The one page marketing plan every creative needs

Very few creatives go into their field with a solid business or marketing plan. Most creatives ‘fall into’ their profession from dabbling in a skill as a passion or a side project that eventually organically evolves.

If this is you, well done on making a career out of your passion! But if you’ve got the ability to generate a higher income by charging more, attracting more clients, automating some of your processes or monetising elements of your business, why wouldn’t you?

Don’t be put off thinking you need a complex 10-page document outlining every little detail and strategy. Nobody’s got time for that. I like to keep it simple, so instead let me introduce you to the 1-Page Marketing Plan.

The one page marketing plan

It’s exactly what it sounds like - a clear understanding of what you’re offering, to who, and how you’ll get it in front of them, summarised on one page. This means you can stick it on your wall or somewhere prominent and easily remind yourself with a glance what you should be focused on.

Who it’s for

In short, anyone selling a service or product. For those of you who work under your own name, make no mistake - you are a business. If you’re not already thinking this way, this is a fundamental shift in mindset you need to make first.

If you work for someone else, this is still relevant to you too. Your employer sees value in you that they’re willing to pay for, and having a plan around how to maximise this value can be hugely beneficial for your career.

Let’s dive in with an example of one for a completely made up business running art workshops for kids:

Above: An example one page marketing plan. Download a free template PDF

As you can see, it’s made up of 10 simple boxes for you to fill out:

Product/Service

This is about what you’re selling in the simplest form. Keep it short and sharp, with only a few words maximum.

Audience

Who’s actually paying for your product or service? This might be different to who your product or service is for. In the example above, the service is for kids, but the audience is actually their parents because they’re the ones paying.

Pain Points

If you can pinpoint the deeper reasons why your audience is seeking out your product or services, you’re onto a winner. This will help you write benefit-focused copy that speaks directly to the problem they have.

Value Proposition/s

What is it that makes you and/or your business truly different? What sets you or your product apart? You might have a significant amount of experience in your field, or your product is handcrafted locally. Whatever makes your product or service special, put it here.

Influencers

I’m not talking about Instagram influencers here, although they could factor in. Consider who might influence your buyer’s decision. In the example, teachers and the kids participating in the workshops would be strong influencers on whether their parents enrol them or not.

Key Message

Think of it this way: if you were chatting to someone while ordering a coffee, what’s the one thing you’d want them to walk away knowing about what you offer? Keep this short and sweet - our human brains simply can’t retain too much information so if it’s long-winded, people don’t remember anything at all.

Free Channels

Write down every free channel you can think of that you could reach your audience or their influencers through - both online and offline. Now go back and highlight the ‘quick wins’ that are likely to have the biggest impact.

Paid Channels

This is the same as the free channels box except, you guessed it, paid. This will often refer to advertising, but it could also be things like competitions (because giving away product costs you money) or paid partnerships and collaborations. Be specific here - instead of ‘Instagram’ you might write ‘a collaborative competition with brands X and Y on Instagram’. Come up with as many ideas as you can, then highlight the channels likely to have the biggest impact.

Cost

Time is money, so consider both the financial and time implications of focusing on the free and paid channels you’ve listed. Consider whether this is something you can truly commit to.

Goal/ROI/Success Metric

How are you going to measure whether all this time, effort and potentially money has paid off? By writing a SMART goal in here of course! This could be anything from a particular number of bookings, sales, a specific return on investment (ROI) or adding people to your email list.

Whatever makes sense for you, write a maximum of three here and make sure they’re specific and timebound. I recommend not looking more than three months into the future to keep you focused

I strongly recommend reviewing this at least once every few months to keep you focused on one thing at a time. For example, your goal initially might be to increase subscribers on your email list, and the rest of the page is also focused on this. Then the following month might focus on converting a percentage of these subscribers into customers or clients.
Most of all, this is designed to be completely flexible so I encourage you to download the empty template and find what works for you.

Courtney Goes is a Melbourne-based digital marketing and brand consultant with experience across a range of industries in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Since leaving the corporate world in 2016, she’s been on a mission to help women make smarter marketing decisions to elevate their businesses and personal brands through simple, effective strategies. Working mostly with creatives, freelancers, and female-owned startups and small businesses, she provides clarity, structure and accountability to get real, tangible results. She has also launched Marketing Emporium, a resource hub designed to provide simple and straightforward marketing advice. Contact her at courtneygoes.com.

Why desire and motivation pull us in different directions

3 min read

"Our lives are defined by opportunities. Even the ones we miss."

F.Scott Fitzgerald, 1922.

