Monday, April 13, 2020

Distracting the Creative Soul


In a time such as this, finding a distraction in the vacuum the world has left us in can be difficult.

In my last post I talked about this empty time being a great chance to throw yourself into creativity. But what happens when you do that...and have done that? For weeks!

There is no other external stimuli besides what you have to do at home. You’ve written every song you can, and shown everyone on Facebook. I mean how many “live concerts” can you do?

You’ve been painting, writing, sewing, and everything you usually say you don’t have time to do. But now you’re just a little...okay, a LOT bored.

So what’s a bored creative soul to do?

Redouble Your Efforts

OK, so you’ve finished that creative project you wanted to do. Now maybe it’s time to double down and really get the umpteen other projects you know your want to do started. 

Maybe map out arrangements for that next album, even though you just finished this current one. Now is the time to make those rewrites on those novels you were really not completely happy with, and get them back out to digital stores. 

Take a day (any day...they are all pretty much the same right now!) and sketch out the beginnings of new songs, stories, drawings, dances, or whatever. Focus completely on this like it’s a special task that must be finished that day.

If ever there was a time you could push yourself it could and maybe should be now.

Redesign Your Creative Space

Tired of that dark room you work in? Find a sunnier spot for your creating environment. Make the space that you create in a joy to work in. Clean up, pare down, get rid of stuff you don’t need, and put everything you don’t use in the garage. Or better yet sell it on eBay. 

It’s a great time to sell stuff on eBay, and the Post Office will come pick up your packages so you don’t even have to get your mask and go out during the apocalypse!

Reinvent Yourself

Sometimes you can choose to go in a completely new direction. 

If you weren't being creative before, then sure, this is a great time to get busy creating. But if you have revved up the music, or the painting, or the writing, and are still finding yourself a bit bored, perhaps it’s time to try something new.

Instead of writing another song, what about writing that novel that could go along with your music that you thought of long ago? Completely switch gears at least for some minutes of the day.

What about taking items you have found, and making something new out of them. Get crafty in a completely different way than you have before.

Reimagining...

As a long-time songwriter, I am finishing some personal projects, and starting new ones right now. But I have also found a completely new thing that has both taken some of my time and been a great distraction.

Some time ago I found myself watching a few too many shows about finding and fixing up finds at flea markets. So I went looking and found an old upright piano someone was giving away locally. I got a truck and went and got it. I thought it would be great if I could turn it into a keyboard shell, desk, or workstation.

Well, this first project is now done. The “53 Cable” is a fully reimagined piece from the guts of an old piano. A beautiful piece of furniture that is about 1/4 the weight of the old useless, out of tune, broken keyed piano. And hopefully, some creative use will come out of it for another 70 years.


Now is this a new career? No. But was it a fun distraction and perhaps a new creative direction to add to all my other creative directions? Maybe.

I hope this gives you some solace and ideas as you move forward during your time of solitude, or whatever forced inactivity you are in right now.

Have a great week.

EC
John Eric Copeland is a composer with a new album coming out soon, and starting a new album this week but also...novels, stories, and apparently...pianos.

Follow all these creative endeavors at Cre8iv.com

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About the Author

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Eric Copeland is an author, producer, keyboardist, songwriter, and president of Creative Soul Companies. What is Creative Soul? Our main goals are to inform, encourage, and assist Christian creative folks in ministry, no matter where they are in their journey. Thanks for reading! Find out more about us at http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com