The Dose #55

Exploring Creative Processes: Part 1

(An introduction)

As we begin a creative journey on our way to some kind of tangible output, part of that process is educating ourselves on what has transpired before, no matter what particular form or genre you may be working with. We use them as references and jumping off points for creative variations on our way to putting personal stamps on them. Come up with enough, from a wide panoply of avenues and choices, and in the right combination, we might luck out and find not only a voice of individuality, but the spiritual components that not only will move people, but may even stand the test of time.

By knowing what has transpired before you to the best of your ability, you may even develop the skill of foresight: The ability to see clearly what hasn’t transpired, and clarity enough to identify the pathways of how to get there.

I am known as a musician, and musical projects were the conduit to identify those pathways for myself personally, and yet the processes that I have learned can be applied to pretty much anything you set your mind to do.

Everyday I present myself with a blank blogging form, and every day I ask myself the same question: “What do you have for the Peep-A-Roos today, George?”.

My mind starts as blank as the form, but usually by 8pm I’ve ended up with something that meets my standards enough to publish.

That’s output, and no amount of knowledge, theory, conceptualization, and systems analysis can replace tangible output.

That is always the goal for me. All roads lead to that central point: The output, but more importantly, the function of the output. Is the output doing what it was designed to do?

I like to problem solve, backwards. Identify the goal, and then identify the paths that lead to it. That will eventually lead to a first step and leave you with a rough action plan to get you over, and to the end of the proverbial rainbow.

There are exceptions to every road map, however; “The Best laid plans of Mice and Men” and all that jive. Be prepared to improvise, and stay as fluid as possible.

Part of any good plan is enough of a contingency cushion to let inspiration guide you, instead of trying to force the issue. As you travel, a balance must be achieved between disciplined work ethic, and letting yourself float in the power grid; and allowing the power grid to flow through you, untethered.

It really doesn’t matter if you are creating a painting, a new CD, conceptualizing a new business and writing a business plan, or writing a fresh story per day. The processes are remarkably similar.

So please bear in mind as I dive in to a forensic analysis of processes, tricks, and techniques that relate to my own personal experience and personal output, I’m only putting that up for detailed examination to serve as a larger metaphoric device for anyone that may be reading this stuff.

This next series of projected blogs isn’t designed to function as a “set in stone” rule book. Just an example of one person’s creative process that might reveal some usable concepts as you embark on your own personal creative journey as you decide to commit to playing your own game of catch with the Universe.

It’s time to share some of the trade secrets. I’m not “competing” anymore, so being proprietary about what I know is kind of silly at this point.

Maybe some of this will be useful to you, maybe not. I’m just setting it all free.

I referred to my own creative education taking place in a car commuting up and down the “Thruway Circuit” with Ed Hamell in a past Daily Dose (#33,”On Rhetorical Devices, Influences, and Making Art “Popular”) for thousands of nighttime hours over seven years. He was the Sensei and I the grasshopper.

You don’t have to be a grasshopper for this next series of blogs that will come down The Dose Pipeline.

Let’s just call it an extended car ride.

(Stay tuned for part 2)

“You may shoot for the stars and end up in a back alley behind Pluto, beaten and bloodied, but at least I dare to dream, and that’s better than being Earthbound, mired in the muck of mediocrity.

I judge my forward progress and success by the crushingly epic nature of my failures.

The more epic the crash, the more I’m convinced I must be doing something right”

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THANK YOU KINDLY,

COLONEL BEAUREGARD “IRON THIGHS” JEFFERSON, A.K.A. “THE MANAGEMENT”