What’s next? Is a pretty popular question we creatives start to ask ourselves once a project is finished or close to completion.
Successful movies generate a business demand for sequels. Successful books generate a demand for further, similar books…and so on. As artists, we are asked to repeat ourselves and expand on the market we have built. There is a term the music industry uses called, “The Sophomore Slump.” That’s when a musician storms onto the music scene with a grand [successful] entrance who must then follow-up with urgency. The tension and anxiety from the record company’s “Gimme, Gimme” attitude forces the artist to put out something for quantity while the quality tends to suffer. And so, their sophomore album slumps.
Forcing artists to repeat themselves can stymie the creative flow. Reinvention is key. Proof of this can be summed up in one word: Madonna. Whether you like or loathe her, the woman is an icon. And her creativity was always at the forefront.
In short, success is what you make it. Continue with the morning pages. They may be holding the key to your creative success.
[...] The Artist’s Way wrote an interesting post today on $uccessHere’s a quick excerptProof of this can be summed up in one word: Madonna…. [...]
I’m still re-reading my morning page journals and noticed alot of patterns, good and bad, in my life. But in regards to success and enlightenment in the MP’s, I’ve had quite a few stream-of-conscious bouts that actually turned into short stories or chapters in my book! Also, alot of creative “to do lists” came up in the morning hours. To me, that’s success.
I think I do (kind of in the back of my mind) worry about “what’s next”. Like right now I have a commission for some art work and on some level I expect that will be the last commision I ever ever have (I know – makes no sense)
I can rethink that though!
I am about to embark on a whole new chapter in my life, everything I have known will be in the past. Becoming an artist is just a piece of this new journey. I don’t know what the future holds, I don’t know where I want to go from here, but I’m getting ok with that. It is an exploration, a journey of discovery – I always wanted to be an explorer. I will admit it is very hard to lose that control (and comfort) of ordinary and predictable days. It is exciting and scary, times when I’m excited by the possibilities and frightened that I’m not up to the challenge.
The AW process has been confused with everything that is happening and I’m having to deal with during this transition phase. I can’t say even now I have a clear vision of the path before me – but I can say that I’m stepping out there anyway.
I hadn’t thought about it, but “what’s next” for me is reinvention. Most of my friends and family still see me as a writer who cooks. I need to reinvent myself as a cake decorator.
I am faced alot by the “What’s next” dilemma. After reading TAW about droughts and dipping beneath the surface for ideas, I find I am at least looking at this in a different way.
I’ve “reinvented” myself a few times but have not followed through on the new me. I need to look at that more!