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Professional Communication in the Creative World

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Hello, all!

So, today I thought I would talk about communicating with others in the creative industry. And I don’t mean sending a text a band member or artists you’re already familiar with.  I’m talking about when you are reaching out to fellow industry professionals in a professional capacity.

I believe I have already talked about behaviour on social media, in Facebook groups, etc., but this is about directly contacting someone, particularly for the first time.

I get that things have changed over the decades and centuries. We are not as formal as we once were. There is no “Dearest Sir of the Highest Regard” anymore. But we are still trying to make connections and we are still trying to make an impression on the person we are reaching out to, or at least we should be.

Some of us have been doing this for decades and have become used to a certain level of etiquette.  So when you send me an e-mail that says, ” S’up, check out my track…” I am not likely to pay attention to it, never mind provide an actual response. Your work may be brilliant but you have shown you don’t know how to properly introduce yourself to people and that immaturity will likely translate to your other interactions.  Yes, it is possible these are scam e-mails but I know of artists etc. who actually think this is appropriate.

There is a way to insert a recipient’s name in a message, even if you’re doing a mass e-mailing. And even if you don’t do that, a proper greeting and a little explanation about yourself is necessary. Why are you contacting the person? (Make sure you know what you want to get out of the interaction and that your connection is actually relevant to both of you.) Who are you? What is your genre or style of art? Why should they engage further (open an attachment, go to a website) other than because you’re trying to tell them to?

Something to the effect of “Greetings, so-and-so (or just Greetings if it’s going to several people), I am a <artist type> from <location> with a focus on <genre or style>. Since you are involved in <related field>  I wanted to reach out to introduce myself and my work to you for the purpose of <purpose>”  etc., etc. might work. I’m sure there are better formats out there and templates that will be targeted to specific ends.  But the point it to make your intention clear and to show you’re serious. And, honestly, with all the phishing and such going around, a generic blurb of an e-mail is less likely to get engaged with for safety purposes alone.

And know that there can be legitimate standards of conduct for different fields. Writers spend months preparing a query letter and book proposal in search of a publisher or agent, so if you just willy-nilly send an e-mail or a text to someone at Simon and Schuster with, “Yo, just wrote a book. Check it out.” miracles happen but it’s not likely going to go well.

And here’s another thing. If you’re not familiar with it already, there is something called Blind Carbon Copy – or BCC – in reference to e-mails. This allows you to hide the addresses of the people to whom you are sending a message. Essentially it’s just a matter of putting the addresses in the BCC box instead of the To box. Learn to use it. 

I recently received a message – someone passing on a bunch of music tracks – and every recipient’s e-mail was laid out for all to see. There are times when one does send out a message to several people – we all understand that – and it is possible this was done accidentally, but such indiscretion is in no way professional and it exposed us all to potentially unwanted communication, or worse, in the future. 

When you are calling someone, try to plan out why you’re calling and what you’re going to say before you dial. Maybe even have a little script in front of you for security. Learn a bit about the company or person you’re reaching out to so you aren’t calling an art gallery that focuses on portraits to pitch your collection of landscapes. Related but not related, I once had a parent call me to enquire about swimming lessons for their child, apparently not aware that Swimming Tigress Music is, in fact, a music company. Just because something’s on a list or in a directory that doesn’t mean it’s for you. 🙂

And, finally – this is not really direct communication as such – look at how you present yourself in online gatherings, like webinars. Webinars can be great places to learn new skills and gain new information, but some people think it is a good opportunity to promote themselves.

I was on a webinar recently where people were trying to draw on the host’s screen – not sure how that’s even possible – and the chat was filled with “Check out my site…” “New vid on my TikTok…” etc.  even after the host had specifically expressed that self-promotion is not appreciate. Incredibly distracting.

As an observer, I see two things here. I see a) you don’t know how to be polite and follow the rules, and b) you aren’t there to learn and you don’t care that I might be there to learn. You just want to rack up views on your video, or whatever it happens to be. How likely do you think I am going to be to suddenly stop watching the educational webinar to follow up on those invitations and interact with you? You just look silly.

I don’t mean to criticize or be overbearing. I get it. We all want to get out there, have people experience out work and, hopefully, make good money at it. But in this insta-world in which we live, where we try to abbreviate everything and anything over 60-seconds is not considered worthy of our time, a thoughtful communication will make you look like you know what you’re doing and get you more attention.

