Creativity - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Our future is closely tied to human creativity. The result will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.

The profundity of this work is validated by the widespread references attributed to Csikszentmihalyi's insights. Several other books I have read refer to various pages and quotables found within the pages of Creativity and Flow. The book was organized like a scriptural lodestar for creativity.

The early chapters establish the historical context for the value, evolution, and impact of creativity. Like a first act, we learn about the characters and dynamics of a world where creativity touches every domain, field, and person of the human race.

Act two leads the reader on a dramatic journey of influences, struggles, and restictions. Sort of like the conflict of external and internal forces that either squelch or squelch the Creative in societies where conservative rules must apply so society does not dissolve "into chaos" (page 41).

Act three offers the Creative, whether professional or the average person, a glimpse of society without creativity and how to manage the environment to kindle the flames of creative energy.

I found Creativity a stimulating read with treasures of insight to inspire and provoke. Creativity will become a tattered fixture of my library.

ALT isn't just a key before CNTL+DELETE

Before I make a note about anything else I have to say this "I LOVE MY JOB!" When I decided to pursue my dream July 2008, the course change from my Business Development path included a part-time paying gig as trainer. The other part- time work (non-paying so far) was screenwriting (wrote four so far). Following the conscious decision to look for a trainer job, after eight months of unemployment following ou shop closure, I had a job as a trainer within two weeks. There really is something to be said for following your heart. I am proof of that premise.

The connection of trainer to my dream realization is still percolating. What I can see with my low beams are mile markers that validate I am on the right track. This week I am in Memphis participating in an Achieve Global trainer certification session. Today we covered some fundamentals of Adult Learning Theory (ALT) -- or -- "What do you mean you don't want to be talked at like a kindergartner?"

We all have our preferences for the way we receive information. The three basic styles of learning are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To assist a group of adults achieve a common objective, a trainer is mandated witht the task of using tools and techniques to engage the adult learner. I discovered today that I am kinesthetic learner. What does that mean? I dig being involved, high on autonomy, and active. The environment was friendly for all three learning styles. For this guy, I played with clay, pipe cleaners, doodled, and all sorts of other mind engaging activities. The cool part? I was encouraged to do so.

Clay and pipe doodles made during class

Several authors describe the educational system of yesteryear (oops... do they still exist?) wherein the instructional delivery system is based on a knowledge transfer via lecture and written exams. I did horrible in the public education system. I suspect most kinesthetics do. I doodled and got branded as a day dreamer and neerdowell. Sheesh! If I night dream how the heck am I supposed to remember or enjoy the dream?

That is probably why I enjoy author Dan Pink so enthusiastically. He speaks-a-my-language. In his book "Drive" he tackles the issue of what really motivates us. In the language of ALT, we have different learning style preferences. In the language of Motivation 3.0 Pink concludes that we are motivated by something beyond the rewards and punishment systems of the Industrial Age. He writes that autonomy, mastery, and purpose are our primary drivers. The bells are ringing people!

The greatest moment of my day was the discovery that freedom to create while in a traditionally structured environment is liberating. To know how you learn best is key to unlocking your creative self. Imagine the power of unleashing that creative force into your life, relationships, community, and workplace. Pink writes "When the cold front of demographics meets the warm front of unrealized dreams, the results will be a thunderstorm of purpose the likes of which the world has never seen." Unleash the tempest!

Stimulaters for Successful Thinking

Here are those reviews I promised. Little and large influences to stimulate thought.

Why Now is the Time to Crush! it! by Gary VaynerChuk

Web 2.0 and the associated applications of social media may not interest everybody, but if you are in business the do and will affect you. Of course social media interests me because that is the place I can engage people with similar interests, passions, and goals. Vaynerchuk realized his passion and it became a multi-million dollar business.

Although he has done well at it, he offers a caution to new entrants. Essentially, don't get into it just for the money. Authenticity is critical and insincere carpetbaggers can be sniffed out in a minute. Capture the wave with a surfboard on which you can ride all day. Then let people enjoy YOUR ride

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Always a proponent of the "anything is possible" philosophy, I was at first glance apprehensive with Outliers. The book begins with the Outlier group of the genius genus. Not having an IQ of 190 or ever likely to reach that lofty measurement, I waded into the audio reading with some red flags.

Gladwell then took a dramatic turn by highlighting the historical violence of Harlan County Kentucky and factors that may have influenced that feuding culture. By that time I was caught. Outliers paints a realistic picture of conditions that shape our worldview.

The key to Outliers is captured in Marita's Bargain. Gladwell writes "Outliers are those who have been given opportunities -- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them." We all have opportunities. Some more than others. How do you know if that next opportunity won't lead to something that places you in the chronicles of the Outliers?

The Innovation Zone:How Great Companies Re-Innovate for Amazing Success by Thomas Koulopoulos

Koulopoulos offers some valuable insights regarding innovation. The writing style is strongly knowledge-transfer oriented. Although there are numerous annecdotal references, I found the strict data transfer disengaging. Those that dig lists and norms should enjoy this read. Where I found enjoyment was reading between the lines. 

For instance, the section regarding the culture of innovation tapped the role of mentoring and training. Koulopoulos writes "A culture of innovation requires maintenance." That started me on a line of thinking regarding integrating a cultural orientation of innovation through training techniques, style, and content as it relates to organizational goals.

