• Time for a Fresh Look! 🚀

    The site needs a bit of a refresh, so as they used to say it is under construction. As such things might not look right, work right, or even feel right. But only until everything is new and shiny. After that… who knows.

    Read more…

  • Creating amongst the Chaos – Creative Field Notes

    This month has been productive despite global chaos, and I have noticed the importance of maintaining a positive and intentional creative practice.

    Read more…

  • Mid to End Feb Creative Field Notes

    This week’s creative field notes include how I am keeping up with February Album Writing Month and coming up with a few other creative ideas.

    Read more…

  • Imbolc: Creative New Starts

    January has been a difficult month for this creative minimalist. However, the festival of Imbolc is as good a time as any to make a creative new start. This week’s vlog explores recent creative highs and lows.

    Read more…

  • My current journal set-up

    As we begin the new year of 2025, I’m excited to share my collection of journals with you in this week’s vlog. I have a new daily planner, as well as music and fiction journals, and various vocabulary notebooks.

    Read more…

  • Odyssey my word of the year 2025

    My word of the year for 2025 is odyssey. It both a journey with a destination in mind and plenty of wiggle room for distractions.

    Read more…

  • Creative field notes from the creative minimalist

    The incense fell straight and created these columns as it burned. Little creative accidents are nice when they occur. But creativity can also involve hard work and effort. In a bid to both motivate and make myself accountable, I thought it was time for some creative field notes. What exactly am I creating?

    Website(s)

    This past week I have been updating and creating websites. You should see a few changes here as I begin to roll out the changes. I have tried various designs over the years but, for this site – and quite rightly too – I find myself returning to a simple minimal feel.

    This Temple Eden is also going through a few changes. This is taking a little longer to roll out, but you will be able to find things easier and quicker in the near future.

    Waoao (freelance) has partly prompted these changes. I am working on simplifying and creating a couple of websites in a freelance capacity. This has meant going back to basics whilst keeping up with the ever-changing technology of the web. If you’re thinking of setting up a website and don’t know where to start, drop me a comment and I’ll get back to you. I offer a friendly service and tech talk-free solutions.

    Music

    This past week I finished the first draft of lyrics to a song that is now called ‘The Sun and the Moon’. I’m letting the lyrics settle for a while and will then work on an arrangement and get some recording done.

    I have a couple of other tracks in progress and they are going well.

    The music I have completed is available on Spotify and Apple Music, and Bandcamp. My Bandcamp site is still offering hours of music for the price of a couple of cups of coffee. And on September 4th Bandcamp are waiving their fees for artists to help during the pandemic. So if you want a little music, feel free to purchase and enjoy.

    I still don’t quite feel like I have my song collection organised. I have it all in a database at the moment. However, I feel like I need to go old school with it all and use index cards. Will something tactile help me create more music, or am I just procrastinating again? That’s always possible.

    Writing fiction

    Well, let’s put it this way, I haven’t been. I could blame the virus but I don’t think it is that. It is more a question of time and priorities. I have been posting the writing prompts here and there will be more writing tips to follow. In conclusion…

    ‘Not blocked, just not’

    darrenrhill

    Journal

    I have moved into a more visual journey in my journal and planner. I am sharing this process regularly on YouTube and cross-posting here. If you haven’t visited my YouTube channel, here’s the link and if you want, I would appreciate your subscription. And any stickers I use in my journals might be found on my pLAnarchy Etsy store, so do check that out.

    So that’s the state of the creative minimalist as August draws to an end. There are plenty of other things I would like to share with you, but they need to wait for a later post. In the meantime, I need to get going with my freelance work, making some music and seeing if my fingers want to type a little fiction.


    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • An unforgettable person – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    The detective walked up to the store worker. “So you saw the man running away? Can you describe him?” Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    The detective walked up to the store worker. “So you saw the man running away? Can you describe him?”

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    A key skill in writing is the ability to describe someone. All of the characters you create need to be believable. Your characters need to become real as your words are read.

    This prompt is all about describing someone and making them real. However, you don’t know anything about them apart from what was seen. There is no backstory to your character. They simply ran past the store worker. So how real can you make them? What things are important to describe?

    • What are they wearing?
    • What do they look like?
    • Do they have any distinguishing marks or features?
    • What about the way they were running?
    • What was their expression?

    Beyond the fact that the police are involved and the character was running, the setting of this prompt is up to you. It could be a robbery. It could be a kidnapping. It might be about someone being recognised and trying to getaway. The main point is about describing the man. So let’s get those descriptive words and phrases going.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create.

    Original running man image Image by Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay


    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Weekly journal update Aug 24

    A quick flip-through of my current journal and junk journal set-up, and a brief look at some of my art bits and pieces.


    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • The song played – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    The song played through the headphones. I was transported when the music came on; a different place, a different time… Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    The song played through the headphones. I was transported when the music came on; a different place, a different time…

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Music is powerful. Like the rest of our senses, sound can trigger memories.

    This prompt is all about where the music takes you, the time, place and people. It is about creating a memory, a new memory.

    • To what time are you transported?
    • To what place does the song take you?
    • Who are the people that the music brings back to your imagination?

    However, this is a fiction writing prompt and not a personal memoir (although you can use it for that if you wish). The idea is to create a memory that doesn’t exist, at least not from your own life. Creating a believable memory can be difficult, so that’s why this is a challenge. Time to improve your fiction writing.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create.


    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Changing the blog layout

    Changing the layout of the blog, so things might look a little weirder than usual. Hopefully it will all look fine and dandy soon.

  • The Return of the Journal Maker

    The Return of the journal maker

    My latest journal and planner set-up. Finally, a new video to explain what is going on.


    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest