, blog post from the Artwork Archive

This week we talk about the role of patience (non-GNR edition) in an enduring creative practice. We dig into the beauty of enjoying the ride, challenging those pesky narratives, and a willingness to slow down and be okay with what you perceive as your creative shortcomings. We all think we want to be great at our chosen creative outlet (or outlets) right away, but as the old cruise line ads used to say, "Getting there is half the fun." So put your seat back, grab the beverage of your choice and settle in for 27 minutes of luxury.

Links: A Willingness to be Bad, blog post by Austin Kleon Trust the Process, by Shaun McNiff BONUS Link! Episode 126 of The Working Songwriter podcast, hosted by Joe Pug. Just a fantastic episode with Joe and Rhett Miller, two amazing musicians talking creativity, music, and life. Stay with it long enough and it'll mash your ol' feel button.

Both Ginger and Jonathan are transitioning into new creative projects and talk about what that looks like and the vagaries of such things. We talk about iterating as a way of figuring out what you really want to work on next, as well as limiting choices to keep from losing all those "egoic marbles" you're getting ready to pour into your next big thing.

Links: How Writers Write Podcast, Alix Harrow Interview How Writers Write Podcast, Paul Tremblay Interview Gratuity: Who Gets Paid When Art Is Free, by Ted Gioia Interesting look at art as gratuity and what happens when it's commoditized. The Unstrung Harp, Or Mr. Earbrass Writes a Novel by Edward Gorey, review Abraham-Hicks, Better Feeling Thought video

Gird yourself for a conversation on the power of creative community. While such a community may take time to cultivate, know there are many ways to do it and it's worth the wait. Whether through friendly, professional competition, sharing creative experiences or plain old "merc talk" (you'll see, we promise), creative communities often provide the inspiration that helps a creative practice thrive.

And, hey, thanks for being part of our community, we're glad to have you!

Links: Independent Creative interviews (Check out this one and this one, both with elements about collaboration) Jeff VanderMeer Finch and Murder By Death collaboration Austin Kleon, Steal Like An Artist Science Fiction Fantasy Online Writing Workshop

What if you could turn those creative doubts into fuel for your creative practice? Harvest those doubt nuggets and toss them into the old notion conversion contrivance and fire up an inferno of inspiration. Except in this case the contrivance is your mind and the nuggets are electrical impulses, but still! When you doubt your work, from how well it matches the idea in your mind's eye or whether you're conveying exactly what you mean, you open up possibilities. And where there are possibilities, inspiration is there for the taking.

Links: Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, & Five Interviews by Samuel Delaney If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland The Accidental Creative Podcast hosted by Todd Henry

Lest you think your creative practice will or should be a linear progression to mastery and achievement, we pull back the veil on some of our current experiences in our creative practices that really drive home the notion (you'll see what we did there when you listen) that creating is indeed a practice. Like most things we practice, we must constantly re-evaluate and return to those things that inspired us to create in the first place, but we must also see those things with new eyes (but not the kind you get on the black market).

Links: A tingle in the scalp, Austin Kleon Writing and the art of surrender, Nathan Bransford Interview with visual artist Kerry St. Laurent from The Creative Independent - the interview digs into a number of things here and is a pretty good example of the messiness of a creative practice.

In this episode we talk about the kind of narratives in our lives that are like icebergs. We tell a story about a kid on the playground who just wanted to imagine he was on a ship. And then we bring him again. And again. Our narratives, whether we create them ourselves, they're handed to us, or a little of both, shape who we are and how we go about going after what we want. And when they're particularly insidious, they keep us from living the creative life we want.

Links: Links: It's Not About The Money by Brent Kessel A fantastic page from Byron Katie about doing that introspective work (the Questions section is what we reference in the previous episode, Narratives Part 1: Everyday Narratives) Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland (review) - This is a nice companion piece to this series on narratives. If you can get a copy of this book, we highly recommend it.

This episode marks a new four-ish part series on narratives, what they are, how they affect our ability to start or maintain our creative practice, and what you can do to change those narratives that are not so helpful. We start with everyday narratives because those are the low hanging fruit of introspection, the gateway fruit-meat of your inner journey, if you will. Come along for the ride and, who knows, maybe you'll add another tool or two to your toolkit for building the creative practice you want.

Links: It's Not About The Money by Brent Kessel A fantastic page from Byron Katie about doing that introspective work (the Questions section is what we reference in this episode) Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland (review) - This is a nice companion piece to this episode. If you can get a copy of this book, we highly recommend it.

