Organized Creative

The Organized Creative:
planning your writing (creative and business) year – quarter – month – week – and finally day

 (2-6 hour variants)

This hands-on workshop will show you how to organize your days by realistically planning your year, and working backwards-and-forwards throughout the year to stay on track with your goals. You will also learn how to track and maximize your productivity cycles, use a process journal, value your lazy fallow periods, and use your procrastination to nurture inspiration. (GENERAL)

A partial slide deck from the August 12, 2018 presentation of the workshop at When Words Collide is available HERE. (Password given out at workshops.)

WORKSHEET DOWNLOADS

(But remember–it’s much better to create your own, work with index cards, scraps of paper, or whatever medium you’re most comfortable with)

PLOT YOUR YEAR

MAP YOUR QUARTER

CHART YOUR MONTH

DESIGN YOUR WEEK

SAMPLE WEEKLY TO DO LIST

CHUNK IT

READ MORE

The books I reference throughout the workshop:

  • The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
  • The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
  • Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
  • The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope
  • The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
  • The Life Organizer: A Woman’s Guide to a Mindful Year by Jennifer Louden

I don’t mention or quote from these two books, but if you are curious about the creative habits, organized or chaotic, of writers, check out:

  • Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
  • The Paris Review Interviews

Because I’m a mother and a woman and pretty femme, these are right-brain*, yin-energy type of resources. If you are more left-brained, masculine, and yang, I’d point you towards:

  • War Of Art + The Artist’s Journey by Steven Pressfield
  • The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (the first third)

*Actually, we all misunderstand and misuse the left-brain/right-brain divide. But it’s a useful shorthand code, right? To find out how the hemispheres of the brain really work, read:

  • The Left Brain Speaks, the Right Brain Laughs: A Look at the Neuroscience of Innovation & Creativity in Art, Science & Life by Ransom Stephens

But remember:

Want more? Check out mjanecolette‘s other courses:

mjanecolette.com/courses

Email Jane with questions (put “Organized Creative” in the subject heading):

TellMe@mjanecolette.com

Or ask her to send you love letters (these are about her smutty fiction, not productivity or creativity secrets):

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