Tribes by Set Godin

Tribes is a manifesto for the heretic of the status quo. Godin compels the reader to consider their role and perhaps ultimately their responsibility to lead in this changing world. In some places Godin acts as a cheerleader for the subjugated heretic (one that opposes the status quo of entrenched ideology). In other places, he attributes the maladies of creative stagnation to those that have surrendered to compromise and safe paths. I'll be quoting from Tribes often.

A Thousand Clowns  by Jason Robards, Barbara Harris, Martin Balsam

Caught this film on TCM. Comedy writer, Murray Burns (Jason Robards) escapes the monotony of the ordinary by his unorthodox approach to life. When social services -- welfare -- sends a team to remove his nephew (Nick, Theodore, Max, etc), Murray must decide whether to return to his old rat race life versus losing his nephew to maintain his lifestyle.

Murray is contagiously optimistic, infecting all but the most stubbornly sober. His old relationships want to cage him in with their perception of who he was before his epiphany. His new relationships want to shape him into a new man. All the while his nephew idolizes Murray as his inspiration. A neighborhood hollering Don Quixote that resists the status quo.

I want to get a hold of a script. There are some wonderful memorable quotes. My favorite quote comes from Murray's brother Albert (Martin Balsam ..he won an Oscar for his role).  [To Murray] "You're not a person, you're an experience!" Albert Burns

"Oh, there you are, Peter!"

"Oh, there you are, Peter!"

Pockets to adult Peter Pan from Hook

Pockets' confidence in the identity of Peter Pan in the film Hook came about when he smooshed Peter Banning's face into a smile. He exclaimed "Oh, there you are, Peter!" This is the response I want to enjoy everyday of my life. More so, I want to be a Pockets for somebody and help them smile at the discovery of finding their creative and youthful self. That is the Pan-like quality that makes life magical.

Over the past several weeks I have thrown myself into building a Twitter presence by following artists, writers, cartoonists, illustrators, Internet entrepreneurs, creatives, and a gaggle of other interesting people. The process is time consuming, stimulating, and encouraging. The more I brush against people in cyberspace, the more I find the little frustrations and obstacles of day-to-day living become less of an aggitation. When you know what you are going to say (write) doesn't have a digital expiration date, you tend to be more thoughtful of what you communicate. What a concept! Thoughtful communication.

My blogging took a bit of a side trip the past few weeks, but I am confident that the experience was valuable. Tomorrow I will post some reviews of books and movies I consumed of late. At the moment those insights are on my Facebook and LinkedIn pages.  This blog is not about reviews, but I think it is important to appreciate those elements that influence a person's creative journey.

I hope that as a reader of this blog you will begin to interact with me regarding your own creative journey. Make no mistake, you are on a creative journey. The question is whether or not you are effectively reading the map to your destination.

A Starting Line Perspective - Again

Have you ever hit a mental wall that seemed to just knock your brains out? Unlike colliding with a physical wall that jars your body with pain and lingering aches, a collision with a mental wall tends to sap your energy and passion. Here is a short list of some symptoms that you may have hit a mental wall:

Sleeplessness. This might be self induced as you stay up late watching television, plunking on a keyboard, or some other mindless occupier of time. It might also come as the result of a change of diet. Sugar or caffeine highs that buzz through your brain to steal the rest needed for mental recovery.

Loss of Passion. The reality phenom Survivor is in its twentieth season. One recurring challenge is the variation on the endurance game. Competitors that press on to the end are driven to do by either a drive for the prize or fear that without immunity they will be the next victim tribal counsel. Do you feel a loss of passion of late? Can't seem to force yourself to get back to that script? Art work? Technical writing or white paper? Dude, you hit a mental wall.

Powerlessness. King Solomon is attributed with the proverb "hope deferred makes the heart sick." Change the word sick for weak and you have the root of powerlessness -- hope prolonged from delivery. There is a direct correlation between the length of time it takes to turn your actions into a reward and rebound.

In competitive sports there is a common phrase for the failing to progress. It is called "hitting the wall." The wall is that mental or physical barrier that is set just before the finish line, goal, or record to break. Breaking through that wall may seem a minor feat. Unless you want to brand yourself as a standout.

The difference between winning a race and breaking a record is milliseconds. Maxie Long won the 400m in the 1900 Olympics with a winning time of 47.8 seconds. The best 400m time was run by Michael Johnson in 1999 at 43.18 seconds. A difference of 4.62 seconds. You can credit equipment, training, diet or whatever for the new record. But after a 99 years, winning runners were only able to shave about 4 to 5 seconds from Long's time.

For weeks now I have languished in a sense of powerlessness. I lost sleep because I allowed mindless things to occupy my attention. My passion has suffered. I lost ground (and gained pounds) with my exercise regimen, have not written on my scripts for months, and let my blog lay dormant for nearly a month. BAM! A mental wall. All the aches and pains of crashing into a brick wall are evidenced by the bruises in attitude, will, and creative energy.

What to do? Do like any athlete does that wants to be better or be the best. You figure out what you can to perform more efficiently and get back to the starting line. Looking down at that starting line may get old as you stare down at the goals in front of you for the umpteenth time. But you will never win your race unless you are willing to shake the sense of powerlessness that accompanies a collision with the wall inside your head.