Every new year I promise myself that I will get in shape. My vision is toned and tight, tanned skin and an ability to lift my body weight effortlessly. I go to the gym, I do yoga, I eat well, drink heaps of water. For a few weeks I’m moving towards my goal and starting to feel and see results. My mood improves, I feel confident, capable and strong. And then… out of the blue, I start skipping classes as I meet my own destructive personality habits and inhibitors.

In her book, Write; 10 Days to Overcome Writer’s Block. Period.  Karen E. Peterson suggests that this blockage is due to the struggle between the left and right hemispheres of the brain leading to an ultimate toddler tantrum show-down. While “the ‘just-do-it’ left hand side of the brain is logical, language-based, and adult-like, the ‘just-say-no’ right side of the brain is dominant for emotion, negative memories and sensory output.”

In the moment of deciding whether or not to go to the gym, I can logically understand that going will make me feel good because it will help me move towards my vision and goals, but in that moment, my right brain wants to feel less pressure, take the easy route and have a good time. Wine and cheese in front of the telly? Oh yes, Emily, you know me so well. Right-brain wins. I lose.

The Divided Self 

“I am dragged along by a strange new force.

Desire and reason are pulling in different directions.

I see the right way and approve it, but follow the wrong.”

Ovid, 43 B.C. – 17 A.D

In The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, Jonathan Haidt explains what he calls “the divided self” quoting Roman poet Ovid to define the difference between logical and emotional thinking. Haidt goes further than left and right brain dualism, believing that the brain is divided by four parts; Mind vs. Body, and Left vs. Right, Old vs. New, Controlled vs. Automatic, thus likening the self as a “committee whose members have been thrown together to do a job, but who often find themselves working at cross-purposes [contributing] to our experiences of temptation, weakness and inner conflict.”

This idea of a divided self is not new; Plato split the body into soul and mind; Freud divided the mind into three parts; the ego, superego, and id. The common theme among philosophers is that our multi-dimensional personalities work best when working together, instead of in conflict which each other. So how do we get our divided selves working together to achieve the things we want?

 Motivation and Drive

"We do things because they're interesting. 
We do things because we like them, because they're inherently gratifying."

Pink, 2010

Daniel Pink, in his book, Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us, artfully surmises why we engage in some tasks, and not others. It’s interesting to note that motivation is often created after we start a new behaviour, not the other way around. Taking a single step towards achieving your goals and vision is a great start. By actively going to the gym, taking that initial action, I was on my way.

To maintain drive and momentum:

1.    Set yourself realistic and achievable goals, but be kind to yourself if you don’t nail them on the first attempt. Be a personal coach, not a dictatorial punisher. Positive self-talk is really important – be kind and patient with yourself.

2.    Scheduling is important. If I don’t have dedicated time that’s in my calendar, there’s a higher chance my inner toddler will want to sit on the floor and avoid it.

3.    Procrastination is an avoidance mechanism which helps us find alternatives to fill in time and entertain ourselves. Procrastination is fine, so long as it has a time stamp and doesn’t interfere with your non-negotiable scheduling.

4.    Give yourself mini-deadlines to review your achievements and acknowledge your loses.

5.    It can take a while to develop a new habit, so don’t give up after a few weeks. The literature suggests it can take 10 – 16 weeks, so keep up the momentum.

6.    Be aware that motivation may come and go. Ride the wave and stay connected with your desire. This will fuel your motivation when you’re feeling challenged.

7.    Life doesn’t have to full of tasks, give yourself pockets of time to play or do nothing. You’ll feel less guilty taking time out if you’ve actively made the decision to keep periods of time free and open to fill at your will.

References and further reading:

De Botton, A (2001). The Consolations of Philosophy. Penguin Books: London, UK.

Fitzgerald, F.S (1922).  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Colliers Magazine: USA.

Haidt, J (2006). The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. Basic Books: New York, USA.

Ovid, 43 B.C. – 17 A.D. (1989) Metamorphoses. Spring Publications: Dallas, Texas.

Peterson, K. E (2006). Write; 10 Days to Overcome Writer’s Block. Period. Adams Media: Avon, USA.

Pink, D. (2010) Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us. RSA Animation [Online] Accessed 09/06/2014 from, http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=SG&hl=en-GB&v=u6XAPnuFjJc

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Emily Wills is the creative director of surface pattern design studio, SURFACE 1°22. In her various manifestations, she has worked as a fashion designer, illustrator, curator, arts educator and printed textile designer. Emily founded the SURFACE 1°22 Design School in Melbourne, offering hands-on workshops and short courses in surface and textile design. Find out more on the SURFACE 1°22 Design School Facebook or Instagram.

Creativity is just simple math. Here are the formulas to prove it.

