Lorna Faith

Clean Fiction Author

How Your Art Tells Your Story

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Art in it’s many forms – writing, sculpture, music, dance, painting – tells a story.

As artists, it’s not just any story you are detailing on the blank page or canvas. It’s a story told through your filter. It’s a story that has your unique take on the world. It’s a story that has captivated your own imagination.

As artists, we are creative people who create something from nothing. Whether artists use a pen, pencil, a keyboard, work in oils, pastels or watercolor, they take ordinary materials and transform them into something amazing.

Whatever tools we use, we tell the story about our work and ourselves in a way that engages an audience.

Sometimes it’s a struggle to find the right words, or the right medium to use. Sometimes we would prefer if there was a template to follow, so we could just fill in the blanks with data.

But if we followed a template to tell our story, I believe we would have passionless art. You cannot fill in the blanks with passion.

If you as the artist were to just fill in the blanks, it wouldn’t tell your audience who you were as a person.

My daughter Atlee tells her story with passion as she weaves in the contrast between light and darkness in her drawings and paintings…

atlee-tiara-woman

Part of the story we share of our work, hints at why we used these materials or technique at this time in our lives.

As artists, it helps to ask questions of ourselves. Why this story? Why do we tell it now? Why did we choose these materials or this technique?

atlee-river

Does the story you share with the world, tell others what drives you, what you yearn for, or why this vision is the one your need to express?

atlee-moon

Most of all, sharing our story, unlatches the closet doors and opens them wide, to let people see what’s really in our artist’s heart.

atlee-flowers

I believe in sharing our passion in all our art, compels people to really connect with our art – and with the artist – on a much deeper level.

As artists, when we share our story, our audience begins to be drawn to us and our art in a new way. They look at it in wonder. They begin to year to own it for themselves. They begin to long for the same emotions they feel when they connect with our art, to be part of their life, everyday.

So keep telling your story… with passion.

How does your art tell your story? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. We can learn from each other;)

How to Embrace Imperfection as a Writer

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Most writers I’ve talked to, feel like their writing is imperfect. They feel like they’re failing in some way. They feel like the words they write just aren’t good enough.

As I’ve talked to more writers, I’ve realized most of the time the root of these feelings of wanting everything to be perfect… is fear.

Honestly, that’s been one of my biggest struggles as a writer. Fear of imperfection. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of failure.

Can you relate to those feelings?

If you’ve had similar thoughts in your own writing journey, please read on. I promise you’ll be encouraged by the time you get to the end 😉

how to embrace imperfection - lornafaith

Stop Worrying About things being Perfect…

As I’ve continued to write blogposts and books, this is what I’ve noticed. When you put your words out into the world anyway – pushing past the fear and resistance – most people will root for you. They will encourage you to keep going, to take a risk and try something new.

Of course, there will be the naysayers and those who don’t really get what you’re doing. But that’s okay. Just let them be.

Instead focus on those people who will encourage and root for you.

The biggest thing to remember: Stop worrying about things being perfect. Learn that good, is good enough.

Instead realize that just the fact that you are putting work into the world, regularly working on your craft, putting the time and effort into becoming a better writer and putting your work into the world, means you’re already doing amazing things!

This means that you are already far ahead of most people that keep saying over and over, one day I’ll write a book. 

So, please don’t shoot for perfection in your writing. Rather, let doing your work and sharing it with the world, be your goal.

Let’s choose to let go of the fear of judgement and the fear of people hating us or our work because they might not think it’s quite good enough.

As writers who love to share our stories with the world, let us choose to put out our best work. But let’s choose not going to wait until we feel it’s perfect to share it with the world.

Here’s what I’ve been learning. You’ll get better as a writer, with time. You’ll get better as you put more work out into the world. You’ll get better as you keep studying the craft of writing.

As you continue to write and self-publish your book, write a blogpost, or write other work to share with others, you’ll continue to stop, readjust, fix what wasn’t right and then you’re going to be even better next time.

I’ve learned that as you keep writing and putting more work into the world, the fear subsides.

It’s like a pattern that we as writers follow over and over again: You put more work out there, you learn from that, then you get better. Rinse. Repeat.

What you get used to, is continuing to push past the fear of not putting perfect work into the world.

