the creative minimalist
Lowering creative standards at the beginning of a project can improve creativity. High expectations can hinder initial progress, as perfectionism prevents the full expression of ideas. By embracing imperfect first drafts, we create art for editing, ultimately improving quality through consistent creative practice and completion rather than avoidance.
Inspiration is unpredictable, so we need a way to find and even prod the muse. Momentum keeps you creating when inspiration disappears
Not all creative advice works for everyone. Learn how to filter guidance, avoid common pitfalls, and build confidence by recognising when to follow advice—and when to trust your own creative instincts.
Why do most unfinished songs or art fail early in their creation? Most art fails early because decisions aren’t made. Too many options stall progress Decision fatigue can significantly hinder creativity. Each choice we make requires mental energy, and as that reserve diminishes, so does our ability to think creatively or approach problems with fresh…
Waiting to feel ready to create just keeps you stuck. If you start, you’ll realise you were ready to learn, to grow and create.
Some creative beliefs only make sense in hindsight. I believed in perfection; I needed faith in the imperfect. I believed my creations needed to be perfect. I was wrong. Learning that has enabled me to create, and enjoy creating.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
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I am composing a piece of music and I thought I would share the process with you. This is the first video and I share where the ideas come from. These are the bare bones and early thoughts and ideas, but in the next few videos, we’ll see where the muse takes me and what happens. Join me on this creative venture and let me know any questions you have.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
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Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, something to focus on in our creative work.
We live in a digital age. Information is available at the touch of a button and the connection to a network. Binary code delivers whatever we want to know, some things that we don’t want to know, and cute videos of animals. Words, images, and sound appear on screens and speakers of all sizes. However, we still have and create things in print. Before digital, we had the printing press, before the press there were pens and brushes. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:
Ink — a coloured fluid or paste used for writing, drawing, printing, or duplicating
this is just one definition, I couldn’t leave out the fact that some of my favourite cephalopods use ink to confuse predators
Let the prompt ‘ink’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:
Let’s expand the word a little further…
The Fiction Writing Prompt aims to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.
It was time. I had put this off for too long. I picked up the pen and dipped the nib in the ink.
I love stationery. I love pens. Yes, that is my dipping pen in the picture. However, I also have plenty of blank pages. I can be a procrastinator, putting things off until the last minute. I might be unsure what to write or scared to say what I really think and feel, or simply afraid to make the first mark through fear of making a mistake.
This prompt, in one sense, is about facing a creative person’s worst nightmare, the blank page. Remember though, this is fiction… really… sort of.
The writing perspective is the first person, but that, as always, can be changed. The challenge is to convey the reason using the ink has taken so long. It is about exploring fear. It might be insubstantial, but it has still stopped you from using it. Time to overcome any writing or drawing fears and put ink pen to paper in this piece of fiction.
Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Inkblots can mean many things and have been used to explore personality. Spill some ink on a page. Blot it with another piece of paper. What do you see? Can you add other art embellishments to turn it into something?
Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:
I now have ‘ink’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. However, I struggle with messy art or writing. Ink, for me, has always been a medium where I make a mess. However, as I create more and more, I have realised that often creativity happens in the mess. Perfect doesn’t exist. Smudges, stains and splatters, either literal or metaphorical, are where the creative magic happens. I need to be messier.
Let ‘ink’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.
As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose, an ATC, large canvas or journal page. Commit it to paper in ink.
As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below or tag me @darrenrhill or #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.
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How do you avoid the paralyzing effect of creative fear? How do you cope with facing the blank page? Join Dianne and me as we discuss these questions posted by one of our YouTube viewers.
For more of our creative discussions visit Dianne’s YouTube channel, you’ll also find some amazing mixed media, collage and ATC art there.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.
Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest
Many moons ago I had a song called Your Touch. Having just passed a New Moon, it seems fitting that a new version of Your Touch is nearing completion. The draft lyrics have been written. Now I let them simmer while I mull over them, sing along with them and generally hang out with them. I’ll also record some demo vocals and perhaps record a live version of the song to see how it feels.
Your Touch is part of a collection of songs inspired by recent events. I am hoping to release the songs as soon as I can. So I’d best get on writing and recording. But the picture and my words above should give a little insight into my songwriting process. I’ll explain more in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.
Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest
