by Jessica MacLeod

A Playful Follow-up to Writing Your Artist/Author Bio



Until now, you have been working on biographical statements that mostly touch on where you have been and where you are now.


This fun activity is designed to guide you into your future streams of creative productivity—streams we have perhaps been afraid of. By treating our ideas and dreams like plans that are indeed possible, we are more likely to achieve success. These questions will help you visualize and become your future artist/writer self. 



What You Need

•	a timer

•	a pen you like writing with

•	a couple of pieces of paper



Procedure

1)	Establish a time and place so you have about 20–30 minutes.

2)	Number a piece of paper with 1–20 down the left side.

3)	You will list 20 ideas for future creative projects, but you have little time to question your ideas or let your critic butt in. Anything is possible, so let various ideas and possibilities pour out. Some may be old ideas you have been putting off. Some may be new.



You do not have to show this sheet to anyone else. Write the details that help you.



Examples for writers:	A poem about…

                        A memoir focusing on my interest in…

			A short story that...

			A novel about...

			An essay on...

			A series that...



Examples for artists	A painting/drawing/sculpture of...

			A triptych of...

			Studies of...

			A show focusing on...

			A series that...



Now set your timer for eight minutes and start listing all those juicy ideas that have been waiting for your attention.



4)	After writing your list, try responding to the following reflection questions. You will want to go slower for these. Notice what you are feeling and thinking.



a)	When working on your list of twenty ideas, what was hard? What was easy? Did this seem fun to you or were you frustrated? Did it inspire hope or did you feel insecure?

b)	Which of your twenty do you see most clearly? For each of your clearest five, take a few minutes and do some additional brainstorming. Can you come up with titles? How do they physically look? What other possibilities are coming up?

c)	Think of one author or artist (living or dead) who may have answers to some of your questions about how to go forward. Imagine the advice and encouragement they would give you and write the response as if that person is writing to you personally.

d)	What are you willing to do to bring these ideas to fruition? Write down three to five “I will” statements that can get you started with small steps.



5)	Now, write a new author/artist bio that reflects your future success in these endeavours. Be sure to write in the third-person point of view!



Good luck and have fun!