013 Mantras for Creative Practice

We talk honestly about why making art feels so hard and why that difficulty shows up in technique, visibility, and mindset. I share three mantras that help me keep writing and practicing when perfectionism and doubt try to shut the work down.
• why creative work feels hard on technical, business, and mental levels
• why I treat the first draft as personal discovery
• how “done” teaches more than “perfect”
• why repetition builds real understanding through deliberate practice
• how perseverance turns an amateur into a professional over time
• the personal reason I keep writing even without clear answers

Transcript

The Messy Reality Of Making Art

Richmond 0:02

In our journey to create our art, our ink ebbs and flows, and we encounter twists and turns. It's not a straightforward journey, but we are not alone. We have our muses and mantras as our guide. Let's talk.

Richmond 0:24

Hi, you're listening to Pockets, a podcast about finding joy, meaning, and purpose in life's simplest moments. I'm Richmond Camero. Let's dive into today's journey.

Richmond 0:44

Making art is difficult. No matter how you look at it, making art is hard. From a technical standpoint, there are techniques that you have to learn. Anatomy in drawing, color theory, the three or four act structure in writing a story, and notes and chord progressions in music. From a business and engagement point of view, we have to learn how to engage with our fans and potential customers. And that means making our art public. Lastly, from a mental aspect, there is always the resistance. The question that the art we're making is worth it, and if there is a benefit in continuing on.

Richmond 1:34

I have been engaged in multiple creative disciplines, but writing and storytelling are my longest experience. I published my first novella in 2016, and I had written stories before that as a hobby. Ten years, and I'm still doing it and learning about the craft. There are times when I question if I still want to do this, but here I am. There's also the factor that writing is a long-form art. It takes months and years to fully develop and package a book. In that kind of craft, it's difficult to plow through and stay the course. That longevity and perseverance are skills I have practiced and developed in my creative career. It's a mix of continually studying the technicalities of the craft and training my mind to think long term. I would also attribute it to some tenets and mantras that I believe in. There are a lot, of course. With my exposure to different authors I follow and things I learn, there are a lot that help me get through. But today I'm going to share three mantras that guide me in my creative life.

Richmond 2:50

The first one is the first draft is for yourself. Most artists are perfectionists. We want to deliver our best work as perfectly as we can. When we create art, we already imagine how our fans will react to our work. And although it is a good ideal, it sometimes hinders us from starting or finishing. That's why it is important to take note that the first draft of our creative output is for ourselves. What it means is that we don't have to find the perfect words to be able to write. We don't need the right tool to draw. We can look at what we currently have and just start creating. As creatives and makers, we create not only to express, but also to understand. If creation is a way of imparting our truths, then it is only fair to see our first draft as a way of understanding what we truly want to say. We want to see if our art represents our truth. And we can only truly do that if there's something tangible in front of us. For sure. The first iteration would be messy. I often hear about vomiting the first draft. But it's there. I now have something tangible that I can edit. Perfection is the enemy of done, and in making art, we learn more about our craft after we make a finished product, even though it's not perfect. We always become better in our next project.

Richmond 4:29

My next mantra is repetition begets understanding. This one I often tell myself during my drawing practice. There's a reason why studying basic shapes and form again and again is helpful. Drills may be boring, but the purpose is to ingrain in our heads how to do them without thinking. It also allows us to self-review and identify where we can improve. You can say that this is the core of deliberate practice. We don't repeat things aimlessly in order to fully understand our craft. We have to understand areas we can change and repeat reels that would improve that. As to the why behind this, I want to be able to give my best in this chosen craft. Considering that art would be a lifelong pursuit, I want to be good at it. For myself and for those who believe in me, I want to create the best work that I can.

Richmond 5:38

For the last one, it's the professional is an amateur who does not give up. This is the mantra that keeps me going and helps me battle the doubt and resistance. But it's a difficult one to uphold. What I like about this is two parts. First, it acknowledges that I always have something to learn. As an amateur, I can always come in with an open mind. I'm an empty cup waiting to be filled with knowledge. It also keeps me in check despite my successes. Second thing, this mantra tells me that success is not like winning the lottery or being hit by lightning. Sure, luck is a factor. There are people who can catch lightning in a bottle. But for mortals like us, success also comes to those who persevere. That's why on a day-to-day basis, I measure what I create. Because every little thing that I do to build my body of work, they contribute to my totality as an artist. That's why I aim to do art again and again and bring out the best in my work, draft by draft, word by word. Because I want to discover the professional that I imagine myself to be.

Richmond 7:05

These mantras would make our creative lives easier. But it doesn't change that living a creative life is hard. Art is difficult to begin with. Maybe we're either crazy or arrogant or self-conceited. That's why we're still doing this. I don't know. But I'm sure there's a reason. We have our own reasons why we're still battling with our own demons and singing to our muses. As for me, my reason is that I can't afford not to write. I tried and it always bugs me down whenever I'm not writing. It feels like there's something missing if I don't spend my time writing. So I know I have to and I want to keep going. Will I ever find an answer? Will I ever be satisfied? I don't know. But my curiosity keeps me trudging forward. My want to experience and share life through my own eyes, that's what I want to do with my art. So wherever you are in your creative journey, whether you are starting or you already have an empire of artworks. I hope you find solace in this mantras and may they also inspire you to build your own. Remember, it's only you who can create the art you can do. So keep going. The world is waiting.

Richmond 8:33

You've been with pockets. Thank you so much for sharing this space with me. Now go embrace the moments, build your pockets of meaning, and keep curiosity as your guide.