Mathematics can indeed be defined as the general science of pattern and structure. Because art also involves patterns and structures, art and math relate to each other in many natural ways.” (Farsi and Craft, 2005)

Creativity can be defined as an ability to create new ideas by combining one or more existing ideas. Like adding, building and connecting - sounds a lot like simple arithmetic to me. The more I looked at this, I discovered that Creativity has some fundamental similarities with Mathematics. Both areas require creative thinking and problem-solving processes such as addition, subtraction and multiplication. Reckon you’re not that good at math? Turns out, you are more than likely engaging in maths in your creative practice…

Addition and subtraction

It may be reductive thinking, but I propose that there is a unifying connection between Addition and Subtraction as they can be considered the same process working in opposite directions. Addition works to group objects, ideas and thoughts together. The old Fashematics website (see end of post for link) was a hilarious example of reverse addition; the contributor looked at images of fashion couture and worked backwards to suggest their original inspiration from unrelated, and often innocuous objects.  

Similarly, a mash-up demonstrates how music producers cut two parts of two separate songs apart, then stitch them back together to create something new. Simple subtraction and addition. The concept of mash-up moves from music to art through collage where cut and paste uses subtraction to isolate and fragment one image into singular parts, and then reassemble these pieces into new compositions by pasting seemingly unrelated objects back together again.

Multiplication and repetition

Multiplication can be defined as the repeated process of addition. While for me, multiplication dredges up memories of learning my times tables, repetition is used by artists and designers to create a sense of movement or point of interest. Repetition, and the act of repeating, creates new rhythmic patterns and places emphasis on a word, image or sound. Repetition of a beat, lyrics or the arrangement of notes can create a catchy hook.

Art and creativity are simple math  

Creative Thinking requires an ability to see and recognize patterns, the fundamental ability of mathematicians who “start with some basic rules, then make any moves that fit those rules—which includes inventing additional rules and finding new connections between old rules.” (AAAS, 1990). It is not surprising therefore to find that each artist, author or mathematician is building and multiplying knowledge based on existing concepts and theories. These high functioning cognitive skills show a balance between right and left brain thinking; the ability to come up with complex solutions for multiple outcomes.

Clever, aren’t we…?

References/further reading on creativity and mathematics:

• http://fashematics.com/

• American  Association  for the Advancement  of Science. (1990). The  Nature  of Mathematics. https://www.aaas.org/programs/project-2061

• Farsi, C. and Craft, D. (2005). Mathematics and the Arts. University of Colorado, Boulder & Lakewood. http://staff.washington.edu/rockne/math-art.pdf

• Gavosto, E.A. and O’Donnell, L.E. (2012) Learning with Technology: Similarities in Mathematics & Writing. University Press of Kansas.http://math.uoc.gr/~ictm2/Proceedings/pap431.pdf

• Haren,  F. (2004).  The  Idea Book.  Interesting  Books: Stockholm,  Sweden.

• Turner, M. and Fauconnier, G (2002) The Way We Think. Conceptual Blending and the Mind's Hidden Complexities. Basic Books: New York

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Emily Wills is the creative director of surface pattern design studio, SURFACE 1°22. In her various manifestations, she has worked as a fashion designer, illustrator, curator, arts educator and printed textile designer. Emily founded the SURFACE 1°22 Design School in Melbourne, offering hands-on workshops and short courses in surface and textile design. Find out more on the SURFACE 1°22 Design School Facebook or Instagram.

The courage to be creative: Q&A with Jamila Rizvi

Courage is something creatives grapple with on a daily basis. Taking a leap, putting yourself out there, choosing the path less traveled: no one said it was easy! How can we worry less—and leap more?

Jamila Rizvi is someone who knows how to leap. In 2017, Jamila was one of the Weekly Review’s top ten young rising stars in Melbourne. And no wonder: she’s a columnist for News Limited; a radio host; a commentator on such shows as Today, ABC News Breakfast and Q&A; a published author (of Not Just Lucky, published by Penguin, and an anthology of letters called The Motherhood to be released this year); even an ambassador for CARE Australia. And that’s just the short version.

We asked Jamila for her thoughts and advice about being courageous. Here’s what she had to say.

In your upcoming event ‘Tea with Jam and Clare’, you and Clare Bowditch will celebrate creativity and courage. Why did you decide to focus on these themes?

Creativity is at the heart of what both Clare and I do. While many of us foolishly associate creativity only with the arts, the truth is creativity lies at the center of all that is beautiful and all that is innovative. And yet, as powerful and glorious as creativity is, many of us fear we’re not made for it, that we can’t do it, that it’s not for us. It takes courage to be creative, but if we’re able to find and harness that courage? That’s where brilliance begins.