And now for something completely different

From the moment I started work today I found myself engaged in the mundane tasks that I wrote about in Escape the Mundane. A mountain of validating and editing training curriculum beckoned me to press on. That kind of work makes the day go very fast, but it doesn't exactly evoke a lot of creativity. Just after lunch and gobbling another chapter of 59 Seconds, I slipped back to my lair to Prnt Scrn, edit shots, and catalog images for the manual.

In the morning I was using two laptops to do my work. In the afternoon, my faithful Dell was able to be my music source and visual distraction. For my visual I applied Wiseman's advice and put up an image of geometric shapes. At a point that I wearied of my cutting and pasting, I sat back and looked at the geo-shapes. The idea behind the exercise is to let your mind be engaged into something completely different than your current activity.

Instead of focusing on my current situation I thought about my problem of writer's fatigue with a script I need to finish. I posed a question to myself: How can I review my script in a fresh way? I pondered the geo-shape (insert) for a few minutes, and then went for a short walk down the hall. Almost as soon as I left my office I could feel my brain percolating with an idea. Eureka!

The answer my friend came with a whoosh! Record the script using Camtasia and listen to it on my commutes to Pueblo. Record it in Camtasia so I can also listen to it at work with the script automatically flipping page-to-page with my reading. To capture and reinforce that creative thought I made a date in my date timer for Saturday to do the recording.

Very cool how the brain works. I can't wait to try this on other mental roadblocks. Speaking of something completely different...

Escape the Mundane

“Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.” Bill Moyers, Journalist

Several of my friends do freelance work so that they can pursue that which drives them. They put in unending hours of editing, reworking pieces, or slaving away at the rigors of prep and post production. As a screenwriter, I am intimate with working a scene or character over and over. In the midst of editing, the tasks can begin to feel ...well...boring.

Creative block (pick your poison) can rob an artist of the very will to live if allowed to fester. That is why it is so important to escape the mundane. You have probably heard the phrase "so heavenly minded that he or she is of no earthly good." That is mundane defined: consumed or trapped by earthly, worldly cares. A Bohemian attitude may help ease the depressed condition of living the life of a three job pauper, but it doesn't unshackle the creative genius within.

There are so many people with formulaic answers for creative block and the torture of living day-to-day with the mundane. Some of those solutions include: will power, visualization, coaching, drug induced stupor, or a line up of ineffective or self-destructive behaviors that may never deliver your answers. Eventually you plod through to the end with a certain level of resentment as the payoff or never finish your project.

Richard Wiseman recommends several concrete solutions in his book 59 Seconds. Wiseman throws down a challenge to the mindset that change can come by wishful thinking. "Fantasizing about your perfect world may put a smile on your face, but it is unlikely to help transform your dreams into reality." He describes the process of as "getting in touch with your inner gorilla." The actions you can take to escape the mundane -- at least long enough to regain your sanity -- include:

• Priming—work hard on the problem then do something completely different...then come back to the problem

• Perspective—Put yourself in a different role/person
• Play—15 minute fun break
• Perceive—Ask yourself an interesting question and get the answer

I hit a block with my writing back in October. This week I am going to use these tools to revive the rework of one of my favorite scripts. Success is right around the corner. Chris Soth encouraged me today with these words, "you need to find joy in the process." If you don't enjoy what you are doing, you will have to revive that joy to earn the reward of fulfillment.

Stimulating a Creative Response

At the core of our being resides a reservoir of creative energy. Most of the time it lies in an undisturbed state of rest. We move from day to day without giving this incredible source of change a second thought. Then one day you are forced to make a decision that is totally new to you. You get a pink slip in a down economy, some trauma strikes you, or on a positive note you take a leap to escape the mundane. Your brain synaps start cracking with new connections. Pow! You get an idea.

You don't need to wait for trauma to smack you up side the head to get the brain generating enough energy to jump start the creative juices. There are many tools available. In my opinion, the most overstated method for generating creative energy is visualization. Capturing a vision in your mind is wonderful means of getting the imagination rolling. It is like a soft breeze on the sea of your creative core. But if you want wild, untamed creativity to flow from your being you shouldn't settle for soft breezes and hammocks.

To create a storm of creativity you need to take your mind and subconscious on a ride into the uncomfortable. A tame approach might be an aggressive brainstorming session, mind mapping, or other methods of invoking right brain activity. More radical techniques are defined by the creator. Push the boundaries of your prejudices, education, and indoctrination until you feel the reservoir stir with tempestuous power. Let the energy pour from you until you are drained of physical energy.

Spend yourself on your art or whatever is your creative expression. The best way to fill up with new creative ideas is to empty yourself and make room for more.

Creativity DNA

There is no way of broaching the question of the source of creativity without investigating the philosophical and theological connections. Nearly all faiths have a creation story. While considering the source, I recalled the Latin phrase creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing). In the book of Genesis the phrase is worded as God creating something from out of a void.

Using the principle of original use, we can make a reasonable connection that creativity is borne from a place that was void of substance. I know, kind of heavy huh? Too much philosophy? Stick with me. This may take a few days.

When a creative thought is birthed, the ah-ha moment makes you want to yell "Eureka!" Because creativity appears from nowhere, it is historically associated to the Divine. I don't take that position. Creativity comes from a source deep inside. Personally, I think it is the way we are wired. Since creativity is not confined to the religious or irreligious we need to view it as a universal quality of our DNA. Soul if you prefer.

