They say that creating is worthwhile for its own sake — and that’s true, but only to a degree. While you don’t need to wait for other people to pay for or validate your work, you won’t enjoy your artistic creation if it’s, well, not all that good. Whether it’s singing, drawing, writing, or anything else, you’re going to have more fun if, after it’s all finished, you have a vague sense that you’ve done it correctly. It’s always possible to improve! Indeed, part of the allure of an artistic pursuit is that the work is never complete. But what are some of the best ways to get better? We take a look at a few ways below.
Get Practicing
It’s tempting to sit back and daydream about how good you may be at whatever your chosen hobby is, but it’s not a substitute for simply getting stuck in and giving it a go. No matter what you’re trying to achieve, it’s mightily important that you dedicate a significant amount of time to practicing. You might have heard that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master of something — the sooner that you begin clocking up those hours, the quicker you’ll improve. Don’t get too disheartened if your early work is no good, either. It’ll come in time.
Work with Experts
While simply sitting down and practicing your hobby will be a good start, it shouldn’t be the only way that you learn. There are very few people out there who are truly self-taught. While you might have the basics figured out, there’ll always be a crucial piece of information that you can learn from a professional in the field. There are plenty of talented teachers out there! If you’re trying to improve your voice, look at who a model uses for vocal coaching, and improve that way. No matter what your hobby is — there’ll always be someone who can help. You might have romantic notions of learning the guitar entirely by yourself, but why make it extra difficult for yourself if there’s someone who can guide you in the right direction?
Meeting With Others
You’re not the only person out there who’s engaged in whatever creative pursuit you’re trying to master. There are plenty of other people too, and while none of you will have all the answers, when you group everyone together, you know a great deal indeed. Of course, it’s not just about learning new ways of approaching your art; it’s a way of seeing what other people are doing, and figuring out your own style. It’ll also prevent your hobby from becoming too isolationist — there can be power in getting out of the home and meeting with others with a shared interest.
Self-Analysis
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that your work isn’t very good. And even worse is falling into the trap of thinking that your work is excellent! You’ll greatly improve your work if you’re able to look at it with a critical lens. Of course, it’s not all going to suck, and it’s not all going to be great. Knowing how to tell the difference will be a useful tool in your arsenal. If you’re beginning to have strong feelings — one way or another — about your work as you’re working on it, then take a break. You’ll have a much clearer view of its value if you return to after a spell way, and can look at it from a fresh angle.
Study the Artform
There’s something to be said for your inner talent. But really, your inner talent can’t go head to head with the bona fide, credible, acclaimed pieces of work that have gone before. They always say that you need to know the rules in order to break them, and that couldn’t be truer. No matter what it is you’re trying to create, there’ll be a long list of (heavily suggested) dos and don’ts. You might eventually decide that those rules are not valuable, but you do need to know what they are!
Expand Your Mind
We can get ourselves into creative ruts, and not even realize it. We think we’re doing OK, but really, we’ve already maxed out our creative juices. The only way to build them up again is to expand your mind! Every now and again, mix up your surroundings, and your routine that you associate with your creative pursuit. You’ll find that you’re better able to do your passion when you have a larger worldview.