In Swimming Tigress News,

Just a reminder that if you are a music teacher looking for new repertoire for the fall, I humbly invite you to check out my songbooks for young singers, Bad Moods and Seven Other Super Reasons to Sing a Silly Song and the follow up, Brain Freezes and Seven More Super Reasons to Sing a Silly Song.  These books are filled with songs that you will love teaching as much as your students will love to sing. You can find them on Sheet Music Plus, Amazon, and at

www.tiffanyprochera.com.

And if you want inspiration to help keep you creative juices flowing, the audiobook version of my ebook, Idea Factory: 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity,  narrated by yours truly, is now available on Amazon and Audible!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany

The Use of Classical Music In Media Projects – Know Your Stuff!

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Hello all!

This isn’t going to be a rant – though it easily could be because it’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine . Let’s call it a bit of friendly advice from one creative to another, shall we? 😉

Music can be such a powerful tool in a creative project. It can reinforce or deny emotional expectation. It can foreshadow. It can make you feel anything, really. And every genre under the sun can be placed in a project – jazz to pop to country to electronic – under the right circumstances.

If you are planning on using classical or instrumental music in your projects, I beg you, please take a minute to learn what the piece is actually about. Even if something doesn’t have words that are in English – or whatever language you happen to be working in – it doesn’t mean it doesn’t mean anything and it is to be used all slap-happy, willy-nilly-like. And if you treat it all slap-happy, willy-nilly like, you could run into problems.

Case in point…

Years ago, a well-known airline put out a campaign ad about their new comfortable seating, or something like that, and had images of passengers blissfully dozing to the soundtrack of “Nessun Dorma”, the big aria from the Puccini opera, Turandot. You can see why – it’s a well-known piece. Even if you don’t know what it’s from or what it’s about, we’ve all heard the famous rendition by the late, great Pavarotti, so why not put it in there for recognition’s sake?

Well, my friends, I’ll tell you why not. Because “nessun dorma” literally means “none shall sleep” in Italian! The hero is singing about how the whole kingdom is being kept awake under the threat of death as the princess Turandot will execute him and everyone else  if she does not learn his name by morning – because if she doesn’t discover his identity, she has to marry him, and she wants to stay single. So, those who were familiar with the work were no doubt watching the ads and chuckling to themselves, if not downright guffawing, at the irony of it all. 

Last year,  I was watching a documentary on television about the gardens of the late Queen Elizabeth II, may she rest in peace.  There is a clip when she is perusing the scene at one of her garden parties and I’m listening to the instrumental music in the background thinking, wait, is that “Get Me to the Church On Time” from My Fair Lady?  You know, the tune sung by Eliza Doolittle’s father as he’s preparing for his wedding day?  I mean, first of all, the gal just lost her husband of 60 + years and I’m pretty sure she’s not ready to get married again any time soon, and what does that have to with a garden party? A relatively minor infraction but it’s still just throwing something in there because.

You see, not all music is going to have specific meaning and is designed to simply create a mood, a vibe. In that case, go for it. Throw in something that sounds happy if you want people to feel happy.  But if you’re going to use a piece particularly because it is recognizable, get some context for it. I’m not saying you have to do hours of research into the history and everything of it – unless you want to, of course – but don’t use a song about not sleeping to promote sleeping! Or use “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in a scene about winter. Not that I’ve seen it but I’m sure it has happened somewhere. Don’t do it! It’s just embarrassing for everyone.

I will add that, the more you learn, the more you understand, the more you will effectively be able to use classical or instrumental music in your projects. You might want to ironically use “Nessun Dorma” in a scene where people are sleeping, and you will know it’s ironic because you now know what it’s actually about.

 Or if you’re doing a period piece and familiarize yourself with the works from that era – maybe this is left to a music supervisor but I’m going to personalize it just the same – you can really play with it. 

