Whistle While You Work!

The busy time has commenced and it seems like half the artists I know are bustling about trying to get things ready for conventions! Excitement and possibilities are in the air and the countdown has begun.

So while we’re all working, I’ve noticed myself falling into a certain few habits. It seems I’m unable to do one task at once, I always have to have music playing, the TV tuned to a movie I enjoy (and have no doubt seen a thousand times), or a podcast or audiobook chiming with info in the background. I’ve lost my ability to mono-task in lieu of receiving a constant stream of information nearly every second of the day.

Lately, I’ve been listening to the awesome folks at Ninja Mountain, a podcast by a band of mystic ninja artists in the industry who have come together to share their secret arts. They keep me laughing, energized, and inspired all at once to really keep at it and give me hope that I can succeed if I stick to my guns. I highly recommend them to any amateur artist looking for good practical advice on stepping foot into professional waters.

I’ve also been going through a phase of listening to audiobooks while I work, the current flavor of the day being the audiobook of Outlander by Diana Gaboldan. The tale of a combat nurse cast back in time to 18th century Scotland comes alive with the very effective accents of the narrator, though I’m still deciding whether I like this tale in general. (If you’re curious on my thoughts of Outlander, I’ve started a forum thread about it documenting my thoughts as I ‘read’).

I’ve also got audiobooks of the Joseph Campbell interviews for “The Power of Myth”, the Kushiel series, Good Omens, and Paradise Lost lined up and a few new podcasts by the Morhbachers (a pair of lovely artists and friends interviewing other artists and talking of concept art and things) that I need to check out.

Yes, I am waiting for the day my head explodes, but until that happens, what are you guys doing while you work? Are you a multi-tasker like me or do you prefer the sanctity of silence? Anyone have any good suggestions of audiobooks and podcasts I might like?

2 comments

  1. Hayley E. Lavik says:

    You haven’t read Harry Potter, you terrible terrible woman, so I’d say you need to put that right at the top of your list. I recall mention of Stephen Fry doing a good Lord Voldemort.

    I used to stick to silence, but I find lately my mind wanders or I harp over sentence structure too much, so I’ve been listening to music to keep my brain slightly off-centre. I find I don’t focus on the music, and I don’t focus on the writing, and the words just sort of flow out on their own. It’s like a meditative state, so to speak XD

  2. Angela Sasser says:

    Ah yes! How could I forget Harry Potter? *goes to search it out immediately*

    Meditative state is an apt description! That’s exactly what music does for me as well, particularly when it’s music that helps put me in a certain mood or particularly helps me to form mental images involving certain characters.

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