Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Erika Sauter

Six Ways to Consistently be Creative

I’m not what I should be. If there’s a stereotype, that is. I don’t have a brand. I don’t write content. I have no niche. Actually, I’m a firm non-believer in those things. How would my creative endeavors ever stand out in a crowd filled with brands, content and niches?

Although, I don’t have a fat bank account either.

Instead, starving artist or not, I write because I want to write, I create art because I want to and I do it with enthusiasm, and a sped heart rate, and a driven anxiety to do it. Do it now.

Write it down and document everything are my most valuable tools along with these six ways to consistently be creative.

Make a Mess

Make a mess and don’t clean it up. I know. You’re always bitching at your kids, you spouse, or whoever to clean their shit up, but why? Does everything have to be in its place? Lame, boring, et cetera.

Imagine how open minded and free spirited you might feel if you just let it go. Make a mess and leave it there for a few days. It’s possible seeing your stuff all over the place might jump start new creative inspirations.

(*Disclaimer: If it will attract maggots or it stinks like urine clean it up.)

Collaborate With Your Peers

I often reach out to my favorite writers and artists and ask them to collaborate with me.This is bomb and I’m always so grateful for these opportunities.

When I spread the news I’ve had others ask me, “But aren’t they your competition?”

No, they are not my competition. I’m a much better writer and creative. I’m a better person because of our collaboration. I’ve learned from each of them. There’s no such thing as competition when it comes to being creative. We have our own stories and styles of how we create.

Stop Bitching and Just Do it

You have time. Really, you do.

Decades ago a dear friend of mine taught me a trick and I’ve been using it ever since. Make a daily calendar for each day. When the new day starts find the ABCs of your day.

Your top priorities are A. You absolutely have to complete these tasks. B isn’t as important but somewhat of a necessity. If you have the time then get it done. C doesn’t mean shit so just erase those right off your schedule. You now have time. Use it wisely.

Also, time is infinite. Yeah, I know. Someday we will die, but until then there’s always tomorrow. I’d much prefer to live by this logic than suffer through a life sucking job while taking the time I do have for granted.

Cook Random Meals and Eat Bizarre Foods

When I eat really weird stuff I become curious and I want to know more. Who came up with this recipe, what’s the origin and history? I find myself asking the questions, what type of restaurant serves this and how do I make it at home?

It sends me off on a tangent to learn everything I can about it. I’ll do research online, check out a book from the library or watch a documentary. During the process I come up with a list of cool ideas for stories and-or artwork. I’m unsure if it’s because I consider food to be a form of art or because it’s outside of my comfort zone of creative inspiration. Either way it’s worth every bite.

Create Whatever You Want

The story of the starving artist has been told over the course of decades. Want to be an artist, writer or any type of creative? Plan on starving, they say. Well, I call bullshit. As creatives we tend to go with what’s trending. We regurgitate the same idea over and over again. He wrote it, I’ll write it. She drew it, I’ll draw it.

Here’s the thing, rarely do we step up and create what we want in fear we won’t make money. That’s a genuine and understandable concern, but what if we stop following the trend and instead create a trend that will make us money?

Document and Share Your Failures

Some of what I create will suck. Most of it will suck but it’s part of the process. It’s no different than the collection of small goals I’ll fail on my way up to the peak of, Ultimate Goal Mountain.

I have to do something with my shit work. All those bad stories I wrote, I’ll publish every word of it on the internet for all the world to see, and the crappy paintings I invested hours, days and weeks into will become photographs of the colorful catastrophes they are and posted on all my social media.

I need to share it because there’s success in failure even if it’s just getting my name and my work out there.

Wanna jump this train? Here’s how, and why you should:

Erika Sauter is creating ArT FoR LuNcH | Patreon

Just wanna follow along? That’s cool, too:

ArT FoR LuNcH

The Starving Artist Concept was originally published in Prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Starving Artist Concept

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