Prescriptions for an evening Routine.

Creative Spark - On building good habits

An evening routine

Ray Bradbury give us this advice for being more creative, although I think he might have borrowed the advice from Arnold Bennet, who wrote a short self help book: How to Live on 24 Hours a Day in 1908

Anyway the advice is to read, every evening;

one short story,

one poem and

one essay

I would add looking at one piece of art made by a human to that.

I know we’re all already doing one instagram Reel, one TikTok and one youtube video, or some version of that. And I doubt it has the same effect.

The effect of reading is something like lifting weights, you get stronger. Where as the effect of the other things is like having those same weights dropped on you by a fighter jet.

Yes reading feels better.

I have suggested before that the most economical evening routine is to write one line a before bed. This evening reading prescription would make a great pairing to writing one line a day.

Try it.

Read one essay, one poem and one short story, and look at one painting this evening, then write one line in your artist diary.

If you don’t have something to read, start with this blog post that contains a few recommendations.

Your Artist Friend,

Portfolio | Books

PS: I’m starting a new artist diary today, I’ve completed the last one.

In migrating, artist diaries I asked myself 3 questions.

1. What is one thing I can celebrate?

2. What is one thing I have learned

3. What’s my favourite drawing?

In answering the last question, I realised that I sis not have a lot of drawings in this artist diary, so I started by writing this intention.

Note on the practice: Ten Minute Artist is about keeping an Artist Diary as a way to stay connected to our creativity in the present and through the years. To help you set up you diary I’ve created a FREE 5-day email course for you.

You can find Day 1, here.