Welcome to my blog on how to believe in your creativity!

Welcome to my first post of my updated blog on being creative, from that initial sparkle of the thought ‘I could’ to actually finishing it and getting your ‘art’ out there.

I was frantically practising the double bass, learning a script and doing mad vocal warmups in a rush for a musical theatre audition last week and realised how much of my creativity is driven by others. Auditions, the request for mp3’s or videos of my work, the booking of a gig often drives me into a frenzy which is all last minute.com. I sometimes only seem to create when I have to create under pressure, and then I moan about the rush. Ridiculous when I think about the fact I have chosen this creative life, or it has chosen me and I must follow my muse – often grumpily it seems!

It doesn’t always work that way though, I have conceived, written and performed successful shows, songs, albums and stand up. I have ‘put it on’ and ‘got it out there’, toured several parts of the world with my shows and done great marketing which has led to sell out shows. Equally there are 2 novels and a dating guide languishing in my drawers along with dozens of songs and ‘brilliant’ but unworked ideas for projects as well a thousands of wasted hours where I didn’t practice or complete projects.

Alan Darby, an amazing guitarist who has toured with many great artists such as Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Robert Palmer, he is also the resident guitarist in the ‘WE WILL ROCK YOU’ show and a successful songwriter to boot said to me a few years ago when I handed him my completed shiny off the press CD.

‘Well done’,

‘But you haven’t heard it yet’ I said ‘It could be terrible’.

‘The fact is you have finished it and it’s ready to go. You want to know how many times brilliant musician friends of mine have never finished projects because it’s never good enough?” Alan replied.

Hence this blog is about what techniques we can all use to get the work done and out there, no matter where you work full time as an actor, a choreographer or have a yearning to paint

‘Its not art if nobody sees it’

This is not always true, Paa Joe would definitely disagree (see link) but there is a truth in it.

Paa Joe and the art he buries

The art we make in our bedrooms, on Scottish hills and in LA music studios does deserve an audience, and also that way we can get paid for doing what we love.

So I will be blogging three times a week on

*Techniques to keep the creative production burning bright and the procrastination demons away,

*What’s happening with my own and others creativity so reporting on what is new around me from West End Theatre to online marketing strategies of a new painter.

*A series of interviews on getting work out there, focused on tips for you on what works for others especially when it gets hard to believe you are actually producing worthwhile work

*Plus I am currently at the start of marketing my new projects so as I pick up new tips and learn from new mistakes I will share those with you.

I welcome comments and input. If you have work you think I should see or stories to tell on how you managed to overcome the inertia and get a project finished and out there I want to hear from you. This is about building a community of creatives from all walks of life to gee each other up, learn from each other and see how we all individually can change the world with our chosen art form.

Today’s Blog Tip

Years ago I used to work as a bond trader in the City and while I enjoyed the money and the adrenalin rush, my creativity was stifled and hence I was unhappy. I still remember how much the book ‘The Artists Way’ by Julia Cameron helped me on my journey forward. So if you haven’t read it and you want to start searching for your self belief in your creativity, especially if you have got stuck in a full time ‘proper’ job then it’s a great place to start. Julia has also written a follow on  ‘Walking in this World’ for those a bit further on their creative journey. Both are well worth popping back into as well if you ever get stuck, a little bit of Julia Cameron goes a long way 😉