This episode goes a little long because that emotional ball of twine is tough to unravel and chock full of good stuff. We attempt to characterize what exactly comprises our why and fail. But we fail forward and upward in a spiral! Our why has nuance and evolves just like we do, so it can be hard to pin down. If you're not sure what yours is, we offer tips on how to give your mind the space to offer it up. We offer a few scenarios or conditions that can help bring your why forth as well.

Note: Our mic was a bit, um, jumpy in this one, so the sound quality isn't up to our usual standards.

Links:

• It's Not About The Money by Brent Kessel
• If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland
• The Accidental Creative Podcast with Todd Henry

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Say hello to your Inner Critic, the wet blanket part of you that is happy to point out all the reasons you shouldn't start or continue your creative practice. We take a look at the myriad ways the inner critic manifests, as well as offer up some suggestions to take charge and keep a healthier perspective on the weight the inner critic carries (or doesn't!). We also talk dishes of shame and try to give our friend a new name that better reflect that everything it brings to the table isn't negative. And if your inner critic is telling you there's no point in listening to this episode, invite it to listen along. Maybe it just needs a boost!

Links:

• Learn to Play The Fool where Austin Kleon includes the concept of the beginner's mind. Just a fantastic post overall.
• Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind By Shunryu Suzuki
• Your Inner Critic is Drowning Out Your Creative Voice, Episode 331 of the Creative Pep Talk by Andy J. Pizza (transcript is included in this link). Great stuff and worth a listen!
• The obligatory link to Coaching the Artist Within by Eric Maisel
• Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chödrön

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Everyone is busy, just ask them! Have we traded our precious time to just spin our wheels in the name of seeming productive, valuable or needed? Is being busy a badge of honor or is it a shield to keep us from the creative practice we know we want? We discuss what being busy means (what it reallllly means) and have a go at working around it or even with it to make time for your creative practice.

Links:

The Everyday Work of Art by Eric Booth An article about Elvis and playing around that opens with the Heraclitus quote we mention in this episode. Mint Money You Need A Budget (YNAB) AppSumo Deep Work by Cal Newport

Support The Creative DoubleShot by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-creative-doubleshot

In which we poke fun at fingerless gloves and work through some ways of overcoming that ever important need of all creative practices: space. We fly dangerously close to the sun that is physics, talking not only at space availability, but time as well (insert mind blown animated gif here). Also explored: the virtues of being flexible, of being open, and most of all, being persistent in your search for space to create.

Links:

• Dean Koontz's House (Seriously. Check it out.)
• Fingerless writing gloves with writing on them
• Peep these artist studios for some inspiration
• 8 Tips on Finding [and Enhancing] the Optimum Space for Your Creativity (a little more inspiration)

Support The Creative DoubleShot by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-creative-doubleshot

Ginger and Jonathan talk about what it's like to get stuck, like those times we decide to vacuum the entire house instead of doing the thing we love to do. Whether it's housework or social media or just general ennui, it happens to everyone and that's okay. The question is how do we get past that feeling or that resistance? Well, check out today's BONUS episode for some tips on how to do just that.

Links:

• Steven Pressfield's The War of Art
• All good things must begin
• Take one action to overcome resistance

Support The Creative DoubleShot by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-creative-doubleshot

Ginger and Jonathan discuss the interior struggles and rewards that go along with your creative practice. We discuss Ginger's transformative residency at MASS MoCA and the nature of frustration and breaking through. Toss in the lyrical concept of Begeisterung (be-spirited-ness), the use of metaphor to examine the world, curiosity and processing your world through the lens of creative practice and you're in for a laugh-a-minute thrill ride. Just make sure your coffee is in a spill-proof mug.

Links

• About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, & Five Interviews by Samuel R. Delany
• Review of Jeff VanderMeer's Wonderbook over at Tor.com
• Emily Dickinson at the Poetry Foundation
• Open archive of Emily Dickinson's work (sign up required, but it's free)
• "The Thoreau of the Suburbs," article by Diana Saverin in The Atlantic. A fascinating, in-depth look at how Annie Dillard came to write Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.

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What does it mean to be in the "flow state" or "in the zone"? Probably the most common application is in the context of sports, but it's something we all experience and it's an important part of our creative practice. Ginger and Jonathan talk about our experiences with flow state and how we get there. We discuss its benefits and why we want more of it, as well as detour to investigate those things to which flow connects us.

