Lost the love for writing or sketching in your journal? It happens. But never fear. Paul and Sam from paper republic share their tips on how to rekindle your fire for art or find your word flow again…
How to get back into drawing and sketching
[by paul: social media manager at paper republic]
I love drawing and sketching in my journal. I’ve been doing it for years, but every now and then, I’ve find I’ve lost my flow. Here’s my advice for how to restart your doodle game…
1. Start Small
By using a small pocket journal (I have the grand voyageur [pocket] in red), it means I can always have it with me. And that means it’s always there when inspiration strikes. I don’t have to plan a big drawing expedition; it’s just in my bag or pocket when I am out and about. So it’s really easy to use it when artistic inspiration strikes.
2. Draw anything and enjoy the process
I draw the most random things (for example: my friends and I getting chased by swans in the Danube, pretty in picture-form, terrifying in real life). I find the act of drawing therapeutic.
I love the feeling of my pen or pencil on paper. It doesn’t really matter what you’re drawing, just draw something and don’t worry about the final outcome. Yes, it’s nice to flick through my journal and look at all the doodles and sketches from time to time; I find it’s a way of reflecting on good times in the past. But it’s more important to just enjoy the experience of making them in the first place.
3. Find inspiration
Get out of your home and go places: meet your friends, go to cafes, visit museums, galleries and parks! Just get out and wander around and you’ll find new ideas, new objects or new scenes to sketch.
I recently went to an exhibition of an American charcoal artist called Robert Longo and it really inspired me to try some charcoal sketches. The 130 g/m² drawing book is going to be perfect for this.
How to get back into writing
[by sam: editor in chief at paper republic]
I don’t write a daily diary, but I do keep notes of interesting experiences in my grand voyageur [xl] journal which might be useful for writing articles or books in future. But sometimes, weeks pass, and I suddenly realise I have not written anything at all. Here’s how I rekindle my writing flow…
1. Collect new experiences
I currently write about life in rural Austria; the mountains, the local traditions, the people who live here. I also wrote a travel-memoir about my time living in rural Japan, and a second book about life in Slovenia.
Therefore getting out of the house and seeing novel things is really important for me. It doesn't have to be an expedition to the other side of the world. By doing something as simple as going for a walk near my home, I find my writing begins to flow again.
You can find fascinating things in the most seemingly mundane situations - if you look for them. Even going to the same place in different weather conditions, means I see details in a new light. And when I see new things, I’m inspired to write about them.
2. Set a target to write regularly
Creating a writing habit is important, and recording things regularly is essential for me. Because details matter. It’s details that give my type of writing authenticity. But details are very quickly forgotten.
So, I try to write a few notes, even if I don’t think anything particularly interesting has happened, every week. I don’t always succeed but having this goal gives me a push and keeps me looking for details in everyday situations that I can record.
3. Find focus: write somewhere free of distractions
It’s very easy to procrastinate when it comes to writing. It’s easier to waste time scrolling than it is to put pen to paper. So, put your phone away – in another room ideally – and find a place where you won’t be disturbed.
This could be a comfy seat in your favourite café, a riverside bench, or your kitchen table. My preferred spot is a chair by the fire; I also enjoy writing on trains when I have a long journey ahead. The most important thing is to find a place where you can focus.
