Whether you’re a filmmaker, writer, songwriter, or even a painter or fashion designer — you have to decide what’s not working and get rid of it.

Our creations are a part of us, but only the parts that truly serve your project should stay. The rest must die.

Even if it took you a day to shoot, or a week to make. Even if you wrote that monologue after your therapist visit. Even if you really, really, like it. If it doesn’t work it needs to go. Save it for later. Make a video for social media. Or bury it in the “not quite there” cemetery. RIP.

Throughout our projects, my creative partner Christopher, and I, have had some epic disagreements while editing. It’s all about finding the right balance, and as artists and creators, that’s incredibly challenging.

How are you when it comes to editing and reworking your own art?

The post How to be a ruthless editor appeared first on Zealous Creative.

I recall it vividly, our family travelled in our white 70’s Valiant to Sydney to see Steven Spielberg’s E.T.

I walked into the Theatre Royal in all its Art Deco Speldor – red velvet flowing curtains, golden balustrades and deco tiles and statues.

We watched E.T. complete with an intermission. I was transfixed. Mainly because of Gerty. I wanted to be Gerty. I wanted to be a part of storytelling like that little girl on the screen.

That experience coloured my love for film, music, theatre and for storytelling.

I was so disappointed when Gandhi beat E.T. for the Osar that year.

And in a full-circle-moment, many years later we accepted the Sydney Film festival’s Best Animated Short Film award for our film The Maker, on that very stage.

Who or what inspired your desire to be a creative?

The post How inspiration can change your life appeared first on Zealous Creative.

If the clouds in heaven part and inspiration pours forth, you may just nail that idea. But more than likely, you probably won’t.

Your work needs to be revised, reshaped and sometimes even scrapped and restarted.

But you can only re-write so many times and you won’t really know if your work will resonate with readers. This is where feedback comes in and can make or break your project — depending on how you take it.

Feedback, constructive or cruel, can be hard to manage. How do know what feedback to adopt and what to reject?

You need to ask yourself, does the feedback come from someone qualified to give it? And if it does, do they share your vision for the story, or are they unconsciously turning it into a story that they’re interested in?

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to determine what feedback strengthens your original vision and to drown out the voices that don’t matter.

This can be stressful for any author, but it’s important to remember that feedback is necessary and with the right people in your creative circle, your project will get better because of it.

The post Feedback – what every writer needs to know appeared first on Zealous Creative.

I’ve spoken about a thought a day come what may in another video. But object writing is another technique that I use.

Every day for 5-10 minutes you sit and pick an object. Anything… a cup, a chair, a car — you get it.

Then, write about that object. Set a timer. Write from your senses, smell, sight, sound, taste and feel.

How do you feel emotionally about it? Does it take you to another place or time?

Describe its colour, its size, its shape. Use adjectives, be flowery, be over the top.

Don’t judge, just write. Write from your heart – and that’s it.

I would sometimes use actual people or events too. It can be a form of therapy if you like!

Its basically like a word vomit or structured journaling with the intention of harnessing your creativity.

Its about regularly flexing that creative muscle memory so you can call upon that ability when it counts.

And when you re-read your notes, you may even discover some little gems.

What other writing techniques do you use to get your creative juices flowing?

The post Generate great ideas with this technique appeared first on Zealous Creative.

Once upon a time, I was an aspiring singer-songwriter and my music teacher taught me,”a thought a day come what may”.

Because I’m so conscientious, I did just that for 10 years. Every day writing a thought a day come what may.

I filled volumes of diaries with not just song lyrics but soliloquies, musings, observations, rants and really, really bad poetry.

Those ideas became songs, scripts and better poems.

Many years later when someone suggested we turn our Maker feature film script into a novel, I baulked at the idea.

I didn’t know how to write a novel… until a monologue from our story just poured out of me.

I had learned how to flex that muscle through practice years before, allowing me to channel my creativity into the novel-writing process.

So a thought a day come what may, people.

The post A practical writing tip for beginners appeared first on Zealous Creative.

Hi. I’m Christine and together with my husband Christopher, we run a filmmaking and publishing house called Zealous Creative. We made a bunch of films and books that have been extremely popular and picked up a bunch of awards along the way.

Through trial and error, we’ve experienced so much on our journey so we want to share with you our creative processes and lessons learned, upcoming projects and any other nuggets of wisdom. Hopefully, we can help inspire your own creativity in whatever medium you express yourself.

The post Meet the team behind Zealous Creative appeared first on Zealous Creative.