This quote by Ira Glass is what inspired me to start this blog. I found it some weeks ago and realized that it perfectly explains everything I feel about myself and my creativity, why I continue to be dissatisfied and annoyed by my own creative output. (Thanks for the ego-boost, Ira Glass--apparently I have good taste!) Sometimes it seems hopeless and I feel utterly discouraged; I'll never be a good songwriter, I'll never improve on guitar. I still don't know how to play piano so obviously I'm an utter failure. My ukulele and I aren't on speaking terms. I write approximately one good song per year. Bruce Springsteen will never be my friend.
It was this part of the quote in particular that gave me a certain sense of purpose: "...the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you finish one piece."
So that's my goal. I'm done with writing one good song per year because I know I can do better. I am going to write/complete one song per week for the next three months (at least) and record them and post them on this blog. They won't all be good, and some of them may be downright bad, but but the process will help me improve and hopefully each one will be better than the last. Three months means twelve songs which is approximately an album's worth, and that feels like a good goal. If it works, I'll keep going!
The point is that setting a goal of recording one song per week will force me to hone and develop the creative skills that go into song-writing. The main thing that's held me back in the past is the sensation of "not good enough." I'd start writing a song and then stop, because I couldn't make it work, it didn't look good, I couldn't get the chords right. No more of this. I shall churn out songs whether or not they're perfect--I won't let my uncertainty and self-doubt impede me, because that's not going to help me improve AT ALL.
I've actually been putting this off for a while--I meant to start at the beginning of June. But at that point I was bogged down with moving, finding a job, and this morose state where I was extremely unhappy with my current life situation and feeling trapped in a life that will never amount to anything more than retail. But that can only happen if I allow it to, and my hope is that by following through with the goal of this blog, I can help carry myself higher and farther, emotionally or otherwise.
At some point in the next few days, I'll post a song I've written recently, just to start things off. From then on, that will be the day of the week that I'll plan on posting the song I've spent the previous week working on. I'll also probably make at least one or two posts during the week, to update on progress and share random musings on music, writing, inspiration, life, etc.
Good lord, what have I gotten myself into??
Go, Maggie, Go! You rock, and I can't wait to hear your songs. I really ought to write more songs - hey, we should collaborate sometime! At any rate, way to stand up to fear of mediocrity: it's no mean feat.
ReplyDeleteI like this plan! And the quote is great. I shall also take your determination and the quote as a reminder that I need to get on track and follow through with things...various things. I look forward to hearing your songs, even if they aren't always exactly what you want them to be! <3
ReplyDeleteMaggie, this is so utterly awesome, sweetie!
ReplyDeleteMy friend Susan -- who is a published poet (chapbooks) and poetry teacher -- is another inspiration. While she appears to have "succeeded" at her art, she battles all the time with the muse. During Lent this past spring, she set herself to writing a poem a DAY...(that's 40 poems all told!). I made it to two. In fact, I've written just TWO and a HALF poems for the 200+ of others' I've collected over the last million years. I'll be following your progress with glee. All best and all peace to YOUR muse(s)..!