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The Blog of Art

Posted By Guest Blogger 10th of July 2011 Miscellaneous Blog Tips 0 Comments

This guest post is by Tricia Lawrence of trishlawrence.com.

We’ve all heard the term “writer’s block” thrown around like it’s an actual medical or mental condition, and a few have attempted to coin “blogger’s block” even though it’s essentially the same thing.

It’s what happens when you open your laptop and as the cursor is blinking, your mind goes blank. Soon, you’re sure the cursor is mocking you and you slink away from the computer to eat some junkfood, play Nintendo, think evil thoughts about your ability to keep this blog going, and pretty soon, you’ve wasted four hours and the blog post is still not written.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there and we’ll all be there again. I, however, like to “light people up,” especially with regard to blogging, so here are some ideas to blow that writer’s block to smithereens and to get those fingers tapping away on your keyboard.

Make art by thinking about how you feel and how you want your readers to feel

This is a hard one, because most of us have numbed out to how we feel, so how in the heck are we supposed to know how we want other people to feel?

Art is where that edge is. It’s where you take a feeling and you explore it by creating something that takes people somewhere. A painting is like a blog. But too often, I think blogging has taken on this sort of half-robotic feel.

Too many of us recycle what has already been said, harp on someone doing something innovative because it makes us feel uncomfortable, or we hide from our readers and use our blogs to do it! We throw up all these fancy plans, or narcissistic “look at me” posts, when in reality, isn’t the goal of blogging to connect with readers? Isn’t it to share how you actually feel? Do you really feel good today? Do you really feel in control? There are moments we do not. That is where the art comes in.

Tell it like it is. Make art. Build it into the blog.

Make art by stepping away from the blog and actually creating something tactile

Cook something, sew something, paint something, or weld something. We’ve numbed out by sitting behind our computers and forgetting what it means to do anything else. Step away from the computer!

This activity doesn’t require the same blogging brain cells that have frozen up on you, and thus, as you make something awesome, those cells will begin to thaw out and suddenly, you’ll throw down the welding torch and rush to the computer. As they say, if you run a marathon, you’re more likely to also write a book. One thing begets another. But please take care! Don’t try to write a blog post while holding the welding torch.

Make art by dreaming big

This one fires me up. I can dream up huge results from my paltry blogging. Some days I want to be on America’s Got Talent because of a blog post, I want to get a book deal from the blog, I want to meet Richard Branson.

That sounds so huge and unreachable, but then if you put those goals in print somewhere, you are focusing yourself on them. Your brain will try to figure out how to make them happen. You suddenly see Richard Branson references everywhere. America’s Got Talent automatically TiVos every time it’s on and you have time to watch it, someone shows you a book that you swear you could have written yourself and the art begins to happen.

Perhaps you’ll hire a PR consultant, or you’ll outline the roughs of a book proposal. Perhaps we’ll one day see your welding-while-juggling (or blogging!) act scaring Nick Cannon half out of his wits! That’s doable! That’s making art!

The blog of art is more about you than about the blog. And that’s where the magic happens, I promise.

Tricia Lawrence is CEO of real/brilliant, inc. and blogs about the Create Now! Revolution at http://www.trishlawrence.com.

About Guest Blogger
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Comments
  1. I think writers block comes most often from focusing to strongly on a particular topic. By letting go of overanalyzing everything you allow your mind to open up.

    We should enjoy the creative process. The moment we focus on the outcome we begin to lose focus on creativity.

    Don’t get me wrong the outcome is important when you are in business or meeting a deadline, but we need to balance it out and put a plan in place so that we can meet our goals.

    Then allow ourselves to lean back and focus on creativity.

    • Well said Patrick. Balance is the key and sometimes as bloggers we get to focused on the nuts and bolts without taking time to let the flow carry us to something beautiful.

    • Patrick,
      I totally agree with Patrick , when ever I think about outcome , i have noticed that my posts become less attractive. Also my mind had been blocked and can’t write anything.

      Another thing i have noticed is this metal block is seasonal, i mean some times I have enough topic to write and some times i am struggling for it.

  2. Thanks for the wonderful post. Blogging is not like copycating it is which you like most and always come up with unique post and that too informative

  3. i am not artist but i can imagine what a blog looks like if it belongs to artist :)

  4. Awesome post! Writers block is such a pain!

    “Make art by dreaming big” <- Love it!!!

  5. I love the post btw,and especially hate writers block,maybe a punch in the head from a professional ufc fighter will get that block out..lol..j.k,

  6. This is great! If writers block is some kind of a sickness or condition, then there is always a remedy. One good approach is what you presented to us now. So thanks for these ideas, Tricia.

    I must also say that this problem is something that all bloggers can conquer. It shouldn’t be the reason to stop you from reaching your goals and wallow around frustration.Instead, it should be something that will motivate you more. It should unleash the creativity in you as you discover the solution to your struggle.

    And yes, I know its easier said than done. But we all just have to believe in ourselves that we can do it. Moreover, I guess if you really love what you do then no doubt you will succeed and be able to overcome the obstacles that will come your way.That’s what also matters.

    Cheers! :)

  7. Thanks for the sharing. I am sure we all been through it (writer block).

    For me, the best “medicine” for me is from newspaper or magazine, when I am in the state of writer block, I will just flip the newspaper and magazine and write anything that related to the word/phase that first come to my eyes. A bit of imagination required to relate to the theme of my bog though…

    Cheers!

