Dear Creative,
How are you? I don’t want to interrupt your practice to become the best creative you can be, so I am repurposing my last letter to you. Finding the time and means to apply what works best for your work is worth any extra effort or time required.
Leo Tolstoy, one of the most influential authors of all time, wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina, stated “I must write each day without fail, not so much for the success of the work as in order not to get out of my routine.”
Ray Bradbury, the famous screenwriter and science fiction author of Zen in the Art of Writing and Fahrenheit 451, “I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true—hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice.”
Kurt Vonnegut, another literary icon, fashioned best-selling novels, like Cat’s Cradle and his magnum opus, Slaughterhouse-Five. He stated that, “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow.”
The apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament Bible, was confined to a Roman prison when he wrote a letter to the Jesus followers in Philippi, Greece, stating, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)
All the above had different styles, techniques, varied circumstances, but two incredible things in common. They worked consistently to reach their goals, and they all received masterful results. I know you would agree because we’re still writing, talking and learning from them.
Practicing what we have learned, modeling what we have seen, and making a routine of relearning creates a habit that enhances our skills at work. —L.A. Taylor
Today, as we reflect on our past month’s work and prepare for the upcoming one, I thought I’d check to see how well I have been doing with the lessons learned. Here is a synopsis of the letters I’ve composed to you since the beginning of this new year’s journey and a link to each:
#1. Even creatives need the presence of others for motivation, accountability, and character building.
#2. Start NOW on your creative project and ensure No Opportunity is Wasted.
#3. Create a plan of action to stay on course when the inevitable tragedies in life happen.
#4. Our creative work is important. We have talents, gifts and abilities for a purpose.
#5. Answer these questions when doing a weekly assessment of your work. You’ll feel better about your work by the end of 2025 if you do.
#6. How I used my favorite productivity tool to write a novel in less than four months.
#7. Recalibration around purpose.
#8. An answer to the next steps once you have a plot and a protagonist. It’s all about the audience.
#9. Poetic lessons on writing from Maya Angelou.
#10. Loving our work and feeling free to weave it into different careers—much like James Weldon Johnson.
#11. Proper review of emails and financial statements is a less glamorous but necessary part of our creative operations.
#12. Using Haiku to tighten our words when editing.
Like the aforementioned “greats” who wrote masterpieces and teachings that would spread the gospel throughout the world, their greatness did not come by hearing only. It’s painstaking work and sacrifice. Not every rule or tip we learn from someone who has risen to status and acclaim will ring true or resonate with us. We know this. Sometimes we will have to absorb the advice of others overtime before it makes sense. But I encourage you to keep searching for what “works” for our greatness. And when you find it, hold on to it, and incorporate it into your routine.
Well, I better get to work. I hope to hear from you this week. Yours in the practice of prioritizing our creative work. Really,
Leah
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