Say you’re doing something set  at the turn of the 20th century but want a modern twist on it – like the classical covers of current hits in Bridgerton or the original rock tunes (meaning original artists, not original to the soundtrack) placed in one of my favourite movies, A Knight’s Tale – if you know the classical or instrumental hits from that era you may find modern songs that are based on those pieces. For example, Eric Carmen’s hit “All By Myself”, revived by Céline Dion for Bridget Jones’ Diary, is based on the  second movement of  Sergei Rachmaninoff’s  Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, composed around 1900-1901. Playing with that knowledge allows you to not only have a better framework for the music in your project, but it allows you to drop some Easter eggs as well – I think. Did I use that term correctly? My gaming days are behind me, I’m afraid. 🙂

All this to say that just because a piece of music is in a genre you’re unfamiliar with, it doesn’t mean it exists just to be pretty or dramatic or whatever you happen to be looking for at the time. There is a context to it all and it behooves one to learn about it. 

Now, in other Swimming Tigress News,

We are quickly approaching summer and, specifically, teddy bear picnic season. The official day is, in fact, July 10th but I’m sure there are picnics held throughout the summer. If you’re looking for a theme tune for your event,  I humbly suggest, “Teddy!” from my alter-ego, Tofaru, a rousing tune in honour of our fluffy friends. Check out the lyric video on YouTube and go to Pond5.com to license the track for your event!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany 🙂

Another Tip From an Idea Factory – Everybody Has a Story

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Hello, all!

So, let’s talk. It’s easy to get creatively stuck from time to time – you don’t know where to go with a project or you’re having trouble  coming up with an idea for the project in the first place.  And it’s not fun when you have the desire to bring something to the world, and especially not when there are deadlines involved.

This is where I can be of service.

You see, as a creative community I think we need to support each other because we all have different strengths to bring to the table. And  idea generation just happens to be one of mine. 🙂 In my e-book and now audiobook,  Idea Factory: 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity, I joke about how I can’t tell you how to market or promote your art since I haven’t sold more than a handful of anything I’ve ever done but I’ve got project ideas coming out the wazoo and I always have.  I will literally be working on one song and suddenly be struck with  lyrics for another. 

So,  if you don’t mind, I’m going to share another tip from the book to help you get through a dry spell. You can check out my last post for another tool to put in your creative arsenal, if you haven’t already read it.

Tip  #7 is called “Everybody Has A Story”. It’s about looking at someone you’ve never met  – in a grocery store, while you’re out for a walk – and creating a backstory for them.  Look at where they are, how they’re dressed, what they’re doing, and try to imagine their life – where they came from, where they are now, where they might be going.

You can be as sensational as you like about it. Maybe that woman in the trench coat is a spy heading to a meeting with her handler to learn about her next mission. Maybe that man running past you on the sidewalk is training for a marathon because his father died before he ever had a chance to complete one and he wants to honour his memory.  Get into the details – establish a real sense of knowing that person inside and out.

This exercise  will not only help you to boost your creativity, since you’re making up a bunch of stuff, but it will help you feel more connected to the world  around you. So often, we go through our lives just zooming past everything and everybody.  We don’t even notice the person we  pass on the street, yet alone contemplate where they came from and what brought them to that moment in time.  You might be surprised at the amount of empathy you’ll develop in the process.

So why not take your people watching to the next level and have some fun? And feel free to comment and let us know what you’ve observed!

For more information on Idea Factory you can learn more on the website , and you can find it on Amazon, iTunes,  and Audible, depending on your format preference. 

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany

To Dream or Not To Dream – Why You Might Want To Establish Creative Goals

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You know, I was honestly going to write about something else this week  but this has been on my mind lately.

Today, I was talking to someone who was expressing her goals for her career. She’s working on a life-changing book – really, it’s going to be epic – and she has visions of being a multi-bestselling author and connecting with the likes of this luminary and that luminary and her forward will be written by so-and-so etc. I was so inspired by her aspiration and commitment and,  at the same time, I felt a sense of sadness.

These days, I don’t really have any dreams with respect to my creative career.

Sure, I’ve got a bucket list of things I’d like to see and experience – like going to Eurovision, getting under dark, clear skies where I can actually see the Milky Way galaxy glowing above head –  but I no longer have those end goals, those thing I want to accomplish, or those dreams that can drive and guide one into their future. I chalk it up to the fact that I feel I have failed so often that there’s no point in really trying for anything because, in my mind, it’s not going to work out anyway. So, I just do what I feel like doing, put it out there, and see what happens, like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks. 

The most important things that have happened in my life have happened without reaching for them, without real effort.

 But I’m not sure that laissez-faire attitude is ultimately helpful. 

