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London Zoo: Artists and Writers: Helpful Tips for Practical Habits

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  1.  (5392.1)
    I apologise if the title leaves something to be desired, but in the vein of the "Random Tidbits of Everyday Useful Knowlege" thread, how about those of you who are working artists or writers throw out some "everyday" tips?

    Anything covering the workspace, to how to deal with partners/family/animals while at home while remaining focused.

    Consider the wealth of knowledge in the aforementioned thread, I figure the people of Whitechapel have a lot of useful info.

    (Sorry all if it's been covered here already--didn't find one in my minutes of searching.)

    I can offer up my main one for writing at home: Wait 'til everyone is asleep, and have a naturally nocturnal bio-clock if you can be so fortunate. Ideally, coupled with understanding family who'll let you sleep in later than them so you don't go mad.
  2.  (5392.2)
    I keep my easel and other equipment in the corner of the living room, with a dropsheet on the floor. That way I can paint and still interact with my wife, keep half an eye on TV shows we watch together etc. Probably not practical for those of you with little kids, or who have a messy art style that'll spread onto the rug.
    • CommentAuthorlooneynerd
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009 edited
     (5392.3)
    My writing is done mostly in the academic world (for Academic Journals, my dissertation, field reports, etc.).I agree with the nocturnal bit. I can never get anything done during the day.

    -Work someplace only minimally comfortable. I find the more comfortable I am, the more I relax.

    -Keep a task list. This allows you to see your deadlines, and organize what you're going to do by importance. There have been times (normally when I'm in the field overseas) when I can't possibly finish all of my schoolwork, articles, and editing jobs on times, and this lets you delegate and decide what to cut or seek extensions on.

    -If you're keeping a task list, assign yourself rewards. For instance, for every so much of the Annotated bibliography that I'm working on for a book that I finish, I'm allowed so much time on twitter, or facebook, or Whitechapel, or whatever. This gives you a tangible (and Immediate!) reward to stay focused beyond just getting it done.

    -Sometimes, at least in my case, procrastination can be a good thing. I work best at two AM with a deadline pounding down my door and a million things to do. Obviously, this doesn't apply for everyone, but sometimes waiting til the last second has helped me more than anything.

    -Find your flow and stick with it. The nocturnal thing really helps with this; people normally work faster at a steady pace, and taking a break for too long or getting distracted can ruin this and really slow you down.

    -Don't overtax yourself. Do what you can, and work hard, but don't bite off more than you can chew.

    -Stay well fed, keep snacks and drinks on hand. I easily get distracted going to the fridge for something. It also interrupts my glorious flow.

    -Anything that isn't contributing is the enemy! Facebook or the forum distracting you? Close it. Find yourself watching the TV instead of writing? Turn it off. Cat or dog constantly getting on your keyboard/workspace and mucking stuff up? Throw them out of the room! Now, that's not to say you should go stark-white or anything; plenty of people concentrate better while petting the cat, listenign to music, etc. I find this to just be a good general rule.

    -Get stuff out of the way first. This is probably my biggest one. Before I crack down and really start seriously writing, I give myself a set amount of time (normally an hour) to dick around on the Internet. I find an hour is plenty of time to check social networking sites, email, webcomics, blogs, the news, etc. After that (going along with the last point) close everything you're not using down. If you're weak-willed, there are a lot of applications (particularly on Firefox) that won't allow you into certain sites until a pre-determined time.
  4.  (5392.4)
    Here is what I've found useful. When I'm writing I physically detach my computer from my router and put the router in another room. When I'm drawing I have a separate room with nothing in it save my pens inks and drawing board.

    I agree working at night is usually the best, but recently I have found this site... which has loads of free audiobooks. I find that I pop one onto my walkman and listen to it when I'm drawing which cuts out all distractions and the need we often have to be distracted. I've found myself sitting at my drawing board with a blank page and not moving for 6 or seven hours or until my page is completed doing this and another bonus is you get to listen to all sorts of interesting material. Also I find that since I'm focusing on the audiobooks, I shift to a level of consciousness where my hands and eyes are doing all the work and leaving my brain out of it and consequently make less mistakes with my artwork.

    Also, I find that being in a bad mood helps. To achieve this without much real effort I use the BBC's "Have your say" comments section, ten minutes of reading the ill thought out reactionary cliche' of most of the contributors pisses me off enough to get right into working. Though I'm sure everyone could think of another site or forum which would give them the same effect.
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      CommentAuthorhowyadoin
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009 edited
     (5392.5)
    I'll go with something pretty basic - if you're not already well-disciplined, teach yourself to be.

