Is the answer to every creative problem a...deadline?
(this was supposed to be about perfectionism)
I didn’t realize this letter about perfectionism was going to turn into one about deadlines and time, but they are related. I have more to say about perfectionism, but for now I’m going to three-quarter-ass it, and send this out to you so I can get to that art fest! :)
The books I referenced were by
and !Before I go, I just wanted to say a quick note of thanks to everyone who came to our cozy Scene Magic zoom hangout for paid subscribers yesterday! It was so nice to put faces to names and to connect creatively. It was the first time I tried something like that, and I’ll schedule another soonish.
Thank you to
Paula Burke Melissa Blevins, Sarah Gothe, Ruqi Wong!Thanks for reading The Habit of Art by Kelcey Ervick, a Substack Featured Publication (twice!). I love writing and drawing these posts and am grateful to everyone who follows along. That book I got done a deadline is The Keeper, which was featured in the New York Times Book Review’s Holiday Gift Guide.
Totally agree, especially about the perfectionism-procrastination link. Now if I could only get myself to take my self-imposed deadlines seriously.
First-born procrastinating perfectionist needing to set self-imposed deadlines. Seems so obvious, doesn't it? I remember figuring this out, using it, seeing results, and then—what? Maybe dismissed it, replaced it with daydreaming, thought I grew past it, gave up shiny-object avoidance? Hmm. I'm sure there's a part of me that needs to be in an encouraging conversation about this!