but you still get to eat a cookie
I wrote a piece recently about overcoming writer’s block by immersing yourself in the Zen of simple things. In this case, baking cookies.
It was all there; soothing repetitive tasks, making something tangible, a dash of creativity in the ingredients (these are oat, mixed fruit and ginger cookies, in fact.)
I thought I had done a Good Thing.™
Then this dropped into my inbox from Austin Kleon. You know, the Steal like an Artist guy.
My world tilted. Was it possible that I had procrastinated without knowing — I had in fact procrastibaked?
No, no, say it ain’t so.
Okay, it might be so, sometimes, but I stand by my original article. And I learned something after the cookies (and my story) were baked.
- creativity is a remix, combining existing elements in a new way
- procrastination+baking = procrastibaking — love that word
- inspiration is everywhere
- productive procrastination still produces something worthwhile
- whatever, I got to eat cookies and they were delicious
Now, go read his article and the book, which is fabulous. I’m off to make tea and raid the cookie jar.