Trekk

We ran out of time to answer the last AMA question during our season 3 finale of Sidetrekked, so I promised I’d take it on here. Poet/novelist/marketer extraordinaire Jiordan Castle asked how those of us who have personal creative pursuits manage to work at a fast-paced agency AND maintain our own creative practices. My own answer: My writing practice is non-negotiable, and for that reason it’s the first thing I do every day. Before I check my email, before I read the news, before I talk to anyone, I practice. Not every morning is pretty. (In fact, most aren’t.) But that’s okay — we’re just practicing. This year I’ve been keeping a log of my time spent working on my novel. I knew I would need to hold myself accountable during this year of change in my role at Trekk. It would be so easy to wake up and check email and start working on work. There is always more to do! But this protected time spent in creative play comes first. I believe my art practice makes me better at my day job. Creativity begets creativity. Marketing could use more poetry. Ideally it would also make me a better coworker. Less likely to get resentful or burnt out, more able to keep work in perspective. You can ask my team. ;) At some point, the minutes spent each day will add up to a novel. Whether that novel is any good or gets published (two different things) remains to be seen. But I know I’ll finish it, because if my creative practice has taught me anything over the years, it’s that I am capable of finishing what I start. Getting up when it’s dark out is not the only way — for others who maintain a creative practice and a demanding day job, what’s your secret? Our AMA episode can be found here: https://lnkd.in/e9twBn_W p.s. This progress tracker is from Free Period Press and I got it at Rooted in Rockford. #analogforever