articles for creative lives & businesses
Don’t give up your day job!
The old day job conversation is one that crops up all the time in my work and it’s such a fraught area for so many people. As creatives we’ve been sold a horrible story that equates day jobs with evidence of an inability to “make it”. To me this is one of the many...
Show me the money part 2 – How to fund your art without arts funding.
Those of you who have worked with me personally will be aware that funding is one of my least favorite financial strategies for arts practitioners. Before I get started on why, I want to clarify that I’m not writing from a position of personal bitterness. My own track...
Show Me The Money – The art of funding submissions.
Writing a solid funding submission with a better chance of getting across the line is an artform in itself. In fact I recommend that my clients are cautious when making funding a major part of their financial model. Funding is not money for nothing, it is a highly...
How to Make a Vision Board
Vision boarding is a super fun way to visually explore ideas. I love to do this as a social activity with a group of friends and it’s the perfect starting point for all of my retreats to kick start the creative flow. You can pick a specific topic, section out your...
Task Batching (antidotes for the lie of multitasking)
Switching from tasks or letting devices, interruptions and your fertile mind pull you off focus wastes precious time you could be spending creating. I accept that some days your mojo is just really not on hand and you have to take a day off but as a rule creating a...
5 Time Saving Tips for Creatives!
So often people really want to argue with me on this one. They are in the habit of jumping from idea to idea, sold the lie of working when “inspiration strikes”, multitasking or convinced that routines and systems don’t or can’t apply to them. The research is solid...
My Space – A Cautionary Tale
Really the title says it all but for those of you who need me to elaborate then here goes. My Space, the golden zone for musicians, the maker or breaker of viral followings, gig bookings and online presence. In 2008. Ask someone today in their teens about My Space and...
Set Goals, Get Organised, Stay on Track
Once you’ve got your creative life and business vision super sorted and you know where in your heart of hearts you want to be heading then you need to get sorted writing out a strategic plan. Blah, what?! “I’m a frieking artist not a corporate business entrepreneur” I...
Vision Clarity is King
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage...