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[Havok]

I have a topic for discussion that was initially sparked during the TIGJam Talks I watched a short while ago. Someone (sorry I can't remember who) brought up the reality of making what you love to do into something you have to do in relation to art. I guess I'd just like to pursue this discussion. In my case it relates to music composition but I would think it would be relevant to the disciplines we all are involved in.

Lately music has become more of a burden to me. Growing up playing guitar was always what I did instead of more important things and was what I wanted to do. The years have passed and now I am finishing up my undergraduate degree in Theory and Composition while pursuing a freelance composition career.  The thing that I loved so much I still love but I find the actual practice of it tedious and uninspiring at times. Now that I HAVE to do this it tends to be less fun. Unfortunately at this time I do not have another escape to take my mind off my music work and indulge in something else. Basically if I'm not composing for a job I'm composing for my upcoming recital or doing mounds of music related college work. Hence, the reason I'm up at 3 in the morning (finishing a 16th century counterpoint composition for my 7 am class).

So how does one do it? How do you regain the joy in what you do and be ecstatic about the little accomplishments?

[Mipe]

Damn, here I was expecting a fun game of escaping from your vehicle... 

[Havok]

Sorry! Don't hate me.   

[jrjellybeans]

I used to have the same problem with programming / designing video games.  For a while, it seemed like a chore and I doubted whether or not it was something that I was even interested in doing anymore.

If you're like me, you're going to get out into the "real" world and realize how shitty NOT doing what you love to do.  Then, while you're working doing stuff you don't enjoy, you'll be sitting back thinking "What I love to do is kind of a chore... but I like it better than what I'm doing right now."

In addition, success seems to matter a lot.  If you haven't been successful at something it seems even MORE boring and more pointless.  As you get better, however, you realize that it is fun!

If you want one last piece of advice, something that someone told me was:
"Stop doing what you love to do for 1 month.  If after that month you still go back to doing what you were doing, then keep doing it." 

You know what they say, "Abscence makes the heart grow fonder!"

[Melly]

One thing I heard is that every man needs a job (something he does to sustain himself) and a hobby (something he does for himself without trying to please others and without having to do it in the first place). If you transform your hobby into your job, you basically lose your hobby, and may become miserable as a result. Sometimes you can have your hobby sustain you and not lose it, but that's rare.

I think what you need to do is do more music just for yourself, and no one else. Do silly small songs, compose for no reason, fly with bouts of creativity and inspiration. It might drain a bit of time from your other projects, but it's often necessary for a good mental health, and might make those other projects better as you don't stop enjoying what you do.

Just my 2 cents.

[mewse]

Damn, here I was expecting a fun game of escaping from your vehicle... 

*steals*   

[Zaid Crouch]

Partly I think it's just a matter of keeping things in perspective. It is the craft itself that's a burden, or the volume of work/pressure to do it? The two are very different, but it's very easy to collapse the two, and if you do, it's also surprisingly easy to talk yourself into hating something you love.

I'd kinda second Melly's advice -- you need to make time to indulge yourself. Whether that's in your craft, or something else isn't as important as just giving your creative self time to do it's thing. If you're really swamped, and it's not so easy to make that time, set a time in the (near) future where you can, and don't let other stuff get in the way! And if you're working on a project for someone else, find ways to indulge yourself in that too, if done well, it can only improve your work.

Personally, I've also written a little reminder to myself in a few places -- on the front of my design notebook, on the title screen of my game -- to stop myself getting too serious and bogged down in bugs and nasty details: "This is meant to be FUN!" It works surprisingly well

[Farbs]

I find ways to make gamedev fun. By scheduling ~75% of my time as "padding" I can complete the boring bits of a project quickly and enjoy guilt-free stupid-fun-feature-creep. What's more, if I'm frustrated with a piece of work it's usually because there's a problem with the design. If the design is interesting then I'll want to implement it. If not it'll feel like tedious grindwork.

So yeah... love what you make and you'll love making it.

[desdinova]

I have a topic for discussion that was initially sparked during the TIGJam Talks I watched a short while ago. Someone (sorry I can't remember who) brought up the reality of making what you love to do into something you have to do in relation to art. I guess I'd just like to pursue this discussion. In my case it relates to music composition but I would think it would be relevant to the disciplines we all are involved in.

Lately music has become more of a burden to me. Growing up playing guitar was always what I did instead of more important things and was what I wanted to do. The years have passed and now I am finishing up my undergraduate degree in Theory and Composition while pursuing a freelance composition career.  The thing that I loved so much I still love but I find the actual practice of it tedious and uninspiring at times. Now that I HAVE to do this it tends to be less fun. Unfortunately at this time I do not have another escape to take my mind off my music work and indulge in something else. Basically if I'm not composing for a job I'm composing for my upcoming recital or doing mounds of music related college work. Hence, the reason I'm up at 3 in the morning (finishing a 16th century counterpoint composition for my 7 am class).

So how does one do it? How do you regain the joy in what you do and be ecstatic about the little accomplishments?

Have you read Victor Wooten's the music lesson?  Its presented in a very out there fashion which might make it a less then enjoyable read for some people, but his characters touch on some ideas about rekindling the fire of musical enjoyment.

I don't really have anything to offer in regards to getting through the grind,  A little bit of exercise kinda helps me when I can't be bothered starting something.  I guess thats a little more about motivation rather then enjoyment though.

I find "talking shop" with friends really helps.  The times when I practice most are after talking about cool little things me an my friends do while practicing or composing or improvising.  And usually then its more of a case of isolating one thing and just having fun with it

[starsrift]

Pretty much what Melly said. I delegate weekends for developing a different "side" project, to which I have more selfish and experimental goals, and my week is for developing my "main" project, which I try to give myself pressure for.

[Havok]

Wow, I guess it is time to reply to all these wonderful comments.

It is apparent that I would not be happy doing anything other than music. I spent three and a half years as a mechanical engineer before my wife and I decided to drop it and move across the country so I could pursue what I love. And I LOVE working on soundtrack projects where I get to help bring a creative idea to life. I've realized much of what my initial post was about was the frustration that an intense music education brings to the table while I am wanting to pursue more fun and creative projects. I realize the necessity of it (and it helps immensely) but am slightly frustrated with the academic nature of it.

So much good advice was given and much of it I am putting into practice. Doing fun little projects is good for the soul! At this point too I am considering whether composition will be my main focus for the rest of my life. I am also working on a Recording Technologies degree and am finding opportunities may open up in the near future for finding work in the film industry as a mixer, recordist, editor, or other.

But I do love what I do. Things have eased significantly in the last two weeks but I want to make sure that I can continue to have the correct perspective of my craft and maintain my love for what I do with it without becoming burnt out.

Thanks!

[Hempuli‽]

This is the exact reason I wouldn't want to work in game business; I fear that I might lose the fun of creating games. Same with painting: I love it, but when our teacher gave us a painting assignment to do at home, I suddenly felt like I didn't want to do it. Somehow the fact that it *has* to be done makes it less fun.

[s0]

I agree with the general sentiment here. I started studying musicology with the idea of "Hey I'm gonna be able to do what I love and call it education" until it dawned to me that it's really no different from studying in any other field and found my love for music slowly vanishing now that I had to deal with it on a scientific level. I'm currently trying to pull out of musicology and do something else.

[Aquin]

Yeah, it's weird but studying brought me new love.  I really didn't expect to fall in with Physics as much as I did.  I owe it all to my edjamacation. 

I do treat my game design as "work" for sure.  If I need a hobby, I'll just keep writing.

[weasello]

I suffer from some definite "grass is always greener" syndrome. My code never quite feels fulfilling until I'm *not* doing it, in which case it's my greatest love.

I guess my solution to keeping it "fun" is to often do other work. I do the occasional job here and there - fixing a neighbor's PC, moving office furniture, heck - even vigorous exercise - and I find I'm put in my place. I always come crawling back to my text editor!

