Pillars of Creative Engagement
(Part 1 of a 4 part series on working with creativepreneurs)
Working with writers, poets, filmmakers, fine artists, musicians or digital artists for the past thirty years has created some of my favorite consulting opportunities. From seminars to gigs as an agent, to individual coaching and project management, I’ve seen books get published, tours get booked, and a host of other creative endeavors that moved the needle in these creative careers.
All of these experiences had aspects that were similar. They required support that ensured both the cultivation of the vision and the distribution of the creative act. Looking inward, the creative must protect and nourish the need for time and space. Looking outward, the needs are access and audience. Finding a balance between introverted and extroverted needs tends to develop as a result of this type of work.
In this series of posts, I will share four short stories (very short!) that capture how the pillars both function and develop.
Mapping Access Points
The task was with a novelist. The book was written, and it was time to find a publisher. His initial thought was to get my support to format the 300 pages, so he could get it prepared for on-demand self-publishing. The initial strategy was using self-publishing as a stepping stone to get the book before a potential publisher. As we were nearing the end of the formatting process, I began to learn more about his success as a visual artist. For over 25 years, he had enjoyed significant gallery representation.
I pitched the idea that he was missing an opportunity by relying on the digital self-publishing models. What if we created a run of 10 handmade copies, each with an original cover, utilizing his artistic talents? What if we presented his targets with something they would never forget?
While I finished up the formatting he had first sought, we moved on to produce 10 hand-bound first editions, pieces of art in themselves, that functioned and targeted his top 10 potential supporters in both the art and publishing worlds. The impact was immediate, as the handmade copies garnered more attention than he could have ever anticipated. His pathway and access to publishing opened.
Wrap-Up for All You Creativepreneurs
The most successful consultancies I’ve provided to creativepreneurs have attended to both sides of the equation: coaching focused on deepening the inner creative engagement and project management attending to placing one’s work into the world. Perhaps you would benefit from a Krater Consultancy working in your corner.
Part 2: Creativepreneurs: Yearning for Your Audience
Richard Reeve is a consultant, entrepreneur, conservationist, advocate, writer, digital artist, hiker, gardener, and cook.
Digital media has been at the center of his creative posture for decades.