I’ve noticed that it helps writers to make a commitment. So let’s choose to: 

  • stop worrying so much about perfect. Let’s kill that nasty creature called perfection…
  • work on getting over the fear of not having all ‘your ducks in a row’ before you hit publish.
  • not let ourselves be stopped in our tracks by letting procrastination take over(perfection’s twin sister), when we’re unsure of our work.
  • keep writing and taking steps forward, even when our writing feels like it’s not good enough.

It’s our time to choose – you and me both- to take our writing seriously. (Honestly, these words are as much for me to hear, as it is to encourage you).

It’s your time to not let the fear of imperfection stop us from writing. It’s your time to get ruthless with your writing career. It’s your time to finish your stories and put them out into the world, for readers who can’t wait to read them.

Most of all, it’s your time to embrace who you are as a writer… imperfections and all. Your words, and how you tell your stories – from your worldview, experiences and your personality – is uniquely one-of-a-kind. And that’s a beautiful thing.

So as you write your story today, remember this:

“The one thing that you have, that nobody else has, is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write, draw, build, play, dance and live as only you can.” Neil Gaiman

 

Have you felt resistance – like fear, self-doubt, insecurity – as you write? How do you push past it to write? Please share your thoughts in the comments… I would love to learn from you 🙂

003 Push Past Resistance and Give Yourself Permission to Create with Pamela Hodges

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I had the honour of interviewing Pamela Hodges recently. She grew up in rural Saskatchewan and trained for awhile to be a teacher, but decided she wanted to pursue art instead. She graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, before she went to Tokyo to work as a fashion photographer for clients like Marie Claire, Elle, Chase Manhattan Bank, and others.

Later she met her husband Nick, they moved to California and had 3 children. She has fun homeschooling her children and is also a painter and a writer who has fun blogging over at ipaintiwrite.com. Pamela’s cat Harper dictates to Mrs.Hodges for Harper’s blog www.thecatwhowrites.com. Also, Pamela is a regular blogger over at www.thewritepractice.com. You can connect with Pamela on Twitter and Facebook.

*Photo By: Pamela Hodges

Watch the Video Interview

Summary of the Interview

*Pamela talks to creatives and encourages them to get over the barriers and feelings of “I’m not good enough” to draw or to write. She said her own blogging journey started 3 years ago and she said she didn’t really know what to write so her first post was “This is Imperfect.” She said she really didn’t want anyone to read it.

*She tells her story of growing up and that in the mid 70’s in rural Saskatchewan, her parents wanted her to follow education and have a stable career. She started and barely passed the 1st year of education training, and ended up switching to art because that’s what she really wanted to do.

*When she was in Art College, she went through a 4 year art program and had a teacher who believed that art needed to be realistic and he told her he wasn’t going to recommend her for the graphic arts program. Pamela said she believed when her teacher told her that she wasn’t a good enough artist.

*Pamela encourages artists – painters, writers, etc., – to decide at some point in her life that you don’t need permission anymore. If you want to paint your unique style, just do it. If you want to write that book, don’t wait for an agent, just write and self-publish your book.

*Pamela says that’s what she’s doing now. She’s writing a book and figuring it out as she goes. She wants to encourage other creatives and she’s decided if she has an idea that she wants to act on, she does it. She’s become a Leading Learner.

*She talks about how Jeff Goins’ blog inspired her to believe in herself. She says she’s always asking permission to have her own ideas. She encourages creatives that you don’t have to ask permission to be who you are.

*Sometimes asking permission from someone else to be creative or to do something is our default from growing up. Pamela says the biggest thing she does when she faces a struggle is to remember to tell herself that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

*The book she’s almost done creating now, the artist manifesto, it took her a year to decide whether or not she should illustrate the book. A little voice inside told her believe in yourself as an artist. She still had the fear that someone would tell her later on ‘oh you can’t draw.’ Pamela says she’s taking Seth Godin’s words to heart and WILL finish and ship it.

*Pamela talks about how hard it was when her cat Pooh Hodges died earlier this year. For awhile Martha the dog took over writing at thecatwhowrites.com, until Harper, the cat took over. She encourages any animal if they would like to guest post on the blog, they need their own email account – to send in their guest post idea.

*She said when her cat Pooh was alive, Pooh interviewed Steven Pressfield and he talked about how to overcome resistance. He wrote about that in his awesome book, The War of Art. He says that the more resistance you feel to write about something or paint something, that’s really a signpost for you, that that’s your True North. That’s your soul telling you this particular book or work of art is exactly what you should be doing.

