Issue 001
Art + Life
What does the phrase 'living the art life' mean? Parsing the sentence components might help shed light. 'Living' is obvious, I hope, with all those actions comprising the mundane to the thrilling and every portion in-between. The general term 'art' often applies to fine paintings and other related forms. However, a more enlightened application should encompass other forms and media, e.g. writing, filmmaking, music, dance, et al. And life, used as a noun, encompasses all those elements that both support and result from these artistic pursuits.
Also, a blurry line exists between the artist and craftsperson. A woodworker might not consider the work 'art,' per se. Yet, we may classify a ceramic emerging from a potter’s kiln as an objet d'art. Should we not leave the decision of what is or is not art to the artists themselves? I consider my fiction to be art, but my nonfiction to be craft. The irony of this is how stories demand copious application of writing craft while reporting benefits from a creative slant. Blurry lines, as I've said.
Much art relies on the single artist paradigm: one person toils alone. Imagine a painter bringing a blank canvas to life. Likewise, a writer hunched over her desk, scribbling away to birth a novel. It’s also true that these singular acts require other help before becoming fully realized. A gallery brings the painting to the public. An editor works with the author to refine ideas and prose while still others create the interior and cover, and all the subsequent people who print and ship the books to retailers. Even an ardent self-publisher relies on a small team to bring the work to fruition.
In filmmaking, directors and actors get most of the credit. Behind them, a huge team of artists and craftspeople add their unique skills into the work. The effort to create the final film is monumental compared to a painter’s or writer’s. I’ve been on large productions but never claimed the film as 'mine' despite having a major role (sound and music). You work on a film, but it isn’t your art. Contrast this to creating a book. I am grateful for editors, beta readers, and other supporters, yet consider the result completely my vision.
Living the ‘art life’ means selecting the art forms you prefer. All art carries restrictions. Infinite time and bottomless checkbooks do not result in better art. Constraints—including the artist's skills—contribute to meaningful art. All artists do the best with whatever resources they have. Memorable songs came from musicians who only knew a few chords. Passion coupled to action is a potent combination. Don't worry about the ‘what ifs.’ Make your art within the framework you possess. It’s possible to break boundaries even within the constraints imposed by lack or intention.
Five Handy Scrivener Tips
Scrivener is a writing app with a suite of useful tools. More than just another word processor, the software functions as a central repository for everything a project demands. Organize your research, brainstorm, create timelines, track drafts, organize submissions, and more. It’s flexible and conforms to your methods. My only regret is not having realized its potential sooner. If you’ve not used the program before, download the demo and give it a spin (available for Mac and PC). The program doesn’t require a set way of working, and this confuses the uninitiated. Digging in reveals the true power.
Imagine using a three-ring binder for your next writing project. You’d put in research, character sketches, images of people and places, notes, and, of course, the writing. Being in a binder means you can organize all these disparate elements, group them, and move them around as needed. If you keep the Binder metaphor in mind, Scrivener makes sense.
Here are my handy (Mac) tips for using the program.
Cloud backup. Link Scrivener to an online tool (like Dropbox) and the software automatically sends your working files to the cloud. No more worrying about losing your work should your computer fail. The app conveniently time stamps these files, too, so you always know which is the latest version. I use this to work on multiple computers, such as splitting time between a laptop and desktop. Here’s how to keep everything in sync.
Color-coded labels. Scrivener supports custom metadata, and the two most useful are document label and status. For example, I label documents as chapters, scenes, ideas, and notes and then further define with to do, first draft, revised, PWA complete, and final. These labels can show up in the cork board and outliner, too.
Speech. Enable the Mac’s built-in Speech function (under Accessibility) and let your computer read your text aloud. Experiment to find the voice you like most and the reading speed. There are several available to download, male and female. I like Ava. For short reads, this works well. A bit annoying for long periods of listening, though.
ProWritingAid integration. By far the best app for making sure your document is free of errors. Doesn’t replace a human editor, but it’s darn useful. Scrivener files open directly in the desktop PWA version making working on your writing a snap. Just make sure Scrivener is closed when you do this.
Auto-complete. This is handy for character and place names. Add any words and they automatically pop up when you type the first letter. Hit return to accept or keep typing and the suggestion disappears. Turn this on in Scrivener Prefs > Corrections . Be sure to uncheck 'Script mode only.' Having too many auto-complete options stored can be counter-productive. Add and delete as needed. Best of all, the list is project-specific not global.
Bonus: Full-screen distraction-free writing mode. That says it all.
Need more Scrivener help? Commission me for a 1-on-1 online training session by clicking here.
Required Reading
Explore my carefully-curated collection of Art+Life books including fiction and nonfiction.
Featured Book
Long before today’s obsession with the FIRE movement (Financial Independence Retire Early), this book outlined a valid roadmap to success. I read YMOL when it first came out and arranged my life to follow its principles. End result: Retiring early and living the Art Life using the resources I’ve accumulated thanks to this book's advice. Every word inside these pages is valuable and fully applicable today. The program works!
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