[MalcolmLittle]

My code never quite feels fulfilling until I'm *not* doing it, in which case it's my greatest love.

Ha! Wow, you might as well be talking about journalism. I find that most journalists, myself inlcuded, only enjoy our work when we're thumbing through one of our own publications. The writing is a chore.

I think it has to do with how you define the term "indie". It's either being an amateur (not producing your work professionally) or being an independent company/developer. Many forum members here really push for the non-profit/"do it for fun" side of indie developing, while others want to do this for a living while not having to slave for "the Man".

I know people who would rather have a normal "8 to 5" job than have to produce anything creative. They find that it's way too much pressure. If that's how you feel than you should really reconsider what you're doing. If not, you have to find the personal accomplishments that make it all worth it. The joy will probably return when you stop thinking about what you're doing, when the effort doesn't take its toll anymore.

[evil dan]

Hahha!  Yes!  Many of us creatives go through waves where we feel that way.  I have two things that work really well for me:

- Get a project on the side that is just for me.  So you could write a piece of music that is not for somebody else.

- (this one is magic for me!) I work on something when I am supposed to be doing something else. I don't know why, but for some reason procrastination of one task seems to penultimately propel another. 

Good luck, and stick with it!  Many of these things go in waves.

[Imagineergames]

Once I read that To never feel like you're working; you should really work on what you love to do. It is true to an extent.

As it has been discussed here before, doing something you love for yourself is actually a great breather. Making your hobby your calling comes with the risk of making it humdrum. Kind like when you fall in love with a girl, but after some years you're not as enamorated as when you started dating. But hey! if marriage works it is because it is based on something less ridiculous as a simple romantic whim. Work is the same!

And you can always spice it up with sideprojects or whatnot. I would get bored out of contract work if I didn't work on my own projects. Heck, when I bore of those I usually do something else entirely. Like making a sculpture, writing a short story, drawing a fanart, or contributing to someone´s project with an art asset or whatnot. That, or just something to increase my skillset.

 I can also recommend one thing. NEVER limit yourself to doing just one thing. If you're a programmer, Do art. if you're an artist, go ahead and write. Make yourself a sort of renaissance man, that way you´ll always have stuff to do, and skills to grow. You´ll never get bored!

 And well, you should always pursue your calling. If you're not happy doing what you're doing, then by golly try something else within your means. Work everyday for that goal. Or suck it up while you save money / train yourself. Sometimes, you've gotta just have character.

[Montoli]

Well, here's the thing.  ANYTHING will feel like work when there is something else you would really rather be doing.  Whether it's following your life-dream, or mopping out the bathroom (assuming that's not your life-dream) it will suck if there is something you'd rather be doing at that moment.  (This is a big part of why game tester is not the glamorous fun job that many people imagine it to be.)

Personally, I figure NO job will be fun as just doing what I want all the time.  But if the job is something I like doing anyway, then there will be a higher percentage of hours where I forget it's a job and just do it because it's fun, than if I were doing something I hate.  So for me, this means game programming, but individual tastes may vary.  (It hasn't destroyed my ability to have fun programming yet though, so that's probably a good sign.)

(I'd also like to strongly agree with the advice of "have more than one thing you love to do and always be on the lookout for more", for most of the reasons listed.)

[Imagineergames]

Well, here's the thing.  ANYTHING will feel like work when there is something else you would really rather be doing.  Whether it's following your life-dream, or mopping out the bathroom (assuming that's not your life-dream) it will suck if there is something you'd rather be doing at that moment.  (This is a big part of why game tester is not the glamorous fun job that many people imagine it to be.)

Personally, I figure NO job will be fun as just doing what I want all the time.  But if the job is something I like doing anyway, then there will be a higher percentage of hours where I forget it's a job and just do it because it's fun, than if I were doing something I hate.  So for me, this means game programming, but individual tastes may vary.  (It hasn't destroyed my ability to have fun programming yet though, so that's probably a good sign.)

(I'd also like to strongly agree with the advice of "have more than one thing you love to do and always be on the lookout for more", for most of the reasons listed.)

I hear you liek... programming