Clare Bowditch (left) and Jamila (center) welcome Zoë Foster Blake as a special guest at their upcoming event, Tea with Jam and Clare.

You have pursued many creative ventures, from writing to television. Which venture has taken the most courage?

Both Clare and I have pursued creativity in many ventures: Clare in the more classical realms of music, performance, and more recently in writing, and myself in journalism, business and yes, government policy. The truth is that creativity is important and relevant to every sphere of work and human endeavour. For me, the venture that required the most courage was leaving the safety and financial security of full-time work for the independence of freelancing.

Have you ever taken a creative risk that failed?

Oh so many times! Creativity requires risks and also requires of us the courage to get it disastrously wrong and begin again. This sounds rather roundabout, but for me the biggest failures have come from not taking creative risks. They’ve come from being afraid to take the leap and trust my instincts and let creativity take its course. Creativity is stifled by a fear of ‘what others may think’ and that’s where my failures tend to eventuate.

How do you gear yourself up to take a creative risk?

I am not an impulsive person; I am a natural planner. However, I tend to spend a long time thinking about a creative risk or a new endeavour before I begin. I think, and think, and think and think again—and often appear disastrously unproductive. But when I do take action at the end of it I am decisive and fast.

In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert says that although fear is something all creatives must learn to live with—that it will always be ‘in the backseat’ of our car—the important thing is to not let it drive (or touch the road maps, suggest detours, fiddle with the temperature or touch the radio). Do you find this a helpful way to think about dealing with fear?

I found Elizabeth Gilbert’s book tremendously helpful in this regard. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own heads that it inhibits the purity of a creative idea. It stifles it, suffocates it and eventually, it kills it. The key is to just ‘do the thing’. There always comes a point when the planning or thinking or worrying comes to an end and you Get. On. With. It. Never let the fear of being less-than-perfect stop you from doing what’s important.

How can you tell if fear is simply ‘fear of failure’ versus a gut instinct that should be listened to?

I write about fear of failure in my book, Not Just Lucky. I think it’s always important to determine the genuine cause of fear because for most of us, fear of failure is actually fear of public failure; we fear failing in the eyes of others. If we were allowed to fail quietly and privately then we probably wouldn’t be fussed. Ultimately you have to ask yourself: is the opinion of others more important than the creative work you want to do? Probably not…

Do you have people you rely on for support when considering a creative risk?

Clare and I certainly rely on one another because we’re close friends as well as professional collaborators. I always use my husband as the commonsense check and my father as the strategic check. They reign in my freewheeling creativity and excitement when necessary. They also know me better than anyone else, so I trust their judgment implicitly. Often they help create a framework I can use to analyse a decision, or point out the flaws in my logic or plan.

What is the next big creative risk you have planned for 2018?

We launch Tea with Jam and Clare in March and I have high hopes that this won’t be a one-off event but the start of something extremely special.

Is there something you would love to do but haven’t quite got the courage?

I would love to write fiction. I’ll let you know when—or if—I ever tackle that fear.

Any final words of advice for readers struggling with fear about taking a creative leap?

Stop worrying about what other people might think. Nobody is paying as close attention to you as you are, so do what makes you happy.

Jamila Rizvi’s new event series with Clare Bowditch—Tea with Jam and Clare—launches on Tuesday 20 March at the Melbourne Town Hall, with special guest Zoë Foster Blake. Tickets are available at trybooking.com. For your chance to win a double pass, pop over to the CWC Instagram and/or Facebook accounts!

Julie Mazur Tribe is the CWC blog editor and a book-publishing consultant who loves working with authors, books, and creative ideas. She can be found at BrooklynBookStudio.com and on Instagram at @brooklynbookstudio.

Interview: Jett Street, Top End photographer

Coming from a creative family, and being surrounded by artists most of her life, Jett Street was destined to follow a creative path. Her career in the arts and community industry has meant she has worked with designers, models and musicians in a range of guises.

These days the Darwin-based photographer takes images of her clients through her wedding and family photography work, and shares everyday adventures through her Instagram page Little Karama Gangsters.

Living in a generous artistic town like Darwin has meant Jett has regular contact and collaboration with like-minded creatives. As she puts it, "In Darwin, you don't have to reach out to anyone - you have to try not to bump into them when you are ducking into the shop to buy milk."

You started exploring photography a few years ago - what drew you to it?

After my first daughter was born, I wanted better quality photos than I could get on my iPhone. So I piled all my birthday money together - along with a generous top up from my husband - and bought an Olympus mirrorless camera.

