From Book Deals to Bold Posts
What happens when artists share their work
Creative Sparks with Kevin
Quick, no pressure insights and inspiration to help you push past perfectionism, stay true to your vision and market your work authentically. Delivered weekly on Fridays.
📖 Transparency About Traditional Publishing
Amie McNee has been self-publishing her own fiction writing and building a nice audience on Instagram for a while, but she recently released her first traditionally published book: We Need Your Art. I have been singing her praises ever since I found her Substack, and her book is excellent. She is the creative champion we all need!
This essay was released one month after her book came out and she opens up about how much she was paid for her advance, the number of books she’s sold, and how exhausting yet fulfilling it’s all been. If you’re curious about her traditionally published debut, her newly inked traditionally published fiction deal, and everything in-between, definitely check this out.
🧑💻POST YOUR CONTENT
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but: new people can’t find you if you don’t post content about your thing. I get it. The idea of marketing makes you cringe. But what if you reframed marketing as simply sharing your art with the people who need it the most?
Sometimes our biggest obstacle isn’t the algorithm or the tools. It’s the stories we tell ourselves. If you want to support yourself through your art, you have to be willing to let it be seen. People are out there looking for what you’ve made! So why keep your beautiful work hidden? Honestly, it’s more selfish to hoard your gifts than it is to share your joy with the people who are searching for it.
🤯Speaking of Amazing Work…
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Have you ever been so awed by someone’s realistic art that you couldn’t believe what you were seeing? That’s exactly how I felt when I saw this TikTok showing off Bill Braun’s work. I still can’t wrap my head around the amount of focus, skill, and sheer dedication it must take to create something that detailed.
What’s even more wild is that his work isn’t just realistic — it’s designed to look like a 3D piece of art. So not only is he painting something hyper-realistic, he’s making it appear like an entirely different artistic medium too.
If you enjoy my work or find it helpful, I'd be so grateful if you considered supporting me with a cup of coffee. Every bit helps and keeps the creativity flowing!
In Case You Missed It
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This Week’s Creativity Card
Shifts in perspective often lead to the most interesting and creative ideas. Just by looking at the same thing through a different lens can help change your entire way of thinking!
My response
I woke up today in the most unexpected way. Instead of waking up inching ever closer to the edge of the bed, I was in the middle of a vast landscape of linen. White cloth extends for what appear to be miles in every direction.
I look for my alarm clock and see a bright light in the distance. It’s blaring like a giant sun without the heat. I guess I’ll start making my way to the floor to see what the hell is happening…
I love the start of this prompt but I’ll have to finish it some other day to give it the proper time it deserves!
What would your day as an ant sized person look like? Let me know in the comments or restack your story!
💡Fun Fact: By the way, I have a digital deck with over 600 creative prompts covering everything from storytelling to burnout recovery. Want to help test more? Let me know in the comments!
If you found this helpful or inspiring, consider supporting my work by buying me a coffee. And if you're looking for more creative inspiration, check out my book We Are All Creative — it's full of prompts and quotes to fuel your creativity every day!
If you have any ideas for creative sparks leave them in the comments. I’d love to hear what’s sparking your creativity right now.
Until next time, stay motivated and stay creative.
— Kevin
Um, that prompt is AMAZING. Please, please share as you continue so this 90s kid can get her Honey, I Shrunk the Kids fix!