Do you have goals and dreams with respect to your creativity, a timeline with a list of things you want to accomplish, both as projects and achievements? Absolutely, one needs to follow inspiration even if it’s not necessarily part of “the plan”, but goals and dreams can excite us and keep us focused. At least that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Imagine this. You’re a musician, you record a song and release it on social media, hoping maybe somebody somewhere will listen to it. Yaaay.

Or, you have a dream of reaching x-number of people with your music, releasing an album by the end of the year, signing with a major label within 5 years – maybe you even have a specific label in mind – and having a Grammy or two ten years from now.

Which vision do you think is more likely to get you out of bed in the morning?

It’s not about chasing the glory or even “making it” necessarily. It’s about having a focus, establishing intention behind what you are doing, working on a trajectory towards something meaningful and not seeing each action as starting from scratch to random, unpredictable ends.  Wait. That sound like me. 😉

Anyway, it all allows you to streamline your activities and eliminate distraction. If you’ve determined that you’re going to create a pop album by the end of the year, you might write down the ideas that came to you for that children’s song for future reference, but you’re not going to put real energy into it – yet. No wishy-washing about it. Decision made.

And here’s the thing.

 The ultimate results are not as important as who you have to become to be dedicated and focused – what kind of commitment is required that you can ultimately transfer to other aspects of your life. And honestly, things can change. In the process of working on the album or chasing the Grammy, you can discover a love of education and decide to become a music teacher. I’m not exactly sure how that would happen but it’s possible. It’s not the Grammy. It’s who you become in pursuit of the Grammy – or Booker or whatever.

And I might add, don’t be afraid to commit. It can feel like you’re missing out on other possibilities. But what if this happens? But what if I get an idea for that? OMG, have I been there! But think of it as a foundation, something to ground you, and trust that you will be led to where you are meant to be and if you are supposed to shift focus, it will be clear.

If you aren’t familiar with them, try establishing some SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (look it up if you don’t know what that all means) – and enjoy the support that comes with knowing where you want to go!

In Swimming Tigress News, I’m working on some new  music that should be out on Pond 5 soon. And, in case you didn’t know, Tabitha’s Magical Voice and Idea Factory  are now audiobooks that you can find on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany 🙂

Do you really want to be doing this? – Questioning Your Creative Career

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Now, hold on. You’re probably thinking this is one of those, “If you can think of yourself doing anything else, go and do it” lectures, one of those diatribes about how hard it is to have a creative career and if you’re not willing to give up literally everything else in your life to do it, you should just quit now.

This is not that. What I’m about to say is more geared toward career creatives and I’m not trying to be judgmental, so hear me out.

When the pandemic was in full swing, there was a lot of “I haven’t sung in months” kind of talk. And then, when things started to open up and folks started getting back to business it was, “I haven’t danced in 18 months. I have to get back in shape for this Broadway show.”

And I would say sometimes people need a break and it’s good to step back once in a while but these were pained comments. These people didn’t want the break. They wanted to keep singing and dancing.

Or at least it seemed like they did. So why didn’t they?

Maybe there was context I was missing. Maybe it was the shock of it all and there was a fear that things were never going to  be the same again. But it almost seemed like, for a lot of people, the only reason they would dance or sing is if they had a show or a gig to prepare for.  And these were some prominent, professional artists I’m talking about. In spite of the shock, they had to know things were going to start up again eventually. But suddenly it was, “Oh, rehearsals resume tomorrow and I haven’t sung in a year.”

I don’t know about y’all but I’m singing and dancing and writing whether there’ s a pandemic or not or whether I’m getting paid to or not.  After my ballroom dance classes shut down in March of 2020 I started watching dance tutorials online and I have no one to dance with!

Which brings me to the point of this post. Absolutely we can need to step back for a while and reevaluate things. I suppose the situation over the last few years provided an opportunity to do that. But, in general, if you aren’t interested in maintaining and expanding your skills, if you aren’t curious and learning more about your craft and getting better, whether or not there’s a paycheck immediately attached, maybe you need to look at whether you actually want a creative career. Maybe it’s meant to be something you do on your own time when it moves you, and that’s perfectly okay.

There was a controversy about a theatre festival where some of the companies involved required actors to re-audition for the roles they had before things shut down. There was outrage at the audacity! And I’m not saying there was no reason to be upset.