    And for anybody who'd scoff at that, consider my example. I'm generally a hugely lazy person, but last year I forced myself to draw or paint every day, for the entire 366 days. Some days it was a huge pain in the ass, and some days it was only for 5 minutes, but the key is this - because painting became a constant presence in my life, thinking about painting also became a constant presence. At least some portion of my subconscious seems to be always on the case now. In addition to all the past year taught me about painting, it also did wonders to train my subconscious to do the heavy lifting when it comes to creativity in general.
    • CommentAuthorRictus
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.6)
    Chemicals are useful tools.
    •  
      CommentAuthorAlan Tyson
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.7)
    Regarding art - Just about every artist needs reference, right? Well, I've made it a habit to, whenever I go online for anything other than school or checking on my bank account, I have to find five useful reference images to place in a library I keep. So even if I'm just wasting time now, it'll be useful later.

    Workspace is kind of important - I'm sharing a tiny dorm with another guy, but I still manage to eke out a corner for myself and my work. I keep everything I might need either on my desk or in the spare dresser drawer next to it.

    A portable workspace is also good - having an art bin or several cases for your supplies is essential, because you never know where you'll be when you get a good idea or just the urge to draw something, anything! I keep a plastic case with all my croquil, scratchboard, and mechanical pencils with me at all times, as well as a ream of printer paper. I'm actually not a huge fan of bound sketchbooks - weird as it may sound, I find them intimidating, and I've been told I'm not alone in this. Also, at least at all the stores within walking distance, they're expensive as fine wine with flecks of gold floating in it. I keep all this in an army surplus bag.

    Take pictures - I said earlier that I keep an image library for stuff from the internet, but it's amazing the things you'll see on your everyday walks that you might want or need. Go out, buy a decent camera (nothing fancy, just something that'll take a picture that looks more or less like what you saw), and just snap a photo whenever you see something cool - a couple walking together a certain way, a neat piece of architecture, a retarded-looking bird, whatever. And another thing - take walks, especially to places you don't go often. It can really get you outside of your head, free up ideas that are trying to get out, and ultimately getting out of your studio can do you a lot more good than chaining yourself to the drawing table. Unless, of course, there's a deadline. In which case, fit yourself with a ball and chain, just in case.

    Regarding writing - Let finished work sit for a while, at least a day if you can afford it, before looking it over yourself. Others will be editing your stuff with a fresh eye (and, if they're good friends or professional editors, a ruthless one), but your brain will need time to forget about the work a little bit, otherwise it's far too easy to just put your reading eyes on autopilot and go "yep," this is fine. You'll be skipping over a lot of errors, and you'll also be blind to some really good ideas. I find the longer the work, the more time it needs to "air out."

    If you're gonna write, you've got to read. Not necessarily the kind of stuff you want to write - in fact, make a point to read stuff you'd never consider writing. I really need to work on this actually - so I've made a point to, whenever I go to a bookstore, for every detective story, urban fantasy, or space opera I buy, I need to get something else, preferably something non-fiction. And it really has improved my writing. All your output is reliant upon your input, and if all you're doing is taking stuff that all reads similarly and putting it in a blender, you're just gonna make a slightly moee homogenous clone of that stuff. Most good stories I've read you can tell came from a wide variety of sources.

    Listen. Just like reading what other people write will be part of your input, so is hearing what people say. Go out to lunch or get a coffee by yourself sometime, and actually sit down and listen to people. If you feel comfortable, bring a notebook or laptop and write down interesting bits of conversation, cool accents or mannerisms, things like that. Of course, be careful not to get caught - I imagine it would lead to some really awkward situations!

    Also, set a specific time to write. Getting in a schedule for this kind of thing is as useful as any other task. If you set yourself to sit down and start cranking away right after dinner for a week or a month, then forever after you'll feel compelled to write then. "Finding the time and inclination" will no longer be one of your excuses (things writers develop and care for like pet tumors).
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      CommentAuthorLabyrinthine
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009 edited
     (5392.8)
    A good tip I got recently was the "morning pages" habit - keep a notebook and pen by your bed, and every morning before you're fully awake just pick it up and write three pages of nonsense, whatever comes into your head. Write down your dreams, write down your to-do list for the day, write about what happened last night or your general state of mind or random thoughts about random things. It can help with writer's block just by making PUT WORDS ON PAPER a routine thing, which takes the pressure off.