I didn't realise what I was getting myself into. I have categorically lost more sleep to photography than having two children.

In my early years, I played the clarinet, saxophone and drums. After uni I completed a degree in animation and in fine form. While at uni I procrastinated with jewellery making and silversmithing, along with some bad acrylic paintings which are sadly still hanging in our house.

I come from a really creative family. I was always the straighty-180 growing up, but I couldn't fight my genetic lineage forever. My mum had three kids, drove a white BMW and was a photographer. I am basically tracing her footsteps. 

What do you love about taking photos?

My focus is to try to capture all the detail and magic to trigger and preserve those memories and in doing so document the story of our life or those parts of other people’s lives that I’m invited into.

Photography has enriched my life in so many ways: through the interest and observation in our story, of people, light and environment, and to experience and capture new adventures. It is a passion I can pursue whilst being present with my children, and it adds a layer of intent to my days. The photos of our life are the icing on the cake of a pretty fascinating craft. The more you learn, the more you realise you know nothing.

The word “photography” comes from the Greek words “phos” meaning “light” and “graphe” which means “to write.” Photography is the art of writing or drawing with light. I have spent a lot of time observing and studying light, which is a large influence for my work and also a part of my every day. It’s an enchanting thing to notice and one which I would have otherwise ignored. I love light, and sometimes that is all I care about in a photo. But the other 70% of the time, I am also intrigued with capturing the character and the story.

Can you describe your style of taking photos?

I love to capture the antics and character that define our daily life. I adore well-crafted images of ordinary things like eating cereal, brushing teeth, making cubbies and climbing stairs. I usually make mental notes of things the kids are doing, or how they are doing it, which speak to their character. And when possible, I try to catch this on camera. 

I am starting to notice that it’s the challenges and rewards of photography that have me hook, line and sinker. It’s like gambling, but without the imminent bankruptcy.

For the record, I have burnt the porridge while waiting patiently for a moment to happen in that magical morning light. Many of my images come with their fair share of sacrifice.

How does where you live influence your work?

I grew up in Darwin and Karama was the suburb that the KGB came from (the Karama Ghetto Boys that is). So it endearingly became 'the bad part of town.' I reflect some of that gangster-ness in my stories and images.

Some of my first favourite images were taken in the swamp over the road, which I joked was our local park. Because I spend time in the neighbourhood with my kids, we stumble across some great graffiti, behaviour and characters. Living here has given me a creative license and lens through which to view the general rough and tumble of my two girls.

How do you work with your clients to tell an authentic story through photography?

This is something that I am still working on. Many of my first wedding bookings were from people who "didn't want wedding photos."

I developed an approach which is 90% documentary and 10% posed. You need some classic shots in there too, but this doesn't have to come with a side of cheese. I love weddings because there is so much activity, love and magic.

I also do in-home documentary for families and newborns. I encourage families to leave all their daily rituals until I arrive. This way, they are usually so busy doing, and not faking it, that they relax and I get some amazing moments.

You tell stories of your family through words and images. Why is this creative act important to you and how does it complement your professional photography work?

This is one of my favourite rituals and it’s a barometer for how busy and happy I am. If I can pull together some thoughts at the end of the day to share a story and a favourite photo, it means I have some mental space to do that, and it also reflects a presence I have shared with the kids through time and observation.

I started out doing this to share anecdotes with family and friends.  It has become a really valued network with other "mamarazzi" from around the world, many who have played a role in my development as a photographer. I love to record all the details and parts of life that are so fleeting. It is basically, my diary, and a future gallery and love letter to my kids, to reflect our life and what I loved and noticed about them. They will never know me as a 33 year old mum when they are older, but hopefully when they read all those tangents, they will get a feel for my character as a Mum of young kids and how much I loved and adored our life.

I feel like I need to post regularly to keep some of my family and friends up to date on what the girls are doing. I also pledged to put my favourite posts into a book at the end of each year, but I still have to do 2016 and 2017. So the public accountability is a good thing.

You’ve recently branched out into sharing your knowledge through workshops – how important is creating connections with other creative people in your community, and how do you reach out to other creatives?

The reason I get so many good photos of my own kids is because I am living the same life, in all the nooks and crannies and for the best light of the day in any room or place we visit. If I teach other people to use their camera, observe light and develop a style of storytelling, then they can too. There is no one better positioned to document your days than you. You know the people, their character and the story and you have a unique perspective on it all.

Photography has helped me to focus on the beauty in our everyday life. Sometimes as a mother at home with kids (before I was working part time) being able to see and capture the humour in the chaos and mess was an absolute saviour. Even if you don't have kids, it injects a creative and interesting perspective into your daily ritual or travels. I hope that others can fall in love with it too.

