Will You Join Me for the Creatrix Challenge?

I woke up this morning full of pizzazz. Why? Because it’s the 1st of September! I don’t greet every new month like this, though I do relish a fresh start. Today is special because I decided it would be the day I started working on the second draft of my novel.

I finished the first draft earlier this year, at least a couple of months later than planned. That’s okay because this is my first novel, and I’m learning how unpredictable the creative process can be. After I had that draft printed, I followed Stephen King’s advice from On Writing (affiliate link) and tucked it away for what I intended to be a period of about six to eight weeks.

In the meantime, I got distracted by other projects, and kind of forgot about it. Honestly, my original goal was to finish the first draft just to see if I could. It was my first attempt at writing long-form fiction, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to bring it to the publication stage.

I didn’t pick it up again until July when I did my annual mid-year birthday season review. During this time, I like to pause, reflect, and realign with the intentions I set 6 to 12 months before. I also “spend time with my future self,” which basically involves daydreaming about my ideal life. As it happens, my future self is a prolific writer who travels the world and continues publishing well into her 80s. I cannot wait!

But to grow into this woman, I will have to finish this first novel. Or at least a first novel.

What is the Creatrix Challenge?

The Creatrix Challenge is artist Gabriella Rosie’s invitation to build momentum in your creative practice. I’ve been a fan of Gabi’s work for years. If you book a tarot reading with me, you might get an affirmation from her signature Bad Bitch deck.

I felt called to tune into Gabi’s podcast, Big Creatrix Energy, this morning before starting my novel rewrite. Lo and behold, today kicks off her Creatrix Challenge! Perfect timing!

You can listen to the podcast here:

The “Rules” of the Challenge

Here’s the gist of it:

• Devote time every day in September (or any 30 days if you’re reading this later) to your creative practice.
• That’s it!

Gabi recommends 20 minutes because that’s enough time to get the juices flowing but not so much to cramp your day.

She reminds us not to worry about missing a day or three. If you miss a day, it’s better to show up tomorrow than to give up completely. The point isn’t to be perfect but to build momentum and realize that art isn’t just something other people make. Her message is similar to that of The Artist’s Way, a book that will radically change your life (affiliate link).

Gabi invites everyone to share their art by tagging her on Instagram but reminds us that not every creation is for sharing.

Sometimes, creating art makes us feel vulnerable and raw. This is exactly how I felt after publishing yesterday’s blog post about National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and my personal experiences with the subject. From the moment that post went public, I felt anxious. I lost sleep over it, and I’m an A+ sleeper. After hearing Gabi’s permission to keep some creations for ourselves, I paused the podcast and made the post private immediately (in case you wondered where it went).

How Am I Participating in the Creatrix Challenge?

As I mentioned above, I’ll be doing a massive rewrite of my novel. I started today. It was such a rush to open Scrivener (affiliate link, I looooove Scrivener) for the first time in months!

My daily minimum is 25 minutes because I use the good ole’ Pomodoro Technique, and my toggl track app is already set up for it. If the second draft is anything like my first, I imagine I’ll keep going with the flow long after my timer dings.

I’m not a member of Gabi’s Creatrix Coven, and I’m not on social media. So I’m sharing this challenge here for accountability. If there’s something you want to create, I’d love for you to join me! Maybe it’s not a book. Perhaps you want to write a daily poem, cover your wall with a mural, or choreograph a dance routine.

No matter what it is, the world needs your art. I firmly believe that if you have the desire to create something, it’s your job to bring it into this world. You never know what kind of difference you’ll make in someone’s life—that is, if you choose to share.

I doubt I would’ve made it through high school without the stories, film quotes, and song lyrics that seemed to speak directly to my angsty human experience. So I see it as my responsibility to create my own version of these things. After all, the next generation of misunderstood punks will need something to cling to. 

Also, why not?

If you’re interested in being my accountability buddy for the Creatrix Challenge, please send me a message or drop a comment below.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Creating!