Posts by Jessica Abel
Imperfect mortals: What really makes a creative community work
A year ago, I started an online creative community. It was just luck that I took the dive and committed to convening an ongoing online support system (for serious creatives who’ve taken my flagship course, the Creative Focus Workshop) just in time to provide the kind of deep, flexible, empathetic comradeship we all need so…
Read MoreHow to accidentally build an “Authentic Personal Brand” when the whole idea makes you gag
Heeeeyyyyy! Check it out! I’ve got a brand-new website! I’m proud, I’m happy… I’m definitely completely sure it’s not finished…but I’m going live anyway! Ever heard the phrase, Imperfect Action? It means take action before you have every detail nailed down. It means take the jump. It means Dare to be Bad. Imperfect action is…
Read MoreCoping With Staying at Home: How to Survive—and Thrive—While Under Quarantine
The Autonomous Creative Collective is the community of current students and alumni of the Creative Focus Workshop. Coping With Staying at Home: Wisdom from a 25-year vet of social distancing and sheltering at home If there’s anyone I trust to know something real and reliable about surviving, and thriving while trying to cope with staying…
Read MoreThe Growing Gills Book Club
Ready to dive deep into your creative work? Get Growing Gills on Amazon US (international store links at the bottom of this post) and then watch the book club videos below! Welcome to the Growing Gills Book Club Archive! Jump to meeting: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/…
Read MoreWorking From Home: Tools for Sanity in Isolation
If you’re like a lot of people I know, you’ve long wished for flex time and the freedom to work from home. But our current situation brings to mind one of those bargains with the devil you see in movies, where you ask for flex time, and then the devil is like: You’ve got it!…
Read MoreOvercome procrastination and anxiety — follow through on your creative habit
Banish the endless self-critical monologue running in your head. Decide what you want to do, what you WILL do, and follow through on your creative habit.
Read MoreFeeling stuck? 6 ways to defeat the blank page✍️
Recently, I wrote about how common it is to feel the impulse to undermine yourself and get derailed just when things are going well. It’s great if you can identify what’s happening in time, and pull back from the brink. But what if you’ve already managed to drive your project into a ditch, and you’re…
Read MoreLosing focus? There are reasons you derail your progress
It happens every time I get about two-thirds of the way through the Creative Focus Workshop with a group of students, and creaky, self-defeating patterns start breaking down. People start to take action on projects that have been back-burnered for ages. Stuff starts to happen. It was happening for Chris, who has wanted for years…
Read MoreSay goodbye to creative burnout: “If it doesn’t fit, it won’t happen.”
When too many projects split your focus, nothing gets done—at least they don’t get done without a panicked scramble, cramming in extra work on evenings and weekends. Find out how screenwriter and film director André Hedetoft broke the pattern and started getting his most important work done on time.
Read MoreWhy do I feel trapped as an artist if creativity is so freeing?
You have a passion. You’re inspired and motivated. So why can’t you manage to do the thing? Feel trapped? Here’s some news: You are. Ready to get out?
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