I am fortunate to have been a part of the arts sector I was very young. I was able to hit up local artists to make animations with their images, use musicians work for soundtracks and collaborate with designers, models and other innovators.

In Darwin, you don't have to reach out to anyone, you have to try not to bump into them when you are ducking into the shop quickly for milk.

I have made some amazing friendships with local photographers who provide a reciprocated love of the craft, are collaborative with skills and ideas, and give my husband’s eardrums a break.

Could you share some other creative women who you are being inspired by at the moment?

My mother Linda Joy is an incredible NT landscape artist. If I keep tracing her footsteps, maybe I will become one in 20 more years.

My sister Matilda Algeria is a brilliant fashion designer. My other amazing sister Imogen is killing it in the recruitment and technology industry, while bringing Make-a-Wish dreams to life in her spare time.

In the NT, Yo Bell, Jess Ong and the rest of the team are doing some incredible work with Spun, their storytelling nights. They are bringing all the best characters and stories to life through their events and podcast. Amazing listening.

In the photography world my top five would be:

• Helen Whittle from NSW, for her beautiful portraits.

• Niki Boon from NZ for the most incredible documentary photographs of her life.

• Twyla Jones for her emotional storytelling.

• Meg Loeks from the USA for her incredible style of classic and magic, environmental portraits of her children.

• Elizabeth Wood from the UK for her storytelling, self-portraits, and general feeling.

Kate Shannon is a freelance writer based in Brisbane after many years living in Darwin. She spends much of her time in the garden with her two little girls, and loves writing and learning about creative people, flowers, and plants.

Photography: Jett Street

Better the devil you know: A pre-Halloween reflection on our creative demons

Halloween is just around the corner and I’m a big fan. Yes, the dressing up is fun, but it’s more than that—it serves to remind us that humans need outlets for our darker, distorted and dangerous sides. On October 31st, society gives us permission to show (albeit in a non-threatening, theatrical way) the parts of ourselves not usually let out to play in nice company.

When it comes to our creativity, it’s no different. We’re encouraged to focus on the “good” parts of our creative process, products and mindset and lock up our less socially acceptable feelings and responses away in dark cupboards. Door shut…end of story. Well, not quite. “Therapy 101” tells us that when they’re all locked up together, these nasties fester away and leak out through the cracks. 

As a creativity coach, I hear a lot about people’s creativity monsters (although they rarely recognise them as such), and I’ve come to realise that the best way to defeat them is to identify and understand them—as they say, “better the devil you know.”

Meet Your Monsters

What creativity monsters are hiding under your bed? Here are some of the usual culprits who try to wreak havoc on our creative success. 

Madam Fear, the Shape-shifter
This lady’s the leader of the gang and controls all the other monsters. She’s the ultimate shape-shifter and is super sneaky and hard to spot because she can look like any number of things. In your creative life, she often shows up as “bad stuff,” like procrastination, laziness, severe self-criticism, overthinking, controlling, denial, arrogance, perfectionism or addiction. At other times, she’ll morph into what seems like one of the “good guys”: virtuosity, sacrifice for others, martyrdom, and so on. But beware! These disguises are devious techniques designed to distract you from connecting with your creativity. Madame Fear cannot be vanquished, so you’ll have to get used to her presence…but her power greatly diminishes when you identify her and call her out on her tricks.

The Anger Banshee
Someone’s taken credit for your work? A gallery’s ripped you off? Your laptop was stolen and it had the only copy of your manuscript? You’ll probably be visited by the Anger Banshee. Unlike Madam Fear, there’s no mistaking this wild woman. You’ll recognise her the minute she enters the room because she screams in your ear and smacks you in the chest, leaving your pulse racing and your adrenaline pumping. If you stand your ground and don’t let her take over, however, she can actually be helpful because she reveals your values, limits and boundaries. 

The Evil Jealousy Fairy
When you hear yourself thinking, “Isn’t Jane doing well with her business….why can’t I be more like her?” or “Why is Rachel getting noticed….my work is so much better than hers,” then you know the Evil Jealousy Fairy has come to play the comparison game. Her seemingly innocent whisperings in your ear are far from harmless because she never strays far from her mistress, Madam Fear (who’ll be creeping up behind you dressed as self-doubt and criticism). This insidious little imp is tricky to spot, but when you do, question her motives directly—she hates being confronted, and will quickly back down.  Enough direct contact and this nasty little nymph can be transformed into a good fairy, supporting and guiding you instead of carrying out constant comparisons.