1. An overview of the flow state: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190204-how-to-find-your-flow-state-to-be-peak-creative
2. More reading on flow and its benefits (among other things): https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-flow-2794768 
3. Anne Lamott on The Tim Ferriss podcast: https://tim.blog/2021/07/09/anne-lamott/ 
4. Written Summary of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: https://theartofliving.com/flow-mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/
5. Video summary of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h6IMYRoCZw 
6. More Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi: https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/ 

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Part 2 of Why We Create digs in to the yin to process's yang: product. Try as we might, we can't ignore product altogether in our creative practice, nor should we! In this episode we explore what product can mean outside of the standard definition of a marketable thing. We talk about bringing a childlike wonder to what we make instead of our cranky old inner critic or the cranky old outer critics. And we tip our buckled hat to those Puritans yet again.

Links:

• Eric Maisel on Duality (highly recommend his book Coaching the Artist Within this excerpt is from) - https://books.google.com/books?id=SLaBa5OtBA8C&lpg=PA59&ots=MqHg7cFjdr&dq=eric%20maisel%20duality&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q=eric%20maisel%20duality&f=false
• Why It's Important to Finish Your Shit, by Chuck Wendig (as you can tell, there will be profanity in this blog post, but rest assured it's wielded in the name of creative goodness!) - http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/11/26/why-its-important-to-finish-your-shit/
• Celebrating the Small Wins - https://extension.umn.edu/two-you-video-series/celebrate-small-stuff

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Ginger and Jonathan talk about the daunting task of facing the blank canvas/page/unmolded clay/etc. and whether we are really creating something from nothing. Talk veers into the quasi-metaphysical and things get weird... Wait, no. We discuss the difference between the physical blank page and all the stuff we bring to each project. We do not revisit the world's largest ball of emotional twine, but maybe we should.

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Jonathan takes you on a magical journey of how he developed his creative practice, the obstacles he faced (including the ones he created himself) and what has sustained him through the years. This episode is kind of like a case study of what we presented in Episode 4, Creativity on Your Own Terms.

Visit us online at... http://creativedoubleshot.online.

Support The Creative DoubleShot by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-creative-doubleshot

There is no right way to go about building and sustaining a creative practice. Whether it's ten minutes at lunch or three hours on the weekend, working out of the garage or in the woods, the practice that works best with your specific life is going to be the most effective. Ginger and Jonathan delve into some of the limitations our lives place on our ability to create and offer some tips on how to work around those limitations. Along the way we take some side quests into figuring out your why to help you understand the reason you even want to make your creative practice work in the first place.

Links to books mentioned: Jen Sincero: You Are A Badass® How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780762447695 Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/ Julia Cameron: The Artist's Way - https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781585421466 Stephen Pressfield: The War of Art - https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781936891023

Support The Creative DoubleShot by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-creative-doubleshot

Ginger talks about how her creative practice has roots in the woods by her house and the natural world. We take a meandering journey -- through no fault of Ginger's -- following Ginger's path from exploring an interest in visual art to developing the full-blown practice and career she has today. As per the usual, we digress, we laugh and we explore creativity.

Link: Developing Your Creative Practice: Tips from Brian Eno - https://99u.adobe.com/articles/7034/developing-your-creative-practice-tips-from-brian-eno

Ginger and Jonathan discuss the myths of who gets to be called a “real” creative, everything from tortured geniuses to fame to education. We go down six or seven tangential rabbit holes all of which provide pearls of unparalleled wisdom or at least some useful/entertaining tidbits. We talk about ways to overcome those myths or at the very least get perspective on those and how to know if you are, in fact, a real creative. What happens next will astound you.

Links:

1. The Price of Everything - https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-price-of-everything
2. The tortured artist is a dangerous myth - https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/world-mental-health-day-tortured-artist-dangerous-myth-pain-art-depression-suicide-a8576971.html
3. Own Your Title: Why It’s Time to Call Yourself an Artist - https://www.creativelive.com/blog/say-youre-an-artist-own-your-title/

Ginger and Jonathan Danz, a couple of creatives (creative couple?) push the Creative DoubleShot podcast out of the garage into the sunlight for the first time and fire it up. The Creative Doubleshot (never mind that we call it the Art Garden podcast, that was a long time ago) is all about helping listeners like you discover your own creative life on your own terms. Ginger and Jonathan discuss what qualifies as creativity and the importance of creativity in our lives. They drop hints about content for future episodes and dish a little bit about themselves. CAUTION: There may some rambling as we work out the kinks. We marked this explicit because Jonathan sometimes can't help but going blue from time to time. Mostly it's clean.