Art & Soul Reloaded-A-Long Week 5

This is the fifth week of the series Art & Soul Reloaded-A-Long. For the introduction of this series, see here.

This week, I want to direct you to my latest article: Should You Share Your Crap Writing?

Spoiler alert: Of course you should.

As a beginner, you’re going to write junk, paint some pretty sub-standard pictures, take some wonky photographs, or knit some unidentifiable hats (or are those socks?).

And as beginners, we may not even know what is considered “good” or “right.”

And let’s keep it that way, at least for now.

Right now, ignore the nagging thoughts in your head that are telling you you’re not good enough or aren’t doing it correctly. Don’t compare yourself to other writers, artists, painters. Create what you want, what you feel, be yourself.

And take it one step further: Share it with the world. It won’t be your best, because you’re just starting. Share it anyway.

I hereby grant you permission to write crap. The more the better. Remember, crap makes the best fertilizer. -Pat Pattison

The more you write, paint, photograph, knit, the better you’ll get. When I was learning to knit, I created some pretty big disasters. And I even gave some as gifts, because I wanted to share despite my perceived inadequacies. (All gifts were well-received and much appreciated.) The more I practiced and learned, the better I became, and now I can create some beautiful pieces if I do say so myself.

The point is, don’t be afraid to be mediocre. Write crap and post it. Knit some crazy hats and send them to your friends. You don’t need anyone’s permission to share your gifts.

This week’s activity is to come up with the title of your forthcoming memoir. (Even if you’re not planning on writing one!) Share yours in the comments below.

Activities and inspiration from Pam Grout’s book, Art & Soul Reloaded.