Welcome to the first edition of Good Art Friend, in which writer Swan Huntley will be answering your questions about how to be an artist — from practical queries about finding time, collaborating, networking, self-promotion and making money to existential concerns like battling jealousy, practicing mindfulness, prioritizing your work, building confidence, getting inspired and plowing past creative blocks, Swan is here for you. No question is too big, too small, or too petty. Awkward crush on your writing teacher? Nervous about inviting people to your show? Suffering from imposter syndrome? Lacking inspiration? Ask away.
Q. How do I snap out of a rut and get going again?
A.
First of all, I love the way you’ve phrased this. Usually, people say they need to snap out of “it” and “climb” out of a rut. Your interesting marriage of phrases tells me that you’re probably an interesting person, which means that your art is probably interesting, which means that you should be making more of it.
I don’t know the cause of your rut, but my guess is that it boils down to fear. My other guess is that the chances are likely that your fear is masquerading as something else, because that’s how fear rolls. He’s like a spy with a lot of different identities. Sometimes he shows up as procrastination. Sometimes he shows up as over-editing. Sometimes he shows up as writer’s block. The fact that this term sounds sort of like a disease tracks. People talk about being afflicted with writer’s block as if it’s a malady over which they have no power. This also tracks. Writers are dramatic people.
My advice to you, Rut Dweller, is to write out all your fears in great detail. Go way down your fear spiral. Take yourself to the bottom of the bottom of your rut and see what’s down there. You might think this will be a sad and serious exercise, but my guess is that after you actually do it, you’re going to read your fears and chuckle at yourself. Usually, when we define our fears specifically, we see how silly and out of touch with reality they are.
After you’ve completed your fear spiral, Rut Dweller, I want you to stop taking yourself so seriously. There is a reason you started making art in the first place, and that reason is joy. I suggest you make something purely because you want to make it. Pretend like you’re never going to show it to anyone. If someone asks what you’re working on, don’t tell them. Once you’re done making that thing, make another thing. And another thing. And don’t think about any of this too hard. Just keep doing it. Eventually, you’ll notice that you’ve snapped out of your rut.
Swan
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