Tomorrow: Stimulating a creative response

Creative or Innovative?

Ralph Goings began painting realism in the 1960s. He has so refined his skill that his work is now referred to as super realism. His diner series reminds me of a HD Norman Rockwell. Although Goings is not the first to paint realism, his work is so real that it bears the brand of illusionary (Inset Ralph Goings' - Duke Diner).

The work of Ralph Goings is a great launching point for debating the differences and similarities of being creative or innovative. Clearly Goings is innovative in his methodology. But if he is essentially capturing an image of his eye in minute detail, how can that be defined as creative? Hold on. The battle within is going to take a few posts to work out.

When writing about being creative versus innovative, definitions can be helpful or they can be lost by common use. I prefer in this instance to use creative (adj) over creativity (noun) and innovative (adj) over innovation. They will blend at some point, but for now I want to focus on these words as qualities of the nouns that they modify: people.

Words, properly used, should describe for the recipient what the messenger intends to be received and comprehended. If, when referring to a system or process, I say that the new system is better then I am referring to that modification as innovation. To achieve innovation a person or team of people must be innovative. She will take what is and transform it into something new and potentially better than the previous process, product, or system.

The dilemma starts there. If an artist (encompassing all arts) uses a tool or process and alters it to create something new, is that creativity or innovation? From what I can tell from my limited exposure to formal art training, all art is evolutionary. Each successive generation builds on the discoveries of the past.

Tommorrow I want to tackle the question: What is the source of being creative?

Dance you fool!

"Out of limitations comes creativity." Debbie Allen, Choreographer

An aspect of the arts and creativity often overlooked by many men is the art of dance. Since middle school most guys have avoided dance for fear of being clumsy clod hoppers. Unlike Navin R Johnson, who could not keep a beat despite his cultural upbringing, most of us have a natural rhythm in our being that yearns for physical release. Tonight I smiled again as I watched a viral video that incorporates dance.

Art, regardless of it's form, is meant to move the emotions. Make us smile, laugh, cry. When you dance you let down your protective barriers. You move to a feeling. At a very minimum, it should bring a smile to your face.

These three viral videos bring a smile and a tear of enjoyment to me every time I watch them. I even wiggle in my seat a little. Who knows... maybe I'll get down when nobody is watching.

The Power of Follow Through

The hottest gift this past holiday season was Wii. Exercise at home in front of the tube. I even played Wii. New Years Eve I bowled an average 110. Whereas a week before I bowled 205 at a live bowling alley. We also Wii golfed. I was relieved to discover that I was not required to manipulate my hands into pretzel-like contortions and swing with stiffened joints et al. On a course, all those things are important. Especially, follow through.

Last October I attended the Creative Screenwriting Screenwriting Expo in LA. I sat under the instruction of pro-writers and teacher for several days. The wealth of information I gained to improve my writing was overwhelming. So much so that I felt that was contorting my hands to deliver my writing under the rigid guidelines of the experts.

Today I finished the first draft of a 15-minute short. After months of floundering in my writing, today the imagery flowed with visual ease. I felt the pleasure of Polymnia as I crafted the emotionally charged story.

Skills learned in association of a craft are vital for achieving excellence and industry respect. The acquisition of those skills can either lead to discouragement, disillusionment, defeat or resilience, achievement, and success. The pivot on the scale of decision is follow through. That will push you on to take action.

You don't need to contort or get all bent out of shape about the structure of your art. You just need to swing and correct. At least you get something done.

Talent Capital

Slow capital is gain earned over time. Fred Wilson, venture capitalist and blogger, suggests five tentets of slow capital:

1) doesn't rush to conclusions and doesn't expect entrepreneurs to do so either

2) flows into a company based on the company's needs, not the investor's needs

3) starts small and grows with the company as it grows

4) has no set timetable for getting liquid: slow capital is patient capital

5) takes the time to understand the company and the people who make it up.

While reading Fred's piece in "What Matters Most," I was struck by the similarity of capital to talent. Unless you are a progeny, the talent inside of you must be cultivated and nurtured.

I overheard a conversation today. One person was in his fifties. The other, a single mom. He remarked about the daughter of other person and her interest in several musical instruments. He noted that as young man he learned the violin, but only got as far learning the novice peice of Twinkle Twinkle. He doesn't play now. Gave it up a long time ago. The regret humg in his voice.

It takes time to become good, let alone expert at anything. Malcolm Gladwell  promotes that it takes 10,000 hours. Let me borrow from Fred Wilson's tenets for five tenets for slow talent.

Talent...
1) doesn't rush to a resolution to quit nor expects the heart and mind to do so either

2) flows into daily living based on the room offered, not financial needs

3) starts with small projects, doodles, random ideas captured and grows as the talent host takes action

4) has no set timetable for generating revenue; slow talent is patient talent

5) takes the time to appreciate creativity and those that host talent.

Creative expression is not an overnight gig. It is the journey of life.

The Laughing Wall

One of the pages on my site will be dedicated to play. Specifically, the renewal of laughing as a means to release tension and enjoy the moment. I am not sure all of what I want on that page. My sketchpad has not yet revealed to me what the page will look like. However, I do know one element I want to create for my site: a Laughing Wall.