    EDIT: also seconding the read outside your writing field thing. Best thing that ever happened to my vocabulary was reading C.S. Forester's historical fiction. And in high school i found i wrote better essays when i'd spent the past week reading Bertrand Russell or somebody else articulate.
    • CommentAuthorepalicki
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009 edited
     (5392.9)
    I think this has been posted elsewhere on Whitechapel (and also on Panel&Pixel), but I found this column of Cory Doctorow's to be incredibly useful:

    http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2009/01/cory-doctorow-writing-in-age-of.html
    •  
      CommentAuthorroque
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.10)
    this is one of the best ideas for a thread I've ever seen on here. I've already found a bunch of tricks I'm going to try.

    the only newish thing I have to contribute is that I concentrate much, much better if I have something to consume on hand. any kind of snack or drink-- preferably low-calorie so I don't have to think about how much of it I'm taking in. this is probably genetic; my father said the main reason smoking was so hard to give up was that he always did it while he wrote. now he's addicted to diet soda; he's always got like a hundred cans in the house.
  11.  (5392.11)
    shower often. thinking makes you dirty.
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      CommentAuthorFauxhammer
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.12)
    All threads on Whitechapel are bona fide, certified proclicks.

    This click was pro-est of all.
    • CommentAuthornorther
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.13)
    If you're having trouble writing (writer's block or too much second guessing, over analyzing), create an outlet project. I'm working on a pen and paper roleplaying game and I can write and re-write the same sentence 5 times, all the way thinking ''this is shit shit shit''.
    I started writing a 2nd, completely off-the-wall game with a more relaxed author ''voice'', lot's of swearing and jokes. It relaxes me and gets the juices flowing.
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      CommentAuthorrickiep00h
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.14)
    @merc

    Or, conversely, getting clean makes you think.
  15.  (5392.15)
    Fiction writers: Unplug your damn internet. If you need to look up something just fill it in, write down a note to yourself, and fact-check/detail it later. Keep the STORY rolling.

    This A) keeps you productive B) stops you from turning a lively story into a recitation of cool & related facts you learned that nonetheless drag down the reader's interest in what's happening in YOUR work.
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      CommentAuthorbrianwood
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.16)
    Tough self-love. Tell yourself to stop being a fucking lazy piece of shit and DO YOUR WORK.

    And if you don't, work up a huge amount of guilt and self-loathing as punishment. Rinse, repeat.


    b
    •  
      CommentAuthoragentarsenic
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009 edited
     (5392.17)
    I don't write professionally or even for fun, but I do have a huge amount of school work every week. I'm also married and a father, so free time is limited. I don't work well with distractions, I need absolute quiet. I take little reward breaks when I think I've done well or enough (like getting a 200-300 line SQL script to run properly). I do my best work at night, but I can't sleep in (see: husband, father) and my wife is a NAP NAZI (she just wants to spend time with me - I'm grateful but also very irritable). So by Sunday I become this underslept mess who cannot function mentally anymore. And that's where caffeine comes in - I don't drink it every day, and if I do drink soda or something I stick to the non-caffeinated varieties. Sundays I find myself downing coffee mixed with hot cocoa in the morning and seeing what kind of horrible chemicals I can fuel myself with at night by choosing the energy drink I think looks most likely to kill weak persons. I also allow myself one day of complete rest (Mondays) where I sleep and play vidya gaems. My system sucks because it destroys me physically and mentally, but works because I get good grades and things get turned in on time.
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      CommentAuthorEdwin
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.18)
    When you feel the need to take a break from your work, stop when you know EXACTLY what to do next, not at a point at wich you're stuck. Picking up again after the break will be much, much eazier when you can just roll on, instead of first having to figure out what to do.

    This works for both writing and illustrating.
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      CommentAuthorCOOP
    • CommentTimeMar 24th 2009
     (5392.19)
    Keep to a regular schedule. I get up every morning and go to work at my studio, and stay there until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Even if you don't have anything specific to work on, work on something, even if it is only cleaning up your workspace.

    Actually, keeping your workspace clean is another good tip. Sometimes the mindless act of cleaning also dislodges ideas in your head, kind of a zen thing.

    Someone else mentioned having another creative endeavor to explore when you are blocked in your primary pursuit, excellent idea. I started shooting photos for this very reason, and it caused me to re-think my entire approach to painting, in addition to improving my photography skills.
  20.  (5392.20)
    @rickiepooh:
    yeah, that's actually the reason I take a shower or a bath before I write. The sound of flowing water helps me with my ideas. I should get like an indoor fountain or something. Or a tape recording of flowing water. I could be a super criminal then.

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