On Writing Habits and the American Dream
By Dustin Howard
Many of my close friends are artists, and one of the most common topics of discussion amongst us is that of time—or the lack of it, to be precise. We often lament that there are not enough hours in the day for us to do the art we love to do. I know that this is a sentiment shared by artists the world over, and there’s some tiny solace in knowing that as individual artists we’re not alone in feeling this way. Sometimes the discussion turns an eye toward solutions, and we’ll propose this strategy or that to fix our schedule and squeeze in a little extra art time. I’ve even tried making sweeping changes to my habits. In truth, nothing has stuck for me so far. I admire the folks who are able to routinely set aside time during their busy days to practice their craft. I have tried to be a type of writer like Stephen King, who advocates for his practice of writing a little each day. At this very busy and rapidly changing stage of my life, however, most nights I simply don’t have energy left in the tank to do anything creative after a nine-hour grind. Instead, I often rely on bursts of creativity, however few or far between, and act swiftly to capitalize on them when they happen. Sometimes this means that my cumulative creative output is slow, and that’s okay.
What I’ve learned about myself in this process is that I am the kind of person who needs deadlines. I feel that some of my best work has been created while working under pressure of a deadline. Perhaps this is because all of my life has been dictated by a series of deadlines, or maybe the fear of failure is the strongest motivator for me as a person. What deadlines create for me is a sense of urgency, a need to reach deep or wide for ideas or inspiration. Many times it ignites that spark of creativity, like a struck match to tinder, which allows me to put pen to paper and just create. I trust myself in this process, too. I’ve stopped making myself feel bad for not having a sustained writing habit; instead, I allow myself to be immersed completely in the creative process when it happens. I may go off the deep-end and spend an entire day focused on a project. All my friends know that when I get like that—into full hyper-focus mode—that they’re unlikely to see much of me until it’s over. They support me by occasionally checking in to ensure that I’ve had food and water recently, a very helpful thing for me when hours can slip by like minutes. I’m certain that many of you reading this know exactly what I mean.
The true point of the matter is this: do what works for you. If you’re not satisfied with your writing habits and want to change them, that’s excellent! Make a plan and give it a try. If you thrive on deadlines and sudden bursts of creativity, that’s excellent, too! Give yourself permission to take advantage of the moments when that happens. What I hope you don’t do is saddle yourself with the burden of unnecessary pressure to change. Surround yourself with people who will support you, and don’t listen to the people who would try to invalidate what you do. If you’re a working artist like me, trying to balance a career both in and out of the arts, you know that our art sometimes (or often) comes second to financial security. This makes it difficult to prioritize ourselves and our art when we live in a society that only values art when it is convenient to do so. Find ways to prioritize your creative work, even if it’s small or infrequent moments of creativity. It’s all up to you. The American Dream is often envisioned as financial prosperity, job satisfaction, and suburban picket fences, made possible by tenacity, sacrifice, and plenty of bootstrap pulling. Forget the American Dream—choose your own dream. Be kind to yourself. Find what works for you. Let your art take the time it takes. Don’t give up. And most importantly, never stop creating.
I hope you enjoy this new poem that I am sharing publicly for the first time, exclusively for Nevada Humanities and the Double Down blog. Happy National Poetry Month!
*****
Livin’ the Dream
By Dustin Howard
Corner stand boys in newsy caps
camped on sardine can sidewalks
holler out above honking Model Ts
fighting carriages in the streets—
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”
The acrid smoke of industry
unregulated in this booming city
fills the lungs as they choke out—
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”
Newsies work to scintillate,
sell stories designed to titillate,
shill the newest scoop hot off the press.
“Hey buddy, what’s the story?”
“The headline is free
but the good stuff,
that’s a nickel to see!
This boy’s gotta make a livin’—
these rags don’t turn themselves to riches.
Got a family to feed,
ain’t that the American Dream!—
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!”
Dustin Howard is the current City of Reno Poet Laureate and the Director of Community Engagement & Events at Sage Ridge School in Reno, Nevada. He is the author of the supernatural thriller novel, Breakvale, and Engrams, his first collection of poetry. To learn more about his literary work, visit dthbooks.com. Dustin will also lead a Nevada Reads In Your Library—The Natural Beauty of Poetry workshop on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, from 1:00 -2:30 pm at Reno’s South Valleys Library. Click HERE to learn more and register.