Surfing the other day I came across a "love letter" wall. The page has 400 colored squares. Click on a square and it reveals a jpg of a love letter. Kind of cool. Time consuming and clearly voyeuristic (what isn't on the Net?), but a neat concept.

300 Love Letters

Having mulled over the idea for a couple of days, I came up with the idea for the Laughing Wall project. The Laughing Wall consists of face imges that when moused over expands and broadcasts an associated giggle, laugh, guffaw, or chortle. Wave the mouse over sections of the wall and the viewer is delighted with a cacophony of laughter. Since I am thinking beyond my ability already, I may as well set it up that a text displays a one word to a sentance response to the question, "what makes you laugh?"

Ambitious I suppose. Especially for a guy that doesn't even know how to do a mouse over in HTML. Even more ambitious in that I want to start with a 10x10 wall with people that respond to me with clips, sound bytes, and pictures. Except for those very melancholy types that thrive on severe mood swings to draw their creative energy, most folks like to laugh. It stimulates good health, tension relief, and shared pleasure.

More to come on how to participate in the creation of the Laughing Wall....

Too Old To Learn

The old saying that you can't teach old dogs new tricks is crap. Old dogs that can't be taught new things are people that don't want to learn. Set in their ways, the idea of a lifestyle change or trying something new is unfathomable. You might as well ask them to walk on the moon.

Got an old dog in your life or feeling a little like your years are multiplied by 7? There is hope. Put down that book and do some web surfing. Worldlifeexpectancy.com reports:

UCLA scientists have found that for computer-savvy middle-aged and older adults, searching the Internet triggers key centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. The findings demonstrate that Web search activity may help stimulate and possibly improve brain function.

Image Link

Somehow in addition to everything else I am trying to do, I work in a daily surf fix. I search the Web for a combination of written, visual, and audio pages that interest me. I am totally digging the things I have discovered. My brain is popping with inspiration and creative ideas.

Robyn Waters, author of "The Trendmaster's Guide", encourages surfers in What Matters Most to  "leave the screens of your virtual world momentarily behind, and indulge your senses with a real world adventure." Before the Internet, reading was a catalytic resource for inspiring adventures of mind and action. I agree wholeheartedly with Robyn. Get away from the screen and experience real world adventure.

But I will add a point...

Create critical mass in your soul. Make your mind so hungry for real life experiences through the resources you have at hand. I use the Internet to discover possibilities. The creative energy is reaching critical mass and I am very hungry.

The Most Important Creative Project

Last night, following a gruelingly long 20 hour day, I plopped on the sofa exhausted. After vegging on something mindless, I went to bed. My heart pounded in my chest. Was this an anxiety attack? I hear about that kind of thing all the time. What does an anxiety attack feel like?

Reset the attitude button and start the day on the right foot. The activities that consume my time actually give me a lot of enjoyment. I have nothing to complain about. So where did that overwhelming sense of -- whatever that is called -- come from? Probably the same angst that has driven so many artists to madness over history.

Considering the projects I am working on, there is nothing that might warrant a mini-freak out. The most important creative project I am working on is...me. Coming to that time in a life when the realization that change is possible and necessary can take a very long time. Sadly, a lot of people never realize the potential for life fulfillment through change. Small changes that yield massive rewards.

I remember a story that described Michangelo's method for selecting marble for a project. He spent considerable time in a quarry observing slabs of marble. The project would become visible in his mind's eye. His task was then to chip away the excess to uncover the art, so he could detail it, and buff it for public enjoyment.

The chipping process took a toll on me the last few days. Through the process of self-discovery, I am uncovering aspects of my talent that I have not seen in years. My mind is sharper. My patience deepened. Today I even broke out my strathmore pad and colored pencils to play with some new web site designs. Every little burst of creative energy strikes a new neural pathway for my future.  2010 looks promising.

A Creative Leap

I think I registered my domain name in 2005. It took me four years to eventually get a page posted. Here are my top ten reasons why it I took so long:

10. Nobody I knew could crawl into my brain to see through my eyes. (I love you Charlie Kaufman!)

9.  The strategic plan I developed while in college was REALLY over the top.

8.   I was a victim of paralysis by analysis.

7.   The font choices of ARIAL, HELVETICA, and TIMES NEW ROMAN limited my personal expression.

6.   Pre-fab templates felt like wearing bunched up speedos down a water park speed slide.

5.   Damned red lights in Colorado Springs got me all worked up over the past four years.

4.   I lost my creative mojo in 1981 and it took a while to find it.

3.   Voices in the night told me that if I would build it "they would come." Scared the crap out of me.

2.   Stick figures are uninspiring (at least that is what I thought until I saw a Life is Good t-shirt!)

1.   I was afraid it would look stupid.

For my Masters graduation gift my Dad gave me the gift of jumping out of a plane. It was really cool. The night before I was full of fear and thinking of ways to bail. The morning of the dive, I resolved to do it regardless of my feelings. After watching a video briefing that reiterated several times that "YOU CAN DIE," we drove to the plane. A rickety old thing that probably did this junket 10,000 times.

As the plane ascended with the doors wide open, I watched as the Colorado landscape became smaller and smaller. My fears melted away knowing that there was no turning back. When we fell from the door, I experienced a thrill like I had never before.

