darren r hill

the creative minimalist

  • The Next Tool Won’t Fix It: Why More Gear Doesn’t Make Better Creative Work

    There’s a moment that we all, as creative people know: we’re stuck, and we start to think the problem is the gear I have. But the creative tools you already have are almost certainly enough. So why do we want more? Why do we think the creative fix is in the new shiny?

    Read more…

  • The Habits That Quietly Kill Creative Output (And What to Replace Them With)

    The Habits That Quietly Kill Creative Output (And What to Replace Them With) Here are several creativity killers with advice on how to stop them and creative habits to replace them.

    Read more…

  • Is Your Creative Idea Worth Finishing? Here’s How to Decide

    How to Tell If a Creative Idea Is Worth Finishing (And When to Let It Go). Is that song, this painting, my story about an AI enhanced goldfish worth finishing? Here’s how to decide if your art, song or writing is worth continuing. The rhyme and reasoning behind deciding what creative projects to finish.

    Read more…

  • What Years of Creating Taught Me About Discipline

    Discipline and willpower are not the super powers of successful creatives. it’s about crafting effective systems that naturally guide behaviour. Learn how these creative frameworks can help you achieve more without the constant struggle.

    Read more…

  • Why Creative Constraints Make You More Productive (and More Creative)

    Creative projects with the most freedom are often the hardest to finish, or even start. The ones with tight constraints tend to move faster. And sometimes come out better. Three simple rules for creative freedom

    Read more…

  • Why Imperfect Creative Work Builds Confidence Faster

    Sharing your imperfect creative work and art projects builds confidence faster than waiting. Whatever response you get will teach you something. We don’t just learn by doing, we also learn by sharing our art.

    Read more…

  • Reviewing Creative Goals

    Reviewing Creative Goals

    reviewing creative goals text with an image of me in front of abstract charts

    How have we done with our creative goals, habits and routines as the first quarter of the year passes? I confess to what I have achieved and not achieved in Q1 as I review and prepare for Q2. Creative successes and habit failures are in this week’s vlog.

    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

  • Creative resources and time

    Creative resources and time

    Creative resources and time text with me and an abstract image of clocks, art supplies and musical instruments

    Everywhere we look there are adverts and influencers offering stuff to make our lives perfect. I have also been seeing a lot of talk about minimising what we have and what we use in our creative lives. This week’s vlog explores this very issue.

    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

  • You (and me) are the barrier to creativity

    You (and me) are the barrier to creativity

    you are the barrier to creativity text and image or me in front of a fence with barbed wire

    I have discovered that the biggest barrier to creativity is myself. It might well be the same for you as well. In this week’s vlog, I look at three ways to overcome the barriers we create for ourselves.

    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

  • Choose your creative life

    Choose your creative life

    choose your creative life text with a picture of me

    What is your ideal creative life? So often reality and everyday living stop us from being creative. However, we can choose to fit in art, music and writing. In this week’s vlog, I look at the ideal vs reality of being creative.

    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

  • What’s the point of creating

    What’s the point of creating

    what's the point of creating text with an image of me infant of a messy recording studio

    Thus, when Darren looked at what he hath created, he thought, what’s the point and was distinctly underwhelmed. This week’s vlog is a look at how to keep going on a creative project that doesn’t sparkle. Let’s continue to create.

    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

  • Making Creativity Easy

    Making Creativity Easy

    Making creativity easy text with a picture of me in front of a sandy beach

    There is a way to make creativity easier, to make the creative process easy.. er…ish. Give your music, art, video, images, writing, a helping hand with this one simple tip. I’m making creativity easy in this week’s vlog, let’s create.

    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