HowToDoThings.com Elite Author Articles

How To Stop the Shoulds and Create with Freedom

dangoodwin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:58:00 -0500

When you create, how often does the word "should" cross your mind?

I should be doing this perfectly, I should be doing as I was taught, I should be observing the rules, I should be doing what they want me to do...

It doesn't make for a very happy artist. In fact, whatever you create under these kind of conditions (that is if you manage to create at all) will be tainted by an underlying resentment that you haven't created what you heart truly desired.

Here are 3 of the most dangerous forms of "should" and how to shut them off.

How To Create Without Feeling Completely Selfish

dangoodwin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:34:42 -0500

When you create, are you able to do so guilt-free, unconcerned with what else you could be doing with your time?

Most of us struggle to get close to this state, instead being racked with guilt that we're even contemplating spending time on our own doing something as self indulgent as creating when our partners are seeking our attention, our children approach us with some new "emergency" every 5 minutes and there's an ever expanding stack of domestic chores nagging at our conscience. Ever been there?

If you can put all these factors to one side for just a moment though, you'll see that creating is actually one of the best things you can be doing with your time. Not just for you, for everyone. Here are the 3 big reasons why creating is not completely selfish:

How To Swim When You're Drowning in Creative Ideas

dangoodwin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:58:58 -0500

If I asked: "Do you struggle with creative ideas?", you'd probably think I was talking about not having enough ideas and the problems that can cause. Equally debilitating though - and often overlooked - is the dilemma of having TOO MANY creative ideas, and being so overwhelmed with possible creative projects that you COULD start, you end up doing none at all.

So here are 5 tips to help you learn to swim when it feels like you're drowning in creative ideas:

How To Release the Creative Writer Within You

dangoodwin — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:01:32 -0500

We all have writing ability within us, just as we're all able to communicate in other ways, like speaking and listening. If you've been curious about how you can explore the writing talents within you, but haven't been sure how to get started, here's your chance.

Follow these 7 tips to release the creative writer within:

How To Rediscover your Motivation to Create

dangoodwin — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:07:09 -0500

Momentum is an important word in the life of a creative person. When you have momentum, when you create regularly and feel fully in the creative flow, then creating comes easily. There's no time to stop and think about the struggles and the blocks--you're too busy creating and having a great time!

Creating with momentum has a cumulative effect and once you're going, it's much easier to keep going.

The opposite state to this kind of momentum is inertia--when you can barely create a word, a stitch or a stroke, let alone a novel, tapestry or painting. And, like momentum, inertia breeds and builds. The longer you stay inert, and the longer you struggle to get creating, the harder that first step feels.

How To Become an Endless Wellspring of Creativity

dangoodwin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:33:07 -0500

Would you say your creativity was like a bottomless well, an everlasting supply that can provide all the ideas and energy you need, whatever new creative project you begin?

If you're thinking "Bottomless well? More like a shallow puddle!" then read on for 7 steps to becoming an endless wellspring of creativity.

How To Rediscover Your Creative Inner Puppy

dangoodwin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:25:39 -0500

Have you ever had a new puppy that's absolutely bounding with energy? Each morning it wakes at the crack of dawn, hurtles into your room and jumps all over you with its oversized paws before you've even opened an eye? Then when you do get up, puppy takes YOU for a walk round a few blocks, seemingly having the strength of a small cart horse!

This kind of energy may not be exactly what you need first thing in the morning, but nonetheless it's amazing to see that kind of endless enthusiasm for life.

How does this compare with your approach to creating? Do you have a similar bounding energy, passion and zest for life when you create? Or is it more like a tired old flea-bitten mongrel hoping to be out of its misery?

Here are 5 steps to helping you rediscover your inner creative puppy!

How To Write When You Think You’ve Forgotten How

dangoodwin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:09:02 -0500

Beneath all your fears and concerns about writing, you have the same abilities that you've always had. In fact, because now you're more experienced than you've ever been before and you've more material in your own life to draw upon, you're actual in the best position you've ever been to rediscover your creative writing abilities.

But we can't necessarily sweep all those fears and concerns to one side in an instant and just return to writing again in full flow. Or you would have done that a long time ago already.

So how DO you get back in touch with your writing abilities? How do you even begin when the thought of writing even a couple of sentences seems about as easy as running a marathon backwards? Whilst giving a gorilla a piggyback!

There are two key components:

How To Become the Most Creative Person You Know

dangoodwin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:49:37 -0500

Who is the most creative person you know? What is it that makes them so creative? Is it their outlook on life? Is it the amount of ideas they come up with? Is it the number of new and varied creative projects they take on?

Whatever it is that makes them this creative, their position is about to be under threat. From you! Here are 5 tips to help YOU become the most creative person you know:

How To Find Your Natural Writing Style

dangoodwin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:57:55 -0500

Finding your own unique voice in writing is not something that can simply happen overnight.

When we’re born, we don’t pop out of our mother’s womb conversing fluently in 3 different languages. It takes time to discover how to communicate, and even when we’ve achieved a competent grasp our native language, it’s still a lifelong journey of finding new nuances, learning new words and honing the way we communicate so we can understand – and are understood – more clearly.

So your writing is a natural extension of this. Even when you have that competency in your mother tongue, as a writer you can then go on to develop an original and distinctive writing style. Here are 5 tips to make this a rewarding journey: