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The Thriving Creative

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The Myth of Creativity as a Solo Pursuit

February 7, 2016 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

Myth of Creativity as a Solo Pursuit

Do you work alone? Do you hide away in your studio or your office trying to be ‘creative’? Are you possessive of your ideas or afraid to let others know what you are working on? You might be doing a disservice to your creativity.  Here’s a take on the subject from Chris Bilton in the […]

Filed Under: Sustainable Creativity Tagged With: creative, creative business, creative career, Creative entrepreneur, Creative Entrepreneurship, Creative Industries

Ready to start being a Creative Entrepreneur? Here’s 3 things to stop!

January 2, 2016 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

  1. Stop thinking ‘either – or’ thoughts Exploiting your creative capital doesn’t mean ‘selling out,’ it doesn’t mean ‘going commercial,’ it doesn’t mean abandoning your identity as an artist. You don’t need to throw your creative ideals out the window and start producing velvet paintings of kittens to woo your market. You don’t need […]

Filed Under: Marketing

The Best of PicMonkey’s Tutorials – How to Edit Photos Like a Pro

October 11, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

In the pursuit of success with your creative endeavours, there will always be the need to put yourself and your brand out there for all to see. There wouldn’t be much point otherwise! You know the look you want to go for and you think your images are ready to be posted to your website, […]

Filed Under: List, Marketing

Do You Think Marketing Isn’t Relevant to Art?

September 2, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

As ‘artists’ or ‘creatives’ we LIKE to think that what we do is different. “You don’t get it – this is art!” I hear you shriek. It’s time to call bulls*t on this idea. It’s trapping you. Yes, it is art. It isn’t mass-produced (usually). It probably represents the very best that you can do. […]

Filed Under: Marketing Bite

Can’t Pay! Won’t Pay!

August 26, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

How do you deal with customers who don’t pay? At some point in their careers most artists run into a customer who owes them money. So what do you do about it? An Ounce of Prevention First, let’s talk about what you should be doing to minimise your risk in the first place. Here’s some […]

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Financial

Why Taking a Break Can Be a Fantastic Social Media Strategy

August 19, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

Why Taking a Break Can Be a Fantastic Social Media Strategy

  While I am a big advocate of people using social media in small and frequent chunks, I also think that it is a good social media strategy to take a break sometimes. Both you and your audience need a breather. Part of it is to prevent burn-out and part of it is to occasionally […]

Filed Under: Social Media

Listen to Michelangelo: Talent Without Imagination Is Nothing

August 12, 2015 by Steven Sparling 1 Comment

artist creativity michelangelo

Practice. Training. Painting 1000 pictures. These can all develop your skills as an artist. But it’s nothing if you don’t have the imagination and the creativity to conceive of something in the first place. Spend as much time (if not more) developing your mind as you do your art or craft skills. That’s what will […]

Filed Under: Wise Words Tagged With: Artist

Impact of Supply and Demand for the Creative Industries Freelancer

August 5, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Marketing Bite

Why marketing is not optional for freelancers, why you shouldn’t chase applause, etc. – Internet Truffles week 12

July 29, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

1. It’s time to write a business plan – even if you’re still figuring things out! Excellent set of resources for how to create a business plan. I know most artists and freelancers resist making a business plan – but it doesn’t have to be anything scary. Nor does it have to be anything formal. A […]

Filed Under: Best of the Web Tagged With: Artist, creative, Entrepreneur, freelance, freelancers, List

The shocking secret buried within…

July 22, 2015 by Steven Sparling Leave a Comment

Here’s the thing: you are capable of so much more than you realise. Yes. Even you. Chances are you aren’t even scratching the surface of your potential. Now I’m not saying this to make you feel bad – quite the opposite – I’m saying this to get you excited! I want you to bubble with […]

Filed Under: Sustainable Creativity Tagged With: creative, creative business, creative career, Creative entrepreneur, Creative Entrepreneurship, Creative Industries, sustainability, sustainable creativity

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Recent Posts

  • The Mindful Freelancer: Nine Attitudes for Thriving in the Creative Economy – Part 1 – Non-Judging
  • Pivoting When You Don’t Know Where the Other Foot is Going to Land
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  • Confidence Doesn’t Exist. Quit Chasing It.
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Recent Posts

  • The Mindful Freelancer: Nine Attitudes for Thriving in the Creative Economy – Part 1 – Non-Judging
  • Pivoting When You Don’t Know Where the Other Foot is Going to Land
  • Help! My Child Wants to Go Into The Arts
  • Confidence Doesn’t Exist. Quit Chasing It.
  • IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to a Creative Entrepreneur’s Success!

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