But a show or event wants to present with a certain set of standards, a certainly level of quality. Yes, you may have been fabulous when you were hired in 2019 but if you didn’t keep up your skills etc. and are fumbling around when someone else has been preparing all along and is ready to just step into the role, do they not deserve the chance?

And again, I’m not judging. It was tough. Life can be tough. And sometimes you just want to hang out watching TV and eating bonbons. But if, for the most part, you don’t enjoy what you’re doing enough to be consistently participating and growing, even on your own, maybe it’s time to look at why you’re doing it.

Was there pressure from the family? Maybe you come from a family of artists or you got the “we spent thousands of dollars for you to learn the bloody piano so you better make money at it” speech.  Maybe you feel a sense of status. You like people’s reaction when you tell them you’re a professional author or a painter. “How cool! I could never do that!” I know I get it all the time so I imagine it’s not that uncommon for people to think of creativity as a magical gift only reserved for a blessed few and you are basically a unicorn. Maybe you became a musician because of something that wasn’t directly related to the music itself. It wasn’t really about playing the guitar. The guitar served as a vehicle for comradery and connection with the other members of the band.

It’s okay if your creativity isn’t your bread and butter. You can still create. You can still paint, write, sing, dance. Nothing will take that away from you. But work is, well, work. Joyous work but it takes commitment, nonetheless. 

So, if you don’t know for sure, maybe take some time to reflect on your experiences in the creative realm and see if you can figure out what makes you happy and what situations truly suit your soul. It’s possible you will feel a renewed sense of passion and commitment for your craft but be open to the possibility that there might be other more fulfilling avenues out there for you. 

Hey, I question things sometimes, for various reasons. I wonder why I haven’t read that book on film scoring yet. I wonder why I I don’t know the music from that musical that everyone seems to be talking about on my Facebook groups. I wonder why I sometimes allow other, often inconsequential things, to take precedence over my craft.  But I keep trying to get better and always come back to the fact that I love what I do and I really couldn’t see myself doing anything else. 

In Swimming Tigress News, 

Did you know Idea Factory: 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity is now an audiobook? With ideas to help get you creatively unstuck and keep those juices flowing, it’s a fun, quick read to enhance the experience of your craft. You can find it now on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon!

Making Everything Creative

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As creatives, I think it behooves us to be constantly thinking about the world around us in creative ways. It can feel like pressure but if we can have fun with it and not see it as a project to complete, it can help us keep the creative juices flowing. Because creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised, after all.

Last November, I was thinking about getting myself an Advent calendar for December – I’ve never had one and I thought it was a fun way to enjoy a little tasty surprise every day. But I looked around and didn’t see anything that really appealed.

Then, it occurred to me. I could be the Advent calendar! After contemplating the possibilities, I decided I would write a poem every day that would essentially document my experience of the Advent season, from December 1st to the 24th, creating art while creating memories.

And I had fun! I was more attentive to my life and my surroundings so I would be able to capture the moments. I  experimented with poetic form, writing everything from sonnets to haiku. I wrote about Bohemian waxwings on trees, holiday concerts, and there was a heartwarming tale about a  gingerbread man named Gumdrop Charlie. I still tear up just thinking about it!

Not only was it a joy to wonder what I would come up with every day – what would inspired me and how I was going to express it – but I was able to share the poems with others online and I think I might make a book out of the poems to release later in the year. I also repeated the process in February when I wrote a poem a day about something or someone I loved, February being the month of love and all.

So, what can you make a little creative game out of? Can you make up a song about your trip to the grocery store? Could you dedicate a little time every day to sketching something that represented what happened during the day?

It doesn’t have to be grand or even particularly good. You can make it a long-term thing like I did or periodic.  No one else needs to see it if you don’t want them to. And it shouldn’t be part of any existing project. It’s just a little something to look forward to, a little creative vacation to spice up your day that has no strings attached. Maybe see what pops up for you organically – my sister and her husband seem to enjoy making up songs about their cats – and then see if you can continue it and make a game out of it.  Having fun and taking your creativity out of the work situation is what this is all about.  Enjoy!

In Swimming Tigress news, 

Idea Factory: 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity is now an audiobook!  Also available as an ebook on Amazon,  it’s a fun look at ways to help you get unstuck. I have come to call myself an “idea factory” because I am never at a loss for inspiration. I have more ideas than I know what to do with, so I thought I would share a bit about what I know to help others get those creative juices flowing.  You can check it out on Audible, iTunes and Amazon!