The Pain Zombie
Like the Anger Banshee, the Pain Zombie is also hard to miss; she’s not the most subtle of creatures. The Pain Zombie will shuffle (surprisingly quickly) into your life when you’ve experienced trauma or loss of some kind. It’s very difficult to ignore all her moaning and groaning and get on with the business of your creativity when it feels like parts of you are missing. As much as you’d like to, the Pain Zombie cannot be ignored. Gentle understanding, self-care and time is the way to help heal her broken body and soul and return to life and creativity. 

The Guilt and Shame Ghost
This eerie spectre feeds on your past disappointments, regrets and mistakes. While she prefers to stay in the background, she occasionally comes out to rattle her bones and wail “Ooooooohhhhhhh” at your attempts to succeed creatively in the present and plan a creative future. She likes to remind you of past failures, and spooks you into thinking you’re future is chained down by these. Well, it’s not. As soon as you accept your skeletons in the closet for what they are (dusty old decaying remnants), then the Guilt and Shame Ghost loses her power. Let her howl away in the corner, but don’t let her haunt your dreams.

Manage Your Monsters

It’s tempting to keep the lid of our own Pandora’s Box firmly closed, but by doing this, we’re denying valid parts of ourselves that are crying out to be heard, and in turn denying ourselves opportunities to grow creatively. Any of your monsters have the power to shut down you down creatively; it’s up to you whether or not you let them do so. Here are some tricks (and treats…sorry, couldn’t resist!) to help you befriend the beasts.

Identify: As soon as you feel “badly” about your creativity, try to identify which monster(s) have come out to play.   

Understand: Notice how this monster manifests itself in your creative life. What types of behaviours does it trigger in you? Are these behaviours helpful or harmful for your creativity and yourself? Are there specific people, places or situations where the monster is more likely to turn up? Consider what purpose the monster serves; are the reasons rational or ridiculous?

Acknowledge: Allow the monster to exist…but stare it down, severely reprimand it and send it to the naughty corner, where it can watch you paint or write or sing while it sulks to its empty heart’s content.

Self-care: Look after yourself. Creativity monsters feed off fatigue and neglect and grow weaker when you take time to nurture and centre yourself. You know what to do… exercise, sleep, healthy food, social support, mindfulness and creative play time.

Here are some more resources to help you manage your monsters:
▪      The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
▪      Fearless Creating, by Eric Maisel
▪      The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield
▪      Living with a Creative Mind, by Jeff and Julie Crabtree
▪      Mindfulness for Creativity, by Dr. Danny Penman

Happy Halloween!

Bronya Wilkins is a creativity coach and founder of Creative Cocoon, a coaching practice dedicated to helping people connect with their creativity to increase wellbeing and life fulfilment. Bronya is passionate about psychology, self-development and creative expression. Some of her creative hobbies include dance, graphic design, music composition and photography. For more about Bronya and Creative Cocoon, visit her website and Facebook page, or follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Interviews with creative women: Kin & Kind

Photo by  Asch Creative

Sydney-siders Miriam Raphael and Josie Jones met through their children’s daycare, and connected over a shared longing to contribute to their community and bring parents together in a meaningful way.

Over a number of play dates, the idea of Kin & Kind was born. Through Kin & Kind, Miriam and Josie run parent-focused workshops and events which upskill, stimulate and connect parents.

Their program is truly inspired, from making bush toys for city kids and creative indoor gardening, to making iPhone movies and decluttering. Plus there’s an onsite crèche where little ones can be entertained while mum or dad are meeting new friends and learning a new skill.

Miriam and Josie share some insights into running their new creative business, balancing family and work, and the importance of spending time with like-minded creative people.
 

Tell us a bit about your backgrounds. What led you to start Kin & Kind?

MIRIAM: I was working as a freelance writer, editor and radio producer. I spent six months last year travelling in the US with my family, and decided that on my return I wanted to do something different, that preferably didn’t involve staring at a computer all day (writing online listicles!). I knew I wanted to be part of a community initiative where I could produce something tangible each week and connect with other parents.

Josie was a daycare mum friend with a background in corporate marketing.  We were both surprised at the dearth of parent-focused activities in the mid-week morning space and about the lack of authentic parenting conversation (that didn’t revolve around feeding your kid solids or decorating a nursery). She was thinking along the same community-focused lines and the idea developed over a couple of playdates back in February.
 

What was it like to start your own creative business?

MIRIAM: It’s an unbelievable experience. So many highs, so many lows. Kind of like having your first child! I can’t believe how much we’ve learned in such a short time. I love that any idea that we have, we can try and make happen and believe me, we have plenty. But then, there are so many ideas and only two of us! Plus we’re responsible for everything from getting bums on seats at every event to making sure there’s enough coffee to go around, which is no small undertaking. Keeping up the energy and motivation especially on a difficult day is also hard – we really lean on each other.