  8. Great post. I’ve found from the blog I have now and from my previous one that if I plan my topics way ahead all the time; I have weeks for my brain to subconciously draw a mind map of the posts. I have a list on my vision board of the next 10 topics I’ll write about, so my brain constantly scans in the background for ideas I can use in those posts.

  9. Thanks for sharing.
    Spending the whole day glued to the screen wouldn’t conjure 3 days work into one day. To get the best side of creativity, we need to embrace every mix of our environment..
    I agree with you.. Get off that chair and be a part of whatever it is..

  10. Tricia, nice article. Thanks. -Manickam

  11. I agree with you wholeheartedly. While not every niche is equally well suited to freewheeling, artistic blog writing, many could benefit from it in surprising ways. Robotic recycling simply doesn’t’ command attention or spark anyone’s imagination, but adding brazen jolt of individuality will turn a few heads.

    In niches where originality defines you, a blog that deals with writing, for example, it can pay dividends to infuse your writing with a touch of creative honesty. Revealing your humanity, scars and all, encourages thoughtful comments and builds community.

    Thanks for the great post.

    -Douglas

  12. Great article, Tricia.

    Writers Block(Bloggers Block) can eat away at a persons confidence.

    The only real way to unblock writers block, is to write.

    What you said about going off to do something non writing related, to free up the creative writing juices, is a very good idea.

    The downside to this is when the ” going off to do something else” soon becomes no more than a cop out(An excuse not to write).

    The “something else” you went off to do, will in time have replaced the writing.

    Again, I think that balance is the key(Yeah, I know. Not that darn ” Balance is the key” mantra, again)!

    If a person has limited ideas, they should simply focus with “Laser like intensity” on one of those ideas.

    In many cases the person with thousands of ideas, may actually have more difficulty(Too many choices which one to make)?

    They would lose much time and energy in the process of fine tuning, before deciding on a path of action.

  13. I personally want my readers to feel that they are getting something of value and that they can’t find the content anywhere else.

  14. Hi Tricia,

    On target advice here, literally.

    Picture a target, a goal. Hold the picture, and it starts to attract all which is needed to make the picture true. As you note, you dream of meeting Richard Branson and start seeing him all over the place. You create a picture, hold it for a minute, and you receive little nudges from the Universe, reminding you what you’re dreaming about, what you are manifesting. The picture continues to come true until it is pictured on the screen of space, or you choose another dominant picture. Either way, you are making the choice, to hold it or let it go.

    Doing “artsy” things puts you instantly in creativity mode. When in creativity mode, you never lack for ideas. Inspiration floods in when I step away from the computer and do creative things. My mind moves from focusing on the tension and anxiety of writer’s block, to creating, to helping others, and the block is instantly dissolves.

    Inspiration knocks on your mind’s door 24-7. Creative masters know this, and use techniques to allow inspiration in more than someone who doesn’t believe they are creative. Learn to paint pictures, learn to move into creative acts in other areas of your life, and this imaginative creativity pours over into your blogging activities. It works like an absolute charm again and again for me.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughtful insight, and a different take Tricia. I appreciate it :)

    Ryan

  15. Thanks Tricia for the nice article. Really enjoyed it.

  16. Really….awesome

  17. Thanks for this article. I like it very much the article is awesome……………..
    This article motivates and makes people to think that blogging can be mode of real art………………

  18. I’m not an artist but I think this is the way you find your own voice. Not copying or spewing factoids.

  19. Hi Tricia,
    Nice article.. I was about to write in detail yesterday. Even I posted in my blog about creativity and mentioned that Blogging is similar like making feature film since couple of hidden stuffs embedded on this. Let’s discuss more down the line.

    Thanks,
    V.Manickam

  20. Focusing on art and other creative pursuits is a great way of coming back to your blogging refreshed and for me at least it keeps me entertained and more creative and productive if I relax when drawing some new art and stuff. But since drawing is part of my blogging, then it’s more fun than anything else!

  21. Ive been stuck in serious block country for ages now – and no I’m not talking about the TV show – although it’s quite addictive too and also not helping the cause LOL

  22. Writer’s block is just an excuse to be lazy.

  23. Writer’s block usually acts when we try to focus too much on it. Tricia I like your point to get away from the computer as soon as writer’s block becomes active. It seems a far fetched idea to go wielding as normally I know people who are in this business are no where near blogging. But the point you have stressed in this statement is quite simple, do anything that would unfreeze brain cells and that would be like recharging. Very motivating and straight forward article. I am pleased to come across this article.

  24. All people love art and things that are nice. So we as blogger have to make our blog look nice and enjoy to be seen. Thank you.

  25. I always got prostrated when I am having a mind blank out especially if I am trying to rush into something. I think what you have shared is very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

  26. This is thought provoking stuff.

    And my thought is this: art inspires change. Great art inspires great change. If you want to make a difference, make art.

    • Thanks everyone for the great comments this week. I’m so sorry to have been delayed in my replies here. (Who said July was part of a slow summer?) :)

      I’m so glad this article was helpful. I’ve been trying to step away from my computer to do something tactile (lots of vacuuming usually works!) and it focusing on the art of blogging/writing has helped ME a lot.

      I have also decided to learn to knit and draw. I am hopeless at these arts, but just trying helps me to come back to the writing/blogging with a fresh eye, I think.

      Rollo May writes about the courage to create that really pertains: “we must be fully committed, but we must also be aware at the same time that we might possibly be wrong. This . . . is the highest form of courage.”

      I am beginning to think that’s what writer’s block boils down to. The fear of doing it wrong. It takes a lot of courage to charge through and perhaps our hands need to be involved to help our brain to have that courage? Thoughts?

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