My web site sucks. I know it. It won't win any awards as it sits. Then again, that is not my goal. The Internet is like a blank canvas. I never realized how much incredibly cool stuff is out there. Every day I take 20 minutes (if I behave myself) and browse a randomizer for new stuff. I get great ideas on living, laughter, and making my crappy web site better.

Last night I discovered cool little utility that makes a digital character. Even though I used to draw cartoons as teen, I wanted a crisp digital character for my web site. At least I think I do. At this point I can do whatever I want. My creative license is truly universal. I can go anywhere my mind and imagination take me. Despite my frequent and obvious lack of skills.

You just gotta decide to make the leap.

High Ate Us - Getting back into writing mode

In 2008 I hit the ground running with my screenwriting. I purchased a copy of Final Draft 7, picked up a few books to learn about formatting and jumped right in. I had a couple of good story concepts to work with so it was relatively easy to get started. That first year I cranked out four, still requiring rewrites, scripts.

To test my results in a smoky industry mirror, I submitted a couple of scripts to some contests. That began what I call the marketing phase of my learning curve. Film is business. At least that is what I hear and read from industry pros and secondary minion that try to discourage wouldbe entrants to the biz. Screenwriting guru Robert McKee is so tough on newbies in the first chapter of Story, that I almost wanted to quit after I read it.

When I take on a project I give it 100% effort and energy. I get rather intense. For one short deadline contest I entered, I had one week from notification to write a feature length script. I got it done. The script was complete, but not good enough to win. Despite the business-side wake up calls, I rode high on my newly discovered talent. Instead of quitting I simply took a hiatus.

Getting back into writing after my hiatus has proven to be harder than I imagined. Today I broke through and wrote three pages of script. Of course that came after several hours of puttering on the Internet yesterday as my procrastination spilled over into today. Not a brilliant accomplishment, but visible progress.

As a regular to the gym, I find that I train better with good rest and regularly planned periods for rest. When I get back into the gym after that kind of break, my muscles ache from the shock. My goal is to complete a first draft of a 15-minute short by January 24. My creative muscles may ache, but it will be worth the push.

Fractal Mindbending

Watched Inglourious Bastards last night and then got sucked into From Hell (Johnny Depp) until 2:00 AM. Subsequently I got up later that normal. Had to drive to Pueblo to get my laptop power cord. Called my grandad's widow on the way down. Dad on the way back. Got home with the intention to start work on my 15-minute short for Nate. Instead, I puttered around the Internet nearly the entire day. It was a wonderful day of discovery and fun.

As I write this I am listening to a soothing piece of looping music by Kevin MacLeod. The music is embedded into a neat site called Fractal Scape. I am mesmerized by the beauty and upbeat music of this kaleidoscopic web page. The visitor can change the pattern display by clicking any surface point. What intially caught my attention was the banner title that reads:

Remembering Childhood

You lived moments filled with exciting new journeys.

It is never too late to start again

 

The title kind of encapsulates my experience. I got entangled in the underbrush of some life sucking experiences when I was younger. Not until I was in my mid-forties did I begin to pull out the machette of positive self-talk did I begin to whack out a path that uncovered the lost city of personal creativity. As a kid and teen I loved to create things. I never really considered myself an artist. I just loved to make stuff. The process was enjoyable and satisfying.

 

The Splendor of Color: Kaleidoscope Video

Until I discovered Fractal Scapes, I never gave the word fractal a second thought. Tonight I looked it up on Wikipedia. There is, of course, a scientific definition for a fractal. What slapped me in the face was the Latin dirvation, fractus, which means "broken" or "fractured." The moving, even graceful transformations that occur on the Fractal Scape screen are the results of a breakdown of structure. A fracturing of one geometric shape into ordered chaos. Broken pieces displayed with beauty and complemented with a chipper musical theme.

 

My creative journey, no, my life journey is a series of fractured, broken events that are creating a collage of transforming beauty. How can I use this experience to stir up my creative core? To take a leap into areas that I may never experience? If I translate my life experiences and creative expression through the tool of visual fractalization I will invariably uncover new paths. Fractal mindbending is taking a thought and letting it grow in whichever direction it chooses. Brainstorming is like a mini-atom smasher. We smash our will into our brain and expect it to deliver new creations. Fractal mindbending is to allow your brain to go wherever it wants.

 

Seems like a much more non-violent way to produce new ideas. Still listening to Kevin's looping music.

The Creative Process: Stage Six - Showing

Eight days into the new year I did a little review of my goals today. I am pretty excited about my progress. Using an engine metaphor, I feel like I am hitting on all pistons. One of the reasons I know I am hitting my goals, is because I wrote them in my journal. In a way, I keep myself accountable to my vision for 2010.

In the process of writing scripts I think I developed an attitude that my work was only as valuable as it was marketable and sellable. What a load of nonsense. Sure, I would love to sell a script. There is also a level of personal pride to produce something that others value or appreciate. At the end of the day the greatest personal reward must come from the personal satisfaction of completion.

Gross over-simplification? Sure. I think we complicate our lives way too much. This is my take. If a person makes it through the five stages of the creative process, they should be proud to show their work. There are so many places to show your work. Perhaps you will get some great feedback from comments. If you belong to one or more of the countless online communities for your creative expression, engage there. Most of the time there are people there to offer good critque and support.

