jazzfish

An interesting article about WHEN NOVELISTS SOBER UP. Many people have a tremendous fear that the creative juices will stop in sobriety, but experience shows the opposite - although they can be different.

Aellyce

Interesting article, Jazzfish - thank you for posting. Somewhat related: I'm currently reading a book called Mastering creative anxiety by Eric Maisel. It's centered around the phenomenon when creative people tend to get stuck, procrastinate, struggle with inspiration etc. The author puts all this in the context of anxiety as underlying cause and provides helpful tips how to overcome these creative blocks. Very relevant to my life!
Mastering Creative Anxiety: 24 Lessons for Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Actors from America's Foremost Creativity Coach: Ph.D. Eric Maisel: 9781577319320: Amazon.com: Books

EverySngleNight

Great thread! Was reading over and can relate to so much here. Haven't picked up any tools or instruments since I quit drinking. Unfortunate that so many of the creative things that I love, are such triggers. :-/ I think once more time passes and I get my feet under me a bit more, I'll be able to get back into the creative swing.

Thanks for the book link haennie. I'm going to read it. Looks interesting!

MidnightBlue

Hi, all)

I've thought I would bump this thread with Kurt Vonnegut's quote I've come across today:

"A plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit."

How's everyone doing?

I am gradually climbing out of major depression abyss, and hope my creative juice will come back soon)

Dee74

Thanks for bumping this MB

D

Seabreezes

Thank you for this once again I thought "Wow I can relate!" When my monthly deadline rolls around (column for regional publication) I get a little panicky and if I'm assigned a feature well surely I'll be better off writing drunk, so much more creative right? NO! The last one I did like this I said out loud "where was my editor." But it isn't her fault. In fact I'm glad because I would have been embarrassed once I sobered up to have it thrown back to fix. Never again. Too public too embarrassing.

Plenny

Hello everyone! I'm glad to see this thread still going. Like many other creatives, I've just crawled out of a major slump. I started drinking again, and I haven't made anything in months. The time went by so fast. But here I am, on day 1 again. I have a new project on the table and I am really looking forward to participating in here, and in life, again. It's so bizarre to me how at this point in my life, drinking really inhibits my creativity.
That's one of the reasons I started this thread in the beginning.
Here's to giving it another go, and to listening to the muse with clarity.

Love, Plenny

ArtFriend

Hey Plenny...nice to meet you. I am a down and out artist. Image: easle, paints, brushes and me laying in a gutter....brushes are in vodka instead of water

I haven't done anything in many moons. Trying to kick this beast within. On day 2

Plenny

Welcome ArtFriend! I have found my art to be very helpful in my sobriety battles in the past. Post here whenever to talk about motivation, new stuff, lack of work, whatever! Sometimes I forget how important it is to talk to other artists. Especially in recovery.

ArtFriend

Will do! It's exciting to know other artists in the forum. Thanks for starting this thread. Drinking not only kills my creativity (I am also a writer) but kills my motivation to do just about anything! I used to write like Stephen King. He would pour some liquor sit down and pound out some best sellers. Of course, I don't have the best seller (yet) LOL. Now, when I drink, the world stops. I just sit and drink.

Plenny

Stephen King quit drinking as well, didn't he? When I first quit, I did long google searches about people I had admired who were in recovery. I found it really inspiring

Icemachine

Hi all,

I'm a writer from the UK... really pleased to have discovered this particular thread. Just about to quit the booze after 30 years of, well, not particularly heavy drinking, but certainly problem and habitual drinking (whatever, I'm still an alcoholic, no matter how I try to dress it up)... will contribute a bit more when I've had a few weeks of sobriety...

Good to know you're all here though,

IM
XXX

Plenny

Welcome Icemachine! Feel free to see us anytime, to be amongst other creatives in recovery. At all stages. I'm back after about 8 months. Day 1 again! I plan to hit the drafting table tomorrow morning

Low

Artist here.....as a sober alcoholic, I have a committee in my head that has a hard time shutting up...always talking at me, always feeling something or other, always going.....anyway, I work w/ acrylics and mixed media, and when I started doing it sober, something amazing happened...the self talk shut up! It was peaceful and focused.....so I know now to use my paintings as part of the recovery process....it's awesome. I use to always be buzzed in order to paint I thought, now my work is much more vast, and again, it shuts my ever busy mind up. Another gift of sobriety....

dSober

It worked with me, lol. I just stumbled upon this thread and my immediate thought was to ask: "what is art?" At least Kurt nailed it's mission pretty well I think.

ElleDee

Count me in! I would love a thread for artists. I am a glass artist.

Plenny

Good.... afternoon here. I have spent all morning procrastinating and NOT in the studio. At this moment I've even considered baking a cake to just waste more time. I shall not make the cake. I won't even go to the bank until later. I'm hitting the desk right now.
Once I get started I'm always so happy. I just have to GET started...
Why is it so hard to just get in there? Hahaha

ArtFriend

Get in there RIGHT NOW!

Did that help? LOL

Plenny

Well I got in there and was so distracted I had to do some other errands first :/ had to clear the junk in my brain. Then I am getting IN THERE!!! It's the only way

Plenny

Today's lesson: every day just GET IN the studio or open up the notebook or the sketchbook or pick up the instrument.
Today I made two honest attempts at sitting at my table to work. And I just was not there. I know what happens when I force it. I am miserable.
Maybe I need to take it slower. Just GET IN here each day. I know what happens when I'm in it, and I know how much I can hate the work if I force it.
I won't poison the piece or the pattern with forcing and resentment.
However I will repeat this first step of being here physically and checking in with myself. Because I know how fickle and moody I am. I know I will change and I will get the work done faster and with flying colors when I am present and enjoying the work.
I must not beat myself up for having ALL day to do this and doing everything else possible besides this task.
I will remember that today I sat in the studio and spent time contemplating the piece. I truly believe that conception is half the work.
I will remember that some of the things i had to do today were preparation for the piece. The studio was a mess! I had NO paper. I handled these things. Now I am ready to work, when I am ready.
Some days are like this. I will not force myself. I'll remain open to the muse and do my best to provide a well-equipped and healthy space for her to speak.
Thanks to anyone out there who is reading and maybe struggling with the same blocks.
Hope everyone has a good night.