Well,  that’s all for now. Have a great week and happy creating!

Tiffany 

What’s Working, What’s Not: Time to Change How or What You Create?

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Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

Greetings and Salutations!

As we are enter a new year, we often take time to evaluate what has worked and not worked in our lives so we can dispense with what is ineffective to make space for things that might be more fruitful and fulfilling. You know, stop eating this, start eating that. Call some friends more, let other friendships go. It can be so easy to go on autopilot, doing the same things the same way day in and day out and, next thing you know, it’s years later and you feel like you’ve made no real progress. And, like I said in my last post, you can reinvent yourself any day of the year but a new year is kind of an appropriate time to do it, don’t you think?

Do you also apply this evaluation process to your creative journey? It can actually be a fun thing to do, even if there may be the occasional moments of sadness and regret – not that there is ever anything to regret, only lessons to learn from. J

Why not, right? You want to thrive. You want your work to be the best it can be and inspire the right people. Sometime adjustments need to be made. But you don’t have to change for change’s sake, although you certainly can. It can be exhilarating to switch it up just because but if something is going great, no need to reinvent the wheel.

So, there are various areas to look at when going through the reevaluation. There’s what you do and how you it.

What are your current creative pursuits? Do you still enjoy writing novels, sculpting? Does it still inspire you on some level? Do you enjoy composing classical music or would you like to try some jazz?  I always look at the current projects I have in the works and see what still does it for me and what new ideas I might want to undertake during the year. It’s important, as well, to realize that there are some ideas that sound intriguing but you are not really ready to commit to. So, if you are maybe engaged in a project that excited you when you first thought of it but it’s just not doing it for you anymore or it’s not evolving the way you thought it would, it’s okay to set it aside for a while or do away with it altogether. Let it goooo! Let it goooo!

But I digress. Then, once you assess at your actual creative projects, look at your process. Does it allow you to do your best work? Is it time to rent some studio space rather than doing all your creating in your home? Do you find performing live unnecessarily stressful and would rather stick to being a recording artist? You can do that. Maybe the writing in the coffee shop routine provides you with more distraction than inspiration. Maybe you need to work at a different time of day for maximum effectiveness. There are plenty of books and resources with tips on the best way to engage your creativity and, while you can absolutely experiment, it’s ultimately about what works best for you. Take some time to reflect on when you thrived in your creation, when you were “in the zone”.

Finally, how have you been trying to reach people (a.k.a. promotion) up to this point? This makes sense to be the last area to assess as changing your creative focus will change your target market and how you access it. Do some reading on promotional techniques for artists, watch some videos. There are plenty of people offering programs on Facebook with introductory webinars – how helpful they might be is another question but they’re out there. Are you a big social media user? What platforms are getting you the most response? What new techniques can you try to get more traction? is it time to incorporate live videos or start a blog?  If you are getting lots of “likes” and whatnot, do they translate into concrete benefits for your creative pursuits? If you are a career creative, hundreds of thousands of views and thumbs ups mean nothing if people aren’t then buying your stuff. Just sayin’. Maybe you’ve been overly focused on social media interaction and it hasn’t been working. What about a more direct contact approach? Some promotional things can be fun and having fun is important – some people love doing crazy behind-the-scenes videos and such –  but this is also a time to look at whether your promotional strategies are worth the time you’re investing in them.

As you go through this process of analysis, remember that you probably won’t have the answers and that’s okay. Try not to think of it as wasted time if you don’t see things happen right away or if some new idea seems to fail. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. You can’t guarantee that you’ll become a resounding success if you go from writing travel books to YA novels. You don’t know if you’ll go from 100 to 1,000,000 followers on Twitter if you start sharing your band’s fashion tips. All you can do is try – explore some new ideas and see what happens. Think of it an as experiment and have some fun as the results come in!

And with that, I’ll sign off. Now, if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you start the year off right, might I humbly suggest my book, A Candle At Both Ends: Thoughts of Inspiration for the Beginning and End of the Day, full of poetry and prose to help you start the day inspired and go to sleep peaceful and resolved. Check out more info here http://tiffanyprochera.com/candle-at-both-ends/.

Make Time For Play In 2020!

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Image by Myshun from Pixabay

Happy New Year!

