Season 1 of Jelly Trumpet canters on this simple premise. You and only you can make yourself as creative as possible. You will also have to put some graft in, practice and keep going when the times take a darker turn.
Self-Coaching v Learning
You certainly will gain knowledge from books and experience from workshops and practice. Self-coaching is unique to you. You are unique, the way you work is like no other person. Want some more of that?
Take up a Journal
What are you comfortable with when it comes to recording your work experience? A pen and book? A device? The advantage of a device is the use of search and the ability to tag or categorise your work about creativity.
I once used a database but now I use Evernote. A useful and easy to use app, the free version allows you to sync between two devices along with the cloud.
What do you Record?
This is how ‘my medicine’ has worked for me and still does. This is from the point of view of a writer of silly stuff, the surreal and off beat, including Jelly Trumpet.
When I started, I wasn’t sure of what I wanted to record. Gradually a pattern emerged. First my feelings after every writing session. Had it gone well? Can I make this funnier, sadder, more engaging from my audience?
I marked myself. I noted what had happened that day, which music I was listening to and I honed it and used writing exercises like ‘making an appointment to write’ and recorded what was working, which I did more of and what wasn’t working.
Recording Craft
There’s many factors that go into being a writer. I don’t think of myself as anything more than a chancer who can craft a funny piece with some effort.
- Character
- Plot
- Visual
- Dialogue
- Group dynamics
- Devices, like reincorporation or brining in a witness to the scene
Many, many other things, all recorded in ‘my medicine’ to read and develop everyday into a better writer. As long as you are going forward then writing is a joy.
Things I Learned
Ask the right question. If you ever feel stuck or blocked then change the question. Find a way to make that question different, Google it and look at suggestions, ask a friend to rephrase if for you, get drunk (really), go for a walk, read or view the works of people you admire.
Coach Yourself
Make yourself as creative as possible by recording every work session (to start) and review what works and where you can improve. Creativity cannot be taught, o’, there are tools like The 9 Trumpets of Creativity to start you off, but these are devices and not your mind and spirit working together to make you more creative.
What Now for Me
I have a huge journal that I can refer to and yes sometimes I find I’m making the same wrong turns, that’s why its handy to have a journal as a reminder. I don’t have the need to use it all the time but every so often I hear or see something I want to use in my work and I’ll enter it.
So, keep going and graft and learn to make yourself as creative as you can be. Let me know your thoughts, ideas and tips so Jelly Trumpet can share and help others on the same journey.
I am forever an optimist, I write because I have to because if I don’t I find my life less full. Is it the same for you? Keep going, fight through, think of your heroes, your strong emotions and share it with the world and help make that world a little more fun, fuller and better.
Brothers & Sisters,
Amen
About Jelly Trumpet
We’re a podcast all about creativity. Every episode is aimed at stimulating your imagination and making you laugh with silly, surreal bits & bobs.