Creative Intention Setting – January Check In

Hard Things

1. Submitting to Journals - 0

2. Writing a poetry collection - 6 new drafts

3. Read more poetry - 2 collections

4. Go to more open mics - 2 (up 100%)

5. Get feedback - organising a writing group to begin in February

6. Spontaneous poetry - 36 (one a day in my diary + c. 5 more)

7. Get paid - £0

8. TikTok - BIG NO

9. Posting Socials - 3 personal, 6 the OV

10. Self- promotion - 1

11. Finish the book - have some research and vignettes

12. Networking - went to writing afternoon

13. Poetry Slam Competitions - 3 applications 

14. Writing down all of my ideas - getting better

15. Organising my drive - deleted lots of emails and unsubscribed from things

Importantly, these are things I consciously haven’t done:

• I saw numerous callouts for readers for poetry magazines. This would contribute to two of my Hard Things, reading more poetry & networking. It would also contribute towards my core value, community.

  However, I’m already behind on putting together season 2 of the Orange Verse and I’ve just started a new muggle job. I want to get a better routine going with juggling creative time, muggle job time, passion project, physical exercise and having time to relax. I don’t want to commit to something I can’t keep up with. 

  I do love the idea of being a reader and I will come back to this idea later in the year.

• TikTok: I’m barely posting to Instagram so there’s no way I’m going to consider another social media platform. 

  I’m more interested in Threads. I’ve been lurking on there and replying to some poetry prompts. From what I can tell, it’s better to post from your personal account on there so I need to figure out how to juggle my personal with the OV.

• I put a lot of pressure on myself to submit to journals but this causes me anxiety and imposter syndrome. I’d like to get a collection together I’m happy with and then start sending poems off. I’m going to review this Hard Thing in Q2 when I have some polished poems that will help the momentum of the book.

What I’m going to do more of in February:

• Responding to art with poetry

• Performing

• Building community / seeing your lovely faces

• Experimenting with form

• Sharing my messy WIPs

• Getting paid

What I’m doing less of:

• Anxiety about submitting to journals

• Avoiding the work

• Worrying about the book

I’ve tried lots of different ways to set goals and keep on track of my ambitions but none of them work for me. I feel too under pressure to perform and then end up doing nothing.

The joy of setting intentions instead of goals is that I’m not married to an outcome. There’s not a stern voice in the back of my head telling me I’m failing or I must break myself to achieve. That’s not what the creative practice is about.

It’s never not the right time to set creative intentions which is why the Creative Intention Setting Workbook doesn’t have a time or a date or a deadline.

Download Now