We’re only a few days in but I hope 2020 is treating you well so far. I had such a blast on New Year’s Eve with a new group of people, amazing food in a beautiful venue, and the band played all of my favourite songs. I’m hoping to keep the party going this year!

Now, while I certainly believe that we can reinvent ourselves at any point in time – really, you can wake up tomorrow and decide to do everything completely differently if you want – the start of a new year and a new decade seems like an appropriate time to reevaluate things, doesn’t it?

I’ve been looking at my creative journey and there are certainly things I plan on changing – getting more focused with my pursuits, learning how to market more effectively. But there is one particular item I became aware of the other day that I really need to put on the agenda, and maybe you do too.

I am committing myself to making more time to play with my creativity in 2020.

You see, I remember hearing about two aspects of the creative process – and I apologize that I can’t recall where it first came up. There’s a performance mode – where you’re practising for a specific gig or working on a project – and there’s an exploratory mode in which you have no particular objectives.

And while we are often feel the need to be in performance mode in the spirit of being productive, if we’re going to be well-rounded creatives, we have to make time for both work and play.

I have often found myself, say, sitting down to play piano just for fun, going through song books, and wondering whether it’s going to matter. Why am I doing this? Am I wasting my time? Shouldn’t I be working on something else?

But that time of exploration is important. It is where ideas come from. It’s how you get in touch with what you really want to be creating rather than just what you think you should be creating. It should not be dismissed as wasted time.

So, here in 2020, if you feel like writing a short story and catch yourself doubting it, saying but where is it going to get published? Shouldn’t I finish that xyz that’s actually important? Stop it, I say! Stop it! Let yourself play a bit. Try being in that space without expectations, without judgment. You never know where it’s going to lead and, really, it doesn’t have to lead anywhere to be beneficial.

This is a commitment I’m making to myself for the year ahead and I can’t wait to see what happens! Join me, won’t you?

With that, I’ll sign off wishing you an amazing year ahead with all of the fulfillment and creative joy you can hold. Let’s rock this thing!

And if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you start the year off right, might I humbly suggest my book, A Candle At Both Ends: Thoughts of Inspiration for the Beginning and End of the Day, full of poetry and prose to help you start the day inspired and go to sleep peaceful and resolved. Check out more info here http://tiffanyprochera.com/candle-at-both-ends/.

What Do You Want Your Audience To Feel?

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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I have heard that life is essentially about emotion. We do things and want things because we think we will feel happier in the doing or acquiring of those things. We jump off of cliffs because of the rush. We eat ice cream because it makes us feel comforted. We eat kale salad because it makes us feel, well, righteous for eating the kale salad. We work out because we either get a rush from it (I actually enjoy being physical active though you wouldn’t know it to look at me) or we think it will feel good to be more fit or to look “better”, whatever that means. Think about it.  It’s all about emotion.

Right now, my city is holding its annual Fringe Festival  – a time when theatre artists get to experiment with their craft and audiences get to enjoy their offerings in a fun-filled and low-risk environment (tickets for fringe shows are quite affordable so you’re willing to take a chance on something out of the ordinary) .

Now, I’ll try to make my point here without giving anything away about the show in case it comes to your town as fringe performers often travel from city to city. Anyway, I went to this one-man show that involved no speaking. There were sounds – grunts and “ohs” and such – but no actual words. And I was totally okay with that aspect of it.

But there was something that confused me about the whole thing. While the performer conveyed emotion, I as an audience member could not tell where it was originating from. I knew he was angry, but I didn’t know why. I knew he was excited but I didn’t know why. At least much of the time.  So there may have been a narrative but it was essentially lost on me and I was left somewhat frustrated. And to be honest, the character was actually a little creepy, which is I’m sure not what the creator intended.

As artists, yes, we want to explore, to express, but we also have an audience to consider. I’ve thought about this in comparison to sports where the goal is simply to win. Sure, a basketball game may be exciting. But a player is not going to intentionally bounce the ball off of the rim for the sake of drama. They want it to go in and if an onslaught happens right at the beginning of the game and seals the deal early on, they’re okay with that. They aren’t striving for a dramatic ending or a photo finish. In the arts, we should be considering the emotions of the viewer. That’s why we are sharing our craft, after all, isn’t it?