*Pamela says she feels the negative voice of resistance telling her stuff like: come on you haven’t done it yet? or Why do you even bother? She says it’s a daily battle to get through the voice that wants to tell you to stop making your art. She remembers Steven Pressfield saying that the resistance you fight is as big as your dream. So if you have very little resistance in your life now, it’s because you’re not dreaming big enough.

Ask yourself… how big is the shadow of the tree of your dream? If you have a small shadow it’s because you’re not dreaming big enough. The more you dream and the bigger the dream is, if you get scared and more anxious because you’re pursuing something, that’s because it matters a lot to you.

*She encourages artists to not live complacent lives… doing the same old thing everyday. Instead, ask yourself what gets me excited? Try to create what you’re passionate about. You don’t need to be a #1 bestseller right out of the gate… all you need to do is Just Start!

*Pamela says one of the biggest things for writers, painters or creatives anywhere need to remember is that you don’t need to ask permission. Just start creating what you’re excited about. Stop listening to the voice of resistance, and just begin.

*Steven Pressfield’s book Do the Work he talks about how to finish the projects you start. And how to do work that matters to you and how to get started. It’s not about having better ideas, it’s just about committing to do the work, everyday.

*Pamela encourages writers to start today to write down something that has deep meaning… write about something that’s really emotional for you. Take responsibility and have fun creating your art.

You can find Pamela on your blogs ipaintiwrite.com and you can see what new topics Harper the cat is writing about these days over at thecatwhowrites.com. Also, Pamela says her toys will COME ALIVE again in December… check it out here at toycember.  Pamela would also love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter.

What helps you overcome resistance & choose yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

 

The World Needs Your Art

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“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” Henry Ward Beecher

I really admire great artists.

Great singers like Andre Bocelli, painters like the talented, young Akiane, or writers like Maya Angelou or Veronica Roth are only a few of the people that inspire me.

When I hear, see or read their works or art, I realize there is still a place in the world for art that stirs the soul.

There’s still a place for people like me, who don’t really fit into the normal one size fits all. And I’m glad.

Because I know we need mort art in the world.

The world

*Photo Created with Canva

Doing Work You Love

These artists mentioned above, are doing their passion. They are working hard to create something that is full of meaning and purpose. They pour their blood, sweat, tears and time into what they do. Giving out much more than they will ever be rewarded for.

To let themselves bleed for what they love is okay… because they are creating art. Artists make something that matters.

They leave a legacy.

Art Changes Us

Great art somehow changes us. It changes the world, making it better. Art speaks to something deep inside of us that we can’t even name. It nurtures our hope and gives us perspective.

Great art lightens our path and restores the broken places inside each of us.

For your art to be really meaningful, it needs to first be a labour of love.

I believe that somehow God sees what you are creating everyday and will reward you in sometimes unexpected ways. It may not be as soon as you would like, but it will happen.

Your job is to do the work, not expect the reward. Then as you work with your passion, it turns into conviction.

You spend hours each day, working tirelessly to improve your craft. Because your art requires it of you.

But all this hard work doesn’t matter if you don’t make it available to the world.

Only the artist knows when their work is ready to be sent out there. And true artists have the courage enough to create change.

Good Enough

There are quite a few people who think their work is good enough. The problem is that good enough is still mediocre. If you work doesn’t make you proud to tell your friends and neighbours about it … then it needs more tweaking.

But do get your work out there into the world. Make your art shareable.

Work on your music album, painting or book until it’s the best you can possibly make it. Then it’s ready to ship.

That’s what I did, when I finished my 1st Historical Romantic Suspense book. After five years of working on Answering Annaveta (Russia to Canada Trilogy Book 1), working with an editor and going over and over the manuscript, I finally said, with tons of fear… “I’m shipping.”

Turns out, much to my surprise, there were people waiting to read it. I believe the same will be true when I publish my first non-fiction book, Write and Publish Your First Book and also when Book #2 in the Historical Romantic Suspense series is shipped.

People are waiting for your art. Yes, yours. There will be many people who will be so excited that you did share your work with them. I really believe that.

It’s time to begin. The world needs to see, feel, hear, touch or taste your art. Don’t worry about failing. Worry instead about not starting. What you create will get better each time you practice.

Then do it again, and again, and again.

The world needs your art. Each creation you share with others will make a change, one piece of art at a time. [Tweet this]

So what are you creating? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

*Photo Created with Canva

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