I’ve been a ‘business artist’ a lot longer than I’ve been a ‘business writer’. I’ve been painting for profit for over 35 years. I’ve been a disciplined writer since June 2008. A little over three years.
During that time, I’ve talked with dozens of artists. I’ve also talked to dozens of writers and one of the most common things I hear from both crowds is something like this:
I only paint/write when I’m in the mood.
The phraseology might be different. Moods might be replaced by muses or predetermined chunks of uninterrupted time or the right location or whatever.
Regardless of how the sentiment is phrased, the meaning is pretty much the same. I do my thing when I feel like it.
I say this from experience. I used to say the same things.
When I said, “I only paint when I have at least an hour to paint,” what I really meant was, “It’s not worth my time to put out paint and clean up brushes if I have only a few minutes to paint.”
When I said, “I’ll paint when the time is right”, what I really meant was, “I’ll paint when I want to”.
When I said, “I don’t have any inspiration today”, what I really meant was, “I don’t feel like it today”.
These days, I’m a little less susceptible to those sentiments when it comes to painting. There’s something about depending on the income an activity generates that makes the activity less of a ‘feel like it’ activity and more of a ‘must do it’ activity.
But with writing…. Let’s just say I’m as weak on discipline with writing as I used to be with painting.
I’m not implying that every writer who says similar things is engaging in the same double talk I was engaged in, but I think a lot of us are.
In fact, I’m certain of it because I’ve met very good artists who rarely paint and do nothing with the paintings they make because they’re always waiting for inspiration to strike.
Writers are no different. The method of expression is different, but the sentiments are the same in many cases.
I still think like that sometimes, but I try to avoid voicing those thoughts. Why?
Inspiration? Perspiration?
“Success is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.” Thomas Alva Edison
Because I’ve learned as a portrait artist that if I wait for inspiration to strike, most of the portraits I’m paid to paint would never get painted. I have to paint as much every day as possible whether I feel like or not; whether I have hours of uninterrupted time or not; whether I’m inspired or not. If I don’t, the work doesn’t get done, the clients don’t come back, and the cash flow dries up.
What it Takes
I read somewhere that a writer should expect to write a million words before they get published. I wish I could remember where that was, but alas….
I decided to try it and see just how difficult it was to write a million words.
It wasn’t hard at all. I counted everything I wrote last year – good, bad and ugly – and hit a million words by September 2. By the end of the year, I’d written 1.88 million words. Almost two million. I was astounded!
Were they all good? Nope!
Were the ones that weren’t good wasted? Nope!
Why? Because every word I wrote improved my skill as a writer. Every blog post, every letter home, every journal entry, every random scene or plotting paragraph I wrote moved me along the journey of becoming a better writer.
Every Day Determination
Before anyone gets the idea that I’m saying EVERYONE has to write EVERY DAY whether they have words to write or not, let me assure you that’s not what I’m saying at all. I just happen to be able to work at home (as a painter) and that allows me to force myself to put my seat and my chair’s seat together in front of the computer or with a pen and paper every day. To write something.
I’ve also learned that the only way for me to finish paintings and novels is to treat painting and writing like a business and do it whether I feel like it or not. I’ve sometimes had to force myself to pick up a brush and I’ve sometimes had to force myself to write. Pretty things don’t always happen, but I never can tell what ugly painting or ugly words might lead to the next masterpiece or best seller. Only God knows that.
And, having begun both painting and writing believing that I could create well only when I had the proper motivation (was in the right mood, in the right place, had at least an hour to work, etc., etc., etc.), I know that I produce more and better work if I keep after it every day.
Whether I want to or not.
