Announcing my first creativity course: HOW INTROVERTS DO IT
The engaged introvert's guide to making art in uncertain times
Okay, I’m doing it.
I’ve been talking about this for YEARS, but I am finally launching my first course on creativity.
I’ve been developing this curriculum for months (not to mention the two decades I’ve spent editing bestselling books on creativity and innovation!) but it occurred to me that it could be particularly useful now, and so I’m launching a bit earlier than I’d anticipated.
Without further ado, here it is:
HOW INTROVERTS DO IT
The engaged introvert’s guide to making art in uncertain times
A two-week bootcamp for identifying, developing, and planning your next creative project (and taking care of yourself and your loved ones while you do)
But I could never be an introvert! Is this course right for me?
Full disclosure: I don’t really believe in static personality traits. Maybe it’s because my Myers-Briggs score flips from Extrovert to Introvert depending on my mood (and how much coffee I’ve consumed that day.) Or maybe it’s because I believe people are ever-changing and labeling us freezes us in a moment, preventing growth and flexibility.
But my twenty years as a working writer, book developer, and performer has taught me that what I most enjoy is work that is largely solitary in nature. I've learned a lot from working with people, but I’ve found that in order to meet my creative potential, I require a lot of time “in the cave.”
And I think a lot of other people do, too.
Why this course now?
I began developing this material in response to shifts in the economy that simultaneously empowered and threatened creative people—and that made the traits we typically associate with introverts more important than ever.
Thanks to the rise in new platforms like Patreon, substack, gofundme, and Kickstarter, individuals no longer need the approval of cultural gatekeepers to bring their work into the world—and get paid for it.
At the same time, the rise of the gig economy and the pervasiveness of a blockbuster effect that drowns out marginalized or unconventional voices means that creative people are extremely vulnerable to economic and market shifts. We simply cannot depend on anyone else to have our backs—not our reps, not our corporate clients or employers, not even our audiences and fans who are being similarly squeezed by a winner-take-all economy.
While I began developing this course long before the Covid-19 crisis forced so many of us to be comfortable working from home, making our own schedules, and figuring out the right balance of solo and collaboration time, I believe now more than ever that every working creative must cultivate two major skills:
Introversion: We learn how to get energized by solo work and solo time.
Engagement: We know when to “leave the cave” and share our work and ideas with others.
After all, the world desperately needs artists to engage. Not just when it comes to sharing our personal passions, but also when it comes to political activism, community organizing, and innovating new ways of working and connecting.
That’s why I think engaged introversion is the most important skill you can cultivate in times of uncertainty.
The goal of this course?
To help you create a personal artist statement that will motivate you no matter the circumstances.
To help you develop personalized rituals and a time management system that works for you.
To get you comfortable with the “marathon” approach to your creative work—even when everyone and everything seems to be telling you to sprint.
To help you view creative output as experiments that teach you more about how you do your best work.
To help you understand that your creative style is ever-changing and to honor its need to shift
What you’ll get:
14 daily emails on cultivating a personal creative practice including a daily meditation which will arrive in your inbox at 7 am each morning
3 group Zoom sessions with me—one at the start, one in the middle, one at the end
You’ll walk away from the course with an artist’s statement and a plan for your next creative project
You’ll also create a plan for “giving back”—a way to share your creativity with the world. Maybe this is connected to your personal creative project, but maybe it’s not.
What it costs:
ONLY $49 BUCKS. While in beta mode, I’m offering this two-week bootcamp for just $49. (I charge my clients $200 an hour for creative coaching and consulting, and it’s taken me I don’t even know how many hours to create this course so I say this from the bottom of my humble heart: this is a steal.)
39 BUCKS IF YOU BRING A FRIEND!
When it runs:
Sunday, April 5, 2020 to Sunday, April 19, 2020
How can I register?
You can sign up here and then proceed to venmo for payment (or email me to discuss other payment options.)
What platform will the course be hosted on?
While in beta, I’m going to launch using good old-fashioned email. Should demand greatly exceed my expectations, I’ll look into course-hosting platforms to keep things running smoothly.
Of course, I’ll continue to share my ideas about creativity free of charge here at Saturdays, but if you want a little more of a focused deep dive and my support in creating an action plan for your next project, please join me!
xoxo,
Sarah