GET INSPIRED
JONATHAN COULTON started a yearlong songwriting project in 2005 …
Why did you decide to do Thing a Week?
I had just left my day job and decided to try my hand at becoming a professional musician, but no one was paying me to do that, so it seemed to make sense to pretend that it was my job and manufacture this boss with deadlines. It seemed like a good way to create real pressure to do things was to declare the intention to do it on the Internet. If you have an audience, it’s very hard to let that audience down.
What was your creative process like during each week?
Every Friday was when I put out the song. Monday I’d wake up, and I’d pick up the guitar, and if there was an idea there I’d run with it, but usually there wasn’t. So I would go and ride my bike, or go to the grocery store, or whatever it was, and then come back and pick it up. Once I actually had a thing to work on, I could usually do a recording in a couple of days’ time … or, if pressed, four hours!
How did the year progress?
The first week, I did an idea that I had been kicking around in my head for six years, and the second week I had another idea like that, but by week five I was out of those ready-made ideas, and it got kind of tough. So then I had to rely on really half-baked ideas that I never really liked, or stuff that I manufactured out of nothing, or suggestions from people. And then, when I ran out of tricks in my bag in the last quarter of that year, I was running scared, and I think as a result I was really stretching out and writing some risky stuff for me. And that’s my favorite material from the whole year! The thing I learned about myself is that I need to push myself, and when I do, good things can happen.
“Summer’s Over;”
What are the best things that came from doing your project?
This is my full-time job now, and it is literally a dream come true! It all springs from Thing a Week. Looking back on that year, it all makes perfect sense; I see exactly how I got here, and it was through those fifty-two steps! Left to my own devices, I produce things very slowly, and so compressing time in that way means that I now have a large catalog of songs, which is personally very satisfying, and artistically and professionally it gives me a lot of confidence.
Any advice for people considering starting their own yearlong project?
Just start doing it. Stop thinking about doing it. Stop everything you are preparing to do it. You don’t need to buy another piece of software. You don’t need to learn how to use this technique or this device. You already have the tools you need to start making the thing you want to make. Do not hesitate. It does not need to be good, public, or successful. It just needs to be done. The thing that got me through the difficult weeks was to say, “Your challenge was to write a bad song.” And yes, you can write a bad song pretty quickly, but the trick is that once you start writing a bad song, you have started writing, and you won’t actually finish the bad song, you’ll write a good song. It’s sort of a back door into the actual act of creating, and once the ball gets rolling, it’s a lot easier.
“Soft Rocked by Me.”
These illustrations are by Len Peralta (www.lenperalta.com), who decided to accompany Jonathan Coulton on his Thing a Week project by creating his own image to go with each song.
Dale May | www.dalemay.com
An independent musician with the heart of a geek, Jonathan Coulton is a Yale graduate who left his day job as a computer programmer to stay home and write songs. Jonathan won the 2007 Game Audio Network Guild Song of the Year award for his composition Still Alive, which was featured in the critically acclaimed game Portal. All of the songs from the Thing a Week project are now available on CD, either individually or in a packaged box set, and his song Code Monkey is heard each week on the G4 television program of the same name. When not traveling the globe or using his powers for good, Jonathan resides in New York City with his wife and child.
Write a ten-word science fiction story. Bonus: Illustrate it!
Create something with papier-mâché. You can buy papier-mâché pulp and kits in art and craft stores, but it’s super easy to make, so why not give it a try? (See instructions on page 234.)
Make a puzzle or make something using pieces from a puzzle.
Work only with numbers today. You could make an image using numbers, make something into number shapes, do something involving a calculator, or … ?
Time travel. Make something that seems like it came from another era in history.
Use all of the shoes in your household to make something, or work on a single pair of shoes that were destined for the thrift store.
Work with the gravel, sand, or rocks available near your home.
Be bold. Go to a store that you frequently shop at or a restaurant where you frequently eat and ask what they’ll let you make there. You’ll probably do better with a local business than a chain store, and if you’re sharing your project, they’ll probably appreciate the publicity.
Get some chalk and work on the sidewalk near your home.
Make something inspired by and/or that fits on or around an ear (yours or someone else’s).
Work with shredded paper. Use an actual paper shredder or simply cut paper into thin strips. Maybe even give quilling a try. (See instructions on page 235.)
Make up a name and write a back story for a stranger you see today. Bonus: Create something based on what you’ve made up and give it to them.
Walk through an alley or along a small road and pick up discarded materials to work with. Don’t be afraid of a little dirt—just be careful not to cut yourself.
Try dyeing! Work with food or fabric dye. You can try traditional tie-dye methods or just paint it on. Experiment with unconventional materials.
Make something out of erasers. Kneaded erasers are great to mold, standard pink erasers can be easily carved, and straight pins can be used to attach them to each other.
Create a new kind of utensil. Functional or not, document it in use.
Make a visual pun. For example, a handbag made out of hands.
Keep it clean. Use a bar of soap to make something new. You can carve it with a knife, use it to draw, break it into pieces, or even make bubbles—just have fun.
Work with words. Make an image with just words or letters. You can cut them from magazines, draw them yourself, or print out words on a computer to work with.
Decorate a cake, pie, or cookie. Store-bought or homemade frosting can be used, but sprinkles, powdered sugar, and other toppings are fun to work with as well. Document it being eaten.
What can you do with a candle? Try using the drips from a lit candle to make an image, or use an unlit one to draw on a porous surface, then make the image appear with watercolor or ink. Or, as always, feel free to experiment.
Make something only using stuff from your workplace or office. If you don’t work, use items that are usually found in an office.
Work only with bubble wrap or any other packing materials you have on hand.
Make a piñata and destroy it! (See instructions on page 237.) Bonus: Have a party specifically for the occasion.
Use dry coffee beans, dry or wet coffee grounds, or even liquid coffee (in a cup or not) to create something today.
Write a letter to yourself at another time in your life (past or future). Bonus: Send it to someone who is currently that age and discuss it with them.
Nuts and bolts. Make something with any nuts, bolts, screws, or nails you have lying around. Borrow or buy some if you have to.
Nothing rhymes with orange. Work only with orange materials today. Try working on an orange surface for a real challenge.
Ask a stranger for a suggestion of what to do today. Explaining what you’re up to is part of the experience! Bonus: Get them involved in the actual thing you make.
Work backward. Work in front of a mirror, looking at what you’re creating only in the mirror until you’re finished.
Make an invitation to an everyday event you wouldn’t normally invite people to. Bonus: Actually send them out.
Work with time. Try making something that is only visible in a long-exposure photograph. Drawing with a laser pointer, flashlight, or a sparkler in the dark are a few options; you can even create an image by moving the camera itself. If you don’t have a camera that can do the job, see if a friend can help.