As I close thise series of blogs, I have several questions to ask of myself:

• Why do I write?
• What inspires me to seek other creative expressions?
• What do I want from it all?

I hope that some readers will follow my blog. The journey of creative discovery is best shared. My battery is dying. My power cord is 50 miles away at work in Pueblo. Guess I better put this to bed.

The Creative Process: Stage Five - Completing

Okay, I had a dose of my own medicine. I probably should not have started a week long series of blogs. Initially I intended to inspire myself to stick with a daily blog for a week to establish a good habit. Eric Maisel's six stages of the creative process seemed like a great place to start. Little structure, little me, little structure, little o me. Instead of inspiration I ran smack into a wall of mediocrity. 

Then I realized that the feelings I was having toward this creative process series was mirroring the actual process. Tomorrow I will finish the series. After that, who knows? This is a blog about appreciating the creative journey. Over the past few days I was inspired by a wealth of great input. So much so that I slept very little as my head swam in a sea of ideas. Oooo there is a graphic image!

Let's stick with Maisel's model. The mind's anxiety related to completing a work is the critical nature that we observe our progress. I know this problem so well as a screenwriter. In July 2008 I finished my first script: Crossover.  All the stuff I blabbed about for the past several days really happened to me. I had ideas. Mulled on them for months. Wrestled with structure and tools of the trade. But on July 30, I said "It is done." I was so jazzed that I went on to write three more scripts by March 2009.

Then I went to a Screenwriting Expo in LA put on by Creative Screenwriting magazine. There I learned a lot about the biz. I should have seen the post-conference blues coming. The reality of the industry took the wind out of my sails. I met great people. Learned a ton. Was validated to some degree. But somehow lost my motivation to rewrite my stuff AGAIN. In my preferred creative expression, the work is not truly complete until it is viewed by an audience on the big screen, small screen, computer monitor, or telephone.

Completing my work means that it is so compelling and business smart that a producer will turn my work over to other creative types to make a film, distribute it, make money from it, and live to make another film. For my scripts to reach the place where that is possible, I must be very critically minded. To help me be tough on my work, I purchased Will Akers book "Your Screenplay Sucks!" As if my own tendancy to self-debasement at this stage wasn't enough, I had to buy a book to bullet my failings.

Not really. Getting outside, critical feedback is absolutely essential for getting over yourself. I am on several screenwriting networks. I learn a lot from those great folks. What I have not done is let my work be critically evaluated. For my scripts to sell, they cannot be good...they must be great.

I am writing a short film for a friend so he can get something produced. Didn't I just talk about that on Tuesday? That project is due by February 1. That will get me back into full swing screenwriting. After that, my two babies get rewrites. At that point some select folks will get a peek. I will make some changes. Pay for script coverage. Then? Show and sell.

The Creative Process: Stage Four - Working

After the mini-chapters I posted the past couple of days, let me keep my thoughts simple today. Besides, I became so jazzed about blogging and the new things I am engaged in that I slept only four hours last night.

The working stage is marked at various times by the mind trapped in chaos. If experienced at the beginning of a project it might be expressed as writer's block or an empty canvas. For the life of you, you can't seem to lock in your next step. To get passed this phase of non-productivity you should consider some exercises that will free your mind. Here are a few well known mind-freeing (non-drug induced) exercises:

Visualize—See yourself working through the next stages to completion. Reinforce your vision by speaking what you see.

Brainstorm—Generate as many ideas as possible without rejecting a single thought for its absurdity.

Mind map—Use words, numbers, pictures, phrases, anything that comes to mind and watch connections grow.

Free writing, free drawing, free whatever —Throw structure out the window. Just use your medium and feel it.

Meditate —Empty your mind of the cares that ensnare your creative flow.

Sleep or power nap—Your mind needs rest. You work it hard!

Another problem I experience after I begin writing is to get bogged down in details. Any little thing out of order can throw me off. That kind of thing used to mess me up for days. I am discovering the value of working with chaos. Use your chaotic mind to discover new paths. Those random, seemingly chaotic, thoughts is your mind pouring over. Let it spill out long enough so you get down to the good stuff.

The Creative Process: Stage Three - Starting

YES. NO. MAYBE

Let's start with a little wake up.

Okay, you are into your new project. You are committed. Your reputation is on the line. If you didn't want to do the project or cannot because of a millions reasons, say NO. Maybe is not an option. All Maybe does is feed confusion, frustration, and procrastination. 

As much as I dislike categorizing by groups, I think I need to do so for clarity. There are basically four groups of creative types: The Professional (I get paid), The Hopeful (not getting paid yet), The Hobbyist (I don't care if I get paid), and The Skeptic (I don't have any talent).

The Professional
You know you are worth what you are paid. In general you manage your art as a business. The very first principle of the creative process is that you should want to do your project. "I am a professional artist. I don't have the privilege of choice." You sure the heck do. Your responsibity is to find personal satisfaction in the mundane. If you can't, then you need to find another outlet for creative expression. Don't gripe about your limitations. Stir up your creative core and deliver. That is why people pay you to do what you do.

Just as a reminder...there are thousands waiting in line to take your place.

