A creative practice is the KEY to a successful writing career. It is the piece of your writing life that will help you:
- Be creative however and whenever you want.
- Recharge your creative energy battery.
- Feel more motivated and less like you have to fight yourself to write
- Turn your writing hobby into a writing career!
As a writing coach and novelist, I’ve seen the benefits of creative practice and the consequences of not having one. I know how it feels to be burnt out, to work on a novel every day even though it’s the last thing I want, and to stop writing altogether because it’s just too exhausting on top of all the other, day-to-day responsibilities.
I also know how it feels to finally implement that perfect creative practice. To figure out the exact habits, activities, and routines that work, start doing them, and feel more inspired every day. This feeling–the bright, happy, motivated feeling when everything clicks into place–is what led me to write this blog post about maintaining a consistent creative practice.
I want to help you experience that feeling and turn your hobby into a career.
So, here it is!
The components of a successful creative practice (and how to implement them)
Mindset
Mindset is an essential component of a successful creative practice, because it’s what keeps you going. It’s the facet of your writing life that keeps you process-oriented and focused on maintaining a healthy, fulfilling practice (rather than on a material goal, like making money off your novels or writing a New York Times bestseller).
To have a successful creative practice, your mindset should:
- be process-oriented
- prioritize health, happiness, and fulfillment over material outcomes
- make you happy
I know these might seem like tall orders, but thankfully, there are a number of habits and actions you can try to help shift your mindset.
First of all, remember that being process-oriented doesn’t have to mean letting go of your material dreams. In fact, it can make those dreams more attainable. Being product-oriented puts an immense pressure on you to deliver. If you focus on your desire to make money off of writing, chances are you’ll be afraid to start because of questions like, what if it’s not good enough? What if this just ends up being a waste of time? However, if you focus on upholding a consistent creative practice, then you’ll write more, feel more fulfilled, and actually end up getting more done.
Another action you can take to shift your mindset is to write down what you want your mindset to be and choose to embody that. I recently did this for myself and it was a great way to get clear on what I want out of my mindset and how I’m going to get there. I made a list of affirmations that I want to embody. These included things like I am already successful, I believe in my mission, and even I am a badass. Once I wrote these things down, it became that much easier to internalize my ideal mindset and look at the world in a new, more positive way.
Finally, start a mindset journal. Every day, spend 10-15 minutes writing down affirmations, journaling about your mindset, and taking action. Your mindset journal can be your own personal mindset cheerleader. Visualize your ideal mindset and make it happen!
Intentionality
Intentionality is pivotal to your creative practice because it’s what gives your actions meaning. Any mindset work you do and any habits you form will be that much more effective if you are intentional.
For example, don’t just start a mindset journal for the heck of it. Set an intention like I’m going to start a mindset journal to shift my mindset from product to process-oriented. Having this (or another) intention will provide you with a tangible reason for doing what you’re doing. In turn, this will motivate you to continue engaging in that habit and working towards your goal.
In other words, intentionality leads to meaning which leads to increased motivation!
Routine
Routine is the biggest and most important component of a successful creative practice. In fact, you need not just one routine, but three. In order to build a successful creative practice, you will need a routine for:
- maximizing on your creative energy.
- recharging your creative battery.
- self-reflection.
A routine that maximizes on your creative energy will allow you to be creative whenever and however you want to be. It’s the tool you will use to ensure you’re taking advantage of the moments when your creative energy battery is full. To create this kind of routine, start by getting a notebook. Commit to carrying it everywhere, because this is the place where you will record any ideas or bursts of creativity when they hit. This routine should also contain a gameplan for when inspiration strikes. If you feel a creative burst when you’re out at the mall or at dinner with a friend, how will you ensure that you get to the page and write those ideas down?
A routine for recharging your creative battery is the routine you will use to replenish your creative energy when your battery gets low. This routine should include at least one additional creative hobby (for more on why this is important, check out my blog post “Multi-Creating: The Key to a More Creative Life”). Finally, your recharging routine should include habits that provide you with either a new perspective or an opportunity to clear your mind. These habits could be anything from reading and freewriting to exercise or taking a new route home from work.
A routine for self-reflection is just what it sounds like: a method for checking in with yourself. This is a great place to implement journaling, mindset work, or meditation. Self-reflection is pivotal because consistent reflection will allow you to recognize patterns in your creativity, mindset, etc. If you consistently record how you’re feeling, you’ll be able to look back and see what habits, activities, and thoughts inspire you the most.
In Conclusion…
Your creative practice is unique to you. It should contain habits, activities, and hobbies that inspire you to create, and those will probably be different from the habits that inspire someone else to create.
Even so, your own, personal creative practice should contain intentional activities and routines that serve the specific purposes I have outlined:
- shift your mindset from product to process-oriented
- maximize on your creative energy
- recharge your creative battery
- provide you with space for self-reflection
A creative practice is the key to turning your writing hobby into a career. It’s also the key to your most creative and fulfilled self.
I promise you that the perfect creative practice is out there. All you have to do is act with intention, try out new habits, and reflect until you find what works for you!
Even so, your own, personal creative practice should contain intentional activities and routines that serve the specific purposes I have outlined:
- shift your mindset from product to process-oriented
- maximize on your creative energy
- recharge your creative battery
- provide you with space for self-reflection
A creative practice is the key to turning your writing hobby into a career. It’s also the key to your most creative and fulfilled self.
I promise you that the perfect creative practice is out there. All you have to do is act with intention, try out new habits, and reflect until you find what works for you!
With Love, Cats, and Coffee 💖,
The Present Active Writer