The first AuthorKind Archetypes—The Gatherer and The Incubator—explore two foundational creative states often mistaken for inactivity. This essay reframes intake and gestation as necessary phases of creative work, not delays or failures.
I love this because it's so easy to judge these states that feel inert, but you're right in how important they are. These feel to me like the "winter" states, the recuperation of creative energy in anticipation of springing forth later.
I think I've been an Incubator for quite some time now, and the restlessness is definitely real! 😅
Good thinking, Joshua. I hadn't thought how season contributes to the states we move through, but it makes sense that we would be subject to seasonal influence.
These cards are fantastic. I definitely float between the two, and I'm trying to close the gap because I feel like sometimes I incubate too long waiting for a fully formed idea. Also, you are super creative and I hope you consider making these into card sets!
Charlene, your 'floating' reference occupied much of my night. I think floating between gathering and incubating is natural, especially for me--it seems where I hang out most. But you are absolutely right to examine if you occupy one state too long. I think that's the purpose of my exploration of these archetypes. Perhaps the more we get to know them, the more we learn when it's time to float to another state of creativity.
Here’s where staying in that limbo paralyzes me: I typically wait until I have “seen” the story before I write it. I predraft in my head well before my fingers hit the keyboard. And that works for nonfiction but when it comes to fiction, I’m learning I just need to push myself out of that stasis. It’s cozy to wait for inspiration, but I need to get cozy with ugly drafts and art.
Interesting. I do not 'see' stories before I start writing. And I'm not sure I have ever had to wait for inspiration to write, whether fiction or nonfiction—yes for art, but never for writing. It’s fascinating how neuroplasticity gives each of us different inlets and outlets for creation—and how writing, for me, seems to live in motion rather than vision.
For fiction, my stories are like little movies in my mind. That’s where the seeing comes from. I can imagine it and that leads to the words. It’s streamlined when I have prompts, I just write :) As a journalist with long-lead stories, I would interview and form the meat of the article but would noodle the lede on walks until it was near ready. But when I had to write on demand, 4-5 stories a day, I was in a rhythm, the stories were fast and furious. Different practices, I guess, and even as I type this, I’m seeing (ha) the answer is small sprints of prompted fiction. I do get alot of miles out my morning pages, though!
Charlene, thank you for your kind words. I have considered card sets for sure, although a deck of six seems sparse. This project will grow I hope, and it's just a matter of time before I put a 'deck' together. You are so creative, I imagine you might have some ideas. :-) BTW, I'm slowly working with Procreate. I love Lisa Bardot's teaching method so much I joined her Art Makers Club. Still appreciating your tip!!
I have so many ideas, ha! And isn’t the Art Makers Club so cool? Anytime I’m stuck on an illustration challenge, I can easily find a tutorial from Lisa that gives me the exact guidance I need. Her story inspires me, too. She started the whole community not too long ago.
I love this because it's so easy to judge these states that feel inert, but you're right in how important they are. These feel to me like the "winter" states, the recuperation of creative energy in anticipation of springing forth later.
I think I've been an Incubator for quite some time now, and the restlessness is definitely real! 😅
Good thinking, Joshua. I hadn't thought how season contributes to the states we move through, but it makes sense that we would be subject to seasonal influence.
These cards are fantastic. I definitely float between the two, and I'm trying to close the gap because I feel like sometimes I incubate too long waiting for a fully formed idea. Also, you are super creative and I hope you consider making these into card sets!
Charlene, your 'floating' reference occupied much of my night. I think floating between gathering and incubating is natural, especially for me--it seems where I hang out most. But you are absolutely right to examine if you occupy one state too long. I think that's the purpose of my exploration of these archetypes. Perhaps the more we get to know them, the more we learn when it's time to float to another state of creativity.
Here’s where staying in that limbo paralyzes me: I typically wait until I have “seen” the story before I write it. I predraft in my head well before my fingers hit the keyboard. And that works for nonfiction but when it comes to fiction, I’m learning I just need to push myself out of that stasis. It’s cozy to wait for inspiration, but I need to get cozy with ugly drafts and art.
Interesting. I do not 'see' stories before I start writing. And I'm not sure I have ever had to wait for inspiration to write, whether fiction or nonfiction—yes for art, but never for writing. It’s fascinating how neuroplasticity gives each of us different inlets and outlets for creation—and how writing, for me, seems to live in motion rather than vision.
For fiction, my stories are like little movies in my mind. That’s where the seeing comes from. I can imagine it and that leads to the words. It’s streamlined when I have prompts, I just write :) As a journalist with long-lead stories, I would interview and form the meat of the article but would noodle the lede on walks until it was near ready. But when I had to write on demand, 4-5 stories a day, I was in a rhythm, the stories were fast and furious. Different practices, I guess, and even as I type this, I’m seeing (ha) the answer is small sprints of prompted fiction. I do get alot of miles out my morning pages, though!
Charlene, thank you for your kind words. I have considered card sets for sure, although a deck of six seems sparse. This project will grow I hope, and it's just a matter of time before I put a 'deck' together. You are so creative, I imagine you might have some ideas. :-) BTW, I'm slowly working with Procreate. I love Lisa Bardot's teaching method so much I joined her Art Makers Club. Still appreciating your tip!!
I have so many ideas, ha! And isn’t the Art Makers Club so cool? Anytime I’m stuck on an illustration challenge, I can easily find a tutorial from Lisa that gives me the exact guidance I need. Her story inspires me, too. She started the whole community not too long ago.