Here’s the thing: I will (and do) enthusiastically encourage everyone to try challenges when they are first establishing a creative practice. I’ve done NaPoWriMo, NaNoWriMo,* Inktober,** Drawtober, and ArtFight, and all have been instrumental in pushing me to explore new techniques, tackle subject matter I otherwise wouldn’t have, and adhere to some sort of schedule.
But. But but but.
For me – and this is a very “for me” situation – after a certain point, the usefulness and appeal of challenges starts to fade. The more established I am in my own creative routine, the more creative momentum I have of my own, the more of my own original ideas I have to work on, the more said challenges start to feel like burdens rather than buoys. And that doesn’t mean I don’t think people with their own art practices can’t benefit from or enjoy challenges, God – please don’t take this to mean that you shouldn’t engage with things like ArtFight or Drawtober or whatever other challenges are out there if it makes you feel fulfilled and productive. I’m just saying, when (or if) they begin to feel like a burden or an obligation, it may be time to rethink your participation. Not even wholecloth; even just from challenge to challenge. Drawtober 2024 might have been a snoozefest for you, but 2025 makes you vibrate with excitement. That’s fine, that’s cool. Just listen to your instincts, is what I’m saying.
All this to say, I charged into Drawtober 2025 gung-ho and then realized… I’m not sure I’m totally feeling it. And it’s not a Drawtober issue – like, I really love four of the six prompts, and find the last two intriguing-but-not-for-me – it’s just that with the exception of two of the prompts, they aren’t really anything I feel compelled to churn out on a deadline. Like, I think I still might pursue them, but they aren’t priority items for me. Which is fine. It’s fine. These are the problems I wish I had, back when I first thought I might like to get involved in visual art – too many ideas, too many concepts and ambitions and projects rattling around in my brain. A glut of inspiration is an enviable problem to have.
But it means that Drawtober as a timed challenge maybe isn’t for me this year. That’s not to say I still can’t use the prompts as inspiration, just that I will not be breaking my back to complete them on the week-to-week deadlines.
Especially not since I’m running my own writing challenge in October again. And man, let me tell you, I got one hell of a positive reception to that, so I am really looking forward to it. I’m excited to be writing again, and I’m looking forward to an influx in fic in this fandom, for sure.
So that’s where I’ll turn my attention for the next month, while I update and elaborate on my Art Ideas document (best thing I ever did — create a color-coded Google doc with every spare thought and idea I have for potential art projects. Easy, accessible, and literally at my fingertips — no more lost ideas. It is about a dozen pages long and has been an absolute lifesaver).
Work has been fulfilling, but non-stop, lol. Domestic life has been full of creativity and whimsy. Social life has been quiet this month (had several schedule upheavals), but I don’t have a single free weekend in October due to social obligations, so that’s clearly picking up momentum.
More big things on the horizon, both personal and creative, but I’ll talk about those when I’m free to (…spoilers).
Hope all is well, and good luck to those of you participating in any creative challenges next month.
Take care of yourselves, and each other.
All Your Crooked Heart 