When you are putting your work together, take the opportunity to get out of yourself a bit from time to time and see things from the audience’s perspective. What are they experiencing? Do they understand what you’re trying to say or have you at least given them enough to go on that they can create their own story? It’s fine to have some inside jokes but make sure that those who aren’t in on the joke will still enjoy.

It’s not about creating something of mass popularity and it’s not about catering to something that is not true to you. It’s about creating something meaningful that tells the story you want to tell. It’s about asking yourself, “What do I want the audience to experience with this work? What do I want them to feel?” and doing the research, getting the feedback to find out if it’s actually what is coming across so people don’t leaving the experience wondering, what was that? Unless that’s exactly what you’re going for. 😉

Happy creating!

Other People’s Stories – Learning From the Journeys of Other Creators

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Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from Pixabay

How often do you learn about the backgrounds of other creators who do what you do? Do you read about your idols? Do you ask those you meet who are just starting out how their journeys are going?  Do these stories inspire you? Motivate you? Confound you?

I have been watching a reality show called Songland recently. If you haven’t seen it yet, an episode goes like this. Four songwriters get to present songs to a panel of three renowned producers, and a popular artist who is hoping to cut one of the tracks. Three of the songs are chosen and each producer takes a writer under their wing to rework the song to make it the best it can be. Finally, the revised songs are presented to the artist and they pick the song that’s going to go on their next album.

We also learn about their background of these writers – where they came from, how they got into the biz.  That’s the gist of it and it’s pretty cool to see these unsung heroes respected and getting their props. There’s a lot of talent out there.

And, I have to say, there have been a couple of writers who have left me questioning things.

There was one fellow who had actually been training for the Olympics but, as can happen, he suffered an injury and his future as an athlete was over. So, he turned to writing as a form of therapy. And, basically, in the words of the producers, he was a “beast”. His song was amazing, his production was totally on par, and his performance has this ethereal, mesmerizing quality to it. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.  And while I was thoroughly impressed and inspired, I was also kind of, oh, well, annoyed.

Everyone has their own wins and challenges in this life.  I can acknowledge that. But I have been composing and writing songs for thirty years. Music has been my life in one capacity or another since the age of six. And here comes this kid – I don’t think he was more than twenty – who came upon songwriting literally by accident and he’s blowing everybody away. What am I supposed to do with that information?

Now, I didn’t go so far as to ask, how is this fair? But I guess I could have. I mean, it’s just like a person who’s been taking acting classes for years and hardly getting any auditions while someone else is discovered in line at the grocery store and ends up winning an Academy Award.  It doesn’t seem to make sense.

Or, one could look at the amazing J.K. Rowling. Notice the disclaimer – she is amazing! Now, on a personal level, sure, she had a rough go of it. Single mom, bad relationships, living in virtual poverty. But here’s someone who just decides to write a novel because it comes to her – she hasn’t been slaving away for decades – and she has nine rejections before being accepted by a publisher. A whole whopping nine. That’s not even double digits. Most writers wish they only had to send their manuscript to nine people before becoming successful. Of course, in reading Harry Potter, most people would think publishers 1-8 were complete idiots but 20/20 hindsight, you know.  So you can look at that story and think what you will.

But then you have to concede that, just as everyone has their own unique backstory, everyone has their own journey. That songwriter and J.K. Rowling are where they are for a reason and you can’t begrudge them that. If you dig deeper, they may be doing things in an innovative way. They have thought patterns and discipline practices that you can learn from. Success is just as much a mental game as anything else, after all. And if you think about it, isn’t it inspiring to imagine that anything can happen at any time? Life-changing opportunities can come to you today, tomorrow, next week, next month, and you can end up taking a different path all together.

So, I guess my point is, when you read or otherwise learn about the backstory of other creative people, be jealous if you want, but also take what you can from it. Do they have interesting approaches to their craft? What is their creative routine like or do they even have one? How did they get known in their field? Who did they connect with and how did it happen? In realizing that we are all just doing our thing, we can be inspired by each other and have a sense of compassion because, while somebody may be sleeping on a golden bed, it doesn’t mean the road has been easy.  But then people can be just having a great time too, so…

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve got some new tracks up on Pond 5 so if you’re looking for some stock production music for your podcast, YouTube show or whatever, check it all out at https://www.pond5.com/artist/tprochera#1/2064 !

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If you are seeking a composer, songs or voice talent for your media project, it would be my pleasure to assist you!

Contact me at [email protected] for more information.

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