The Hopeful
A basic principle of getting ahead in anything is to stay hungry. The trap most Hopefuls fall into is to give away their work...FOREVER. Eric Maisel says that the Starting stage is challenged by the anxiety of a weakened mind. For the Hopeful, the weakened mind is to surrender to compromise. You bust your butt to create a unique style and creative expression so that you can become a Professional. You know, get paid for your work.

A friend or smooth talker comes along and offers you a "chance" to do some work with them. You know, we all are struggling to get a reputation.  The solution to this problem is to show some backbone. If you are not doing work that will further your goals, then you are not going to reach your goals.

The Hobbyist
Congratulations! You are the child in the candy shop. Creative expression for you is an adventure. Start anything. Try everything your heart desires. Starting a project for you is like breathing air. Don't beat yourself up for not finishing one project or another. You don't have to hold up to the expectation of the Professional or Hopeful. Your art is fun.

Secretly, some Professionals wish they had your childlike fascination with creativity.

The Skeptic
This person has convinced himself or herself that they do not have a "creative bone in their body." I don't buy it. Everybody has creative talent. The typical question the Skeptic asks is "what good is it to be creative?"  Were you embarrassed in 7th grade because somebody made fun of your minimalist tie-dyed tee shirt? Geez, get over it! You have a creative core that is aching for expression. Do something. Anything! When the voices of your past start throwing doubts answer with "SHUT UP!"

Come on, just start doing something that is creative. If you aren't satisfied with the results, post a comment. We will work on it together.

The Creative Process: Stage Two - Choosing

Once the intrepid seeker of creative expression turns from wishing to action he or she will have to face choices. What do I create? Where can I channel my energy to experience pleasure instead of the constant pain of frustration? What are my resources to achieve some level of competence?

Many take the stereotypical approach of Sherlock Holmes and his violin. That is, insist to conquer an instrument of art regardless of the skill or lack thereof. Practice, practice, practice. We could spend unending hours trying to perfect a craft that is more a chore than inspiration. I know a lot of people that ooze their artistic expression in everything they touch. Then there is that large body of others that struggle to make stick figures and daisy doodles.

So, how do you choose your next project or creative expression?
As I pondered this question, I recalled a scene from James Cameron's film Avatar. Fully integrated into the Na'vi culture, Jake Sully must complete his right of passage to warrior status by domesticating a fierce Mountain Banshee. The banshee is a flying carnivorous  beast that resembles a prehistoric earth creature. Once a communication link is made with a Mountain Banshee (Ikran) by a biological connection, the creature bonds with it's Na'vi rider for life. The trick is that the rider must be selected by the Ikran. When Jake reaches the Ikran rookery, he asks the obvious question:

Jake: "How do I know if he chooses me?"

Neytiri: "He will try to kill you."

Jake: "Outstanding."

I don't think choosing our projects or creative expression should always be easy. We can play games in our head, perhaps putter around on scratch paper, bend a few paperclips together into a wiry sculpture, or tap a tune with a pencil on the desk but there comes a time when you have to commit.

Choice is about commitment.

If the treacherous climb to the place to choose your project doesn't kill you, the project itself is going to try. You have to be smarter than the project. Be stronger willed than those voices of opposition. Wrestle with your inner creative desire. Use the resources you have to create something. Don't invest a ton of money. The creative expression you perceive as yours may not choose you.

You will know you have the right project or creative expression. After you wrestle with the process for a while, your project will take flight. You will feel a release from earthly limitations. Time will seem meaningless.

You can experience oneness with your creativity.

The Creative Process: Stage One - Wishing

Over the past few weeks I mulled over my goals for 2010. I want achievable goals that bring me pleasure in their processes and satisfaction in their culmination. The first goal that came to mind was to "explore more creative expressions." While mind mapping in my journal, I began to see a pattern for achieving my first goal. Just start doing those things by taking early action to fulfill each expression.

The way I figure it, New Year goals are the starting point for what you want to do. I won't settle to just meet my goals...I want to exceed them! By that I am certain to find the pleasure and satisfaction that gives my goals setting and accomplishments meaning.

My game plan is to start with the advice of creativity coach and author, Eric Maisel. Maisel states in his book Fearless Creating that there are six stages in the creative process:

wishing
            choosing
                          starting
                                     working
                                                 completing
                                                                   showing

Each stage comes with its own set of unique human emotions. In the wishing stage we battle the hunger pang for self-expression. On one end of the emotional tightrope we tell ourselves things like "I wish I could do that." The other end is anchored with self-defeating self-talk that usually starts out with something like "Oh, I could never (fill in the blank)." Sadly, a lot of people never get beyond the wishing stage. 

Riddled with excuses and the burden of failed attempts, the wisher allows the compromises in their head to congeal into fact. Facts, regardless of their validity or relevance, are hard to resist for most people. The fact to elevate over your experience is that you have an internal drive sending neuroelectric demands to the brain to engage in the creative process. Artists, musicians, cooks, homemakers, engineers, accountants. Doesn't matter. This is the way we are wired. 

The most recent Weight Watchers advertising includes a cute furry monster that represents hunger. Women (at least that is the target audience) are supposed to reject the hunger critter by engaging in a Weight Watcher program. I am curious how the marketing campaign -- bar the New Year Resolution wave -- is earning ROI.

When it comes to the creative process, I say phooey on resisting hunger. Feed it. The hungrier you are to create, the greater the likelihood that you will move to the next stage: Choosing.