The Creative Habit - Twyla Tharp

I've recently enjoyed reading the Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. An interesting name and one she says has helped her creativity! 

Twyla is a choreographer but her message is aimed at people engaged in all sorts of creative disciplines. I think this will be a book that I will return to again and again and I suspect that different parts will provide inspiration at different times. For instance the book starts with useful tips on how to...well...get the creative habit. Not something that I have an issue with the moment because I have so many ideas but not enough time to follow them through and I'm always looking for opportunities to squeeze in some creativity.

On the other hand, the book contains some positive thoughts for those times when things don't go to plan and this is what I need at the moment. Twyla says 'doing is better than not doing' and 'the solution to failure is to learn to do it better next time' and suggests we 'waste time and materials' in order to achieve our creative best. Although, I understand what she means, I'm finding it difficult to find it comforting at the moment.

I have dyed some lovely fabric that a friend gave me and I am very keen to do the fabric justice and to use it in a piece I am proud to show her. Maybe I have put too much 'pressure' on myself to create something 'worthy' of the fabric? I dread to think how long I've spent on the cycle of cutting, arranging and staring at the fabric without coming anywhere close to enthusiasm I had for the paper design. 

One suggestion that I think is useful at whether you are in a creative rut or a creative groove, is that we should stop our creative endeavour when we still know what to next. This leaves a bridge into your next session and you will find it easier to start up again and once you've started again, the next steps will become clearer. I'm definitely going to bear this in mind.