Week 1 Activity – The Guide

Find a photo of a “creative hero”/“creative heroine” who inspires you.

Either cut the photo out of a magazine and place it somewhere so that you see your uplifting creative guide more or less daily e.g. by your desk, on the kitchen door, by the bathroom mirror.

And/or make the photo your laptop/desktop background so that every time you fire up your computer in the morning you will be greeted by them. (NB If you have any queries about Fair Use copyright guidance, see here and other similar websites.)

I use a photo of David Bowie.

My reasons for choosing David Bowie go beyond words. Your guide might be alive or dead. They might be a writer or they might express themselves in another creative form. They could be someone you know or have met or they could be someone you only “know” through their creative output itself. They are likely to have either weathered critical/public disapproval, and/or survived creative dips and troughs, and/or conquered some demons in a way that you can relate to. They are likely to have sustained a meaningful creative career over a period of time.

Certainly they will be someone you can imagine willing you on to be creatively bold and resourceful, and to reconnect with (and finish!) your project.

It’s important to pick a photo of them that particularly inspires you (for whatever reasons) but don’t get bogged down in perfectionism over your choice.

Then, see what happens to your writing project if, every day, you are greeted by your chosen “creative hero”/”creative heroine” – and imagine your guide cheering you on.

PS – If you want to go further this week with an additional activity (or if for any reason it proves impossible to find a photo this week) you could write an “unsent letter to your guide”, in which you thank them, tell them why they inspire you, and what it is about them you hope to be channeling over the next ten weeks. Again, you could place the letter somewhere prominent as a reminder. However, finding the photo (ideally) is the foundation, as it will have the most impact.