How Embracing Structure Can Help You Be More Creative
Artwork by Maria Katharine Ramsey
As artists and creative beings, we often resist structure. After all, it’s more fun and glamorous to be struck by inspiration out of the blue, and be in a flow state for hours creating something amazing, than to sit down at a desk every day trying to make something happen.
But what we neglect to acknowledge when we resist structure is that structure and creativity are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I would go so far as to say structure is essential for creativity. Yes, creativity is a magical, unpredictable flow…but just like water, another freely flowing force, creativity needs boundaries to contain it.
In order to have the capacity for creative flow, and to feel safe enough to express yourself freely, you need to have structure. How can creative inspiration find you if you’re not carving out time and space? It’s like when you’re in a giant shopping mall and you forget to decide on a meeting place, so you and your friend are both wandering around trying to find each other. If you say, “I’ll be next to the giant smoothie sign in the food court,” they’ll know exactly where to find you when they get there.
In the same way, it’s important to make yourself easy for creativity to find.
Carve out the time and space in your home and in your day where you are prioritizing your art. Even if you don’t make something “good” every day, you’re still getting in the habit of using your creativity. It’s like a muscle: you can wait around for your legs to suddenly get stronger one day, or you can go to the gym every day…even if it’s not always awesome. For some reason, we treat creativity differently. But it works in the same way: the more you create, the more creative ideas you have.
So, how can you create more structure to support your creativity? Here are a few things you can try:
Carve out a dedicated space in your home for your creative practice.
Schedule a regular time in your calendar to create.
Work with a coach or a guide who can hold you accountable and support you.
Join a writing group or a co-working group if you’re having a hard time prioritizing creative time on your own.
If you’re sitting down to work on your art and feeling frustrated because you don’t have any creative ideas, try introducing the structure of a new form (I did this with sonnets) or a series (I did this with feng shui-inspired botanical illustrations). This can help give you a place to start when you’re feeling uninspired.
How will you add structure to your creative life? I encourage you to choose one of the above, try it for a couple of weeks, and see how it goes! If you want more guidance and accountability in creating structure around your art, I invite you to get in touch. I’d love to support you along your path to deeper creativity.