In terms of rewards, there’s nothing better than hearing positive feedback about something you’ve created from scratch. Nothing. When someone tells us they loved the event, met a new friend, or went away with a new skill/perspective on their lives… we literally do a happy dance! 

It’s wonderful being able to tailor the business around our personal lives so we have the flexibility to do kid drop-offs and be there for all the school activities. I do not miss having to ask permission to come in at 9:15 am so I can drop my daughter at school. 

Photo by Studio Something

How do you put together your program and decide what and who to feature?

MIRIAM: There’s so much noise out there in the parenting space, so we want to stand out with interesting, thought-provoking content. I use the same skills I did as a radio producer, and ask the questions: ‘Is it a compelling story?', 'Are they good talent?’ We use a general litmus test, ‘Is this something/someone that would inspire and excite us?’ If it doesn’t, it’s out. We can’t sell that.

JOSIE: We do lots of research and spend time talking to others about what they are interested in and the topics parents are grappling with. We also regularly survey our parents to find out what really motivates them.
 

How important is it for creatives to connect with other likeminded people?

MIRIAM: So important! I often forget this as we get so focused on the nitty gritty of each event. It’s easy to get bogged down in the practical details and lose sight of the bigger vision. Then I’ll have a coffee with another business owner creative and suddenly be filled with excitement and ideas once again. You never know where a conversation will take you… also these connections are a great space to vent and normalise the challenges we all have to deal with.
 

How do you make time for creativity in your day-to-day lives?

MIRIAM: I’m passionate about books and long-form journalism. I was inspired by Lorelei Vashti who replaced Facebook with a subscription New Yorker app on her phone. It’s totally cut down my Facebook use (Instagram is a work in progress). I’m a podcast obsessive which I squeeze in while cooking/cleaning up and hustling the kids around. My current favourite is Invisibilia.

Josie loves to blog. She’s a prolific writer and finds it really therapeutic… I have no idea where she finds the time!

Photo by Studio Something

You both are juggling a creative business and family – do you have any tips about making it all work?

JOSIE: Ha ha, I wish. Designating time for work and kids/family is really important. So it’s good to know how much time in the day you have for work and working out realistically what you can achieve in that time. Because there are two of us, it does make it easier to lean in and lean out when kids get sick or there is something happening at the kids’ school.

I recommend having an open and honest conversation with your partner about the load they will pick up regarding childcare. It’s tempting to load it up on the small business owner who works from home! But this isn’t good for business, family or your sanity.
 

Who are some other creative women who are inspiring you at the moment?

JOSIE: Miriam! Also Uldouz Van Eenoo from The Mother’s Den. I just finished her Success Circle and it was a brilliant experience.

MIRIAM: I’m inspired by women who are honest about the mess and chaos of life and kids, but still manage to be brave, create and get sh*t done. The designer Elke Kramer, artist Emily Besser and all-round creative Johanna Bell are friends who energise me in this way.  
 

What would you say to other women considering starting their own creative business?

JOSIE: Just do it. It’s OK to have high ideals but be conscious about whether any of those high ideals are stopping you from just getting going. Nothing is ever perfect and you have to be prepared to adapt and change the business as you go. Talk to as many people as you can – but like all the advice people give new mothers, you must work out what advice works for you and where your values are before you can decide what path to follow. Not everyone’s advice will work for you. But equally if someone gives you advice that you don’t like, ask yourself why this rankles you – does it highlight a shortcoming you’re not ready to address or is it just bad advice?
 

What can workshop participants expect when they come to a Kin & Kind event?

JOSIE: All our events are different. The common thread is that each one connects and (hopefully) inspires parents to engage their post-baby brain, start conversations and laugh. It’s not to say that parents don’t do those things daily, but this is about giving parents permission and tools to be more than just someone’s mum or dad.
 

What do you hope for the future of Kin & Kind?

JOSIE: Is global domination not enough? In all seriousness, what we want is for Kin & Kind to be part of a change movement that supports, encourages and makes it possible for all parents to feel comfortable taking time out for themselves. We strongly believe that when parents look after themselves and invest in themselves, it is good for them and good for their kids. As long as that happens, we will be happy.

Website / Facebook / Instagram (@hellokinandkind)

Kate Shannon is a freelance writer based in Brisbane after many years living in Darwin. She spends a lot of her time in the garden with her two little girls, and loves writing and learning about creative people, flowers, and plants.    

Photography by Asch Creative (first photo) and Studio Something (