Sometimes, when we’re just starting out with a creative dream, it’s hard to know what we need. We may not be tackling a big project like a book, or a series of articles or essays. So our writing life can feel amorphous, like it’s not real. It exists inside us as a desire, but there’s not a lot of structure in the world to give it shape.
We have to give it shape. I like the idea of designing our own curriculum. One that suits our needs, meets us where we’re at, and helps us to feel a sense of focus and containment. I’ve always thrived in a learning environment, and the idea of a course of study that I design and work with always helps me. Does this idea of designing your own writing course resonate with you?
In this solo episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll get ideas about how to design structure around your creative work, whether it’s writing or art-making. You’ll also hear about what I am working on this fall and how I am coping with the daunting thrill of it.
Mentioned in this episode:
My classes and coaching groups
My books
The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book
Part of my Creative Writing curriculum
Giving Yourself an A in The Art of Possibility by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander
Suleika Jaouad’s The Isolation Journals
Dani Shapiro’s Still Writing
Vivian Gornick’s The Situation and the Story
Zen Art Supplies dot grid notebook
Try it yourself!
Download the Design Your Creative Curriculum worksheet here.
Leave a comment below, letting us know about your curriculum.
Affiliate links are used in this post. I only recommend products and programs I heartily endorse.
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Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for this podcast! I have been 10+ years writing, revising and now editing a 2-books novel… and I hadn’t really realized it, but my creative self has gone into hiding 🙁 Occasionally I look at old writing and wonder about all the possible stories I have silenced to accomplish my one big project.
It encourages me think of a playpen I can structure for it… almost a carrot to finish the big books.
Your podcast also reminded that I have lost sight (again) of what is my A (loved that book); of how I will know when I am done; and how I will measure success. More homework for me tonight!
Cheers,
Dominique.
Dominique,
Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s odd how we can be so focused on getting something done that we don’t even realize we left the fun in the dust on the roadside way back there.
I think for me it’s hard to make space for something that’s not ‘going somewhere’ or doing something for others. I need to hearken back to my early writing days, when I wrote for 5 years just to discover, explore and learn. Not to produce anything.
Have fun reclaiming your creativity and good luck along the way to finishing those books! You can have both.
Thank you for sharing this phase of your creative life Cynthia.
I’m flaggling about, trying to find my legs in a new creative writing project just for me, and you’re right, when it is just for this reason (to fuel my creative craft enjoyment), it’s easy to let other things take priority over it.
The tools you offer to put structure around something so new are so valuable and so necessary. I look forward to downloading the Design your Creative Curriculum Here to focus my creativity on comedy.