What is Creative Sparks?

tl;dr: Creative Sparks is a personal project born out of the desire to create but feeling trapped because of the lack of direction or support. For three months, you commit to receiving a weekly prompt and participating in a community of like-minded creatives. There is no limit on the creative medium you choose, though the prompts favor the written and visual arts. Begins on January 22. Edited to add exact date.

Prompts preview

Week 1. Shadow patterns
Week 2. Your relationship to work and productivity
Week 3. Cozy
Week 4. Architectural detail
Week 5. Monotone
Week 6. Lush
Week 7. A different POV
Week 8. Candid
Week 9. Still life
Week 10. Dark and moody
Week 11. Identity
Week 12. Childhood snack

How it works

Prompts will be emailed out to participants on Sundays. You can preview the prompt topics in the section above.

Each prompt post will include the theme, a few sentences about it, examples of directions you can take, and a mood board. The extras are just that: extras to springboard off of if you need that boost. Interpret the theme how you want!

Throughout the week, you can hang out in the chat (download the Substack app) to talk about the prompt and share your creative projects.

How to participate

If you aren’t a tanJennts subscriber, sign up by hitting the subscribe button, emailing hi at jennchen.com, or messaging me your email on IG @thejennchen. Then go to step 2.
Subscribe now
If you are a subscriber, go to your profile photo > manage subscription, and check the section to opt-in.
what the “manage subscription” page looks like
Choose the medium(s) you want to use and any limits on it. Some examples are below:
- Write 500 words
- Take one photo
- Create a digital drawing
- Shoot a short video
- Construct a ceramic piece
- Make a cocktail recipe

Ground rules

Once a week, read and reflect on the prompt. Create your own interpretation of it.
Share with others in the group. It’s up to you if you want to share beyond the group.
No hate, no bullying, and no judgment on the work quality you create. Content-wise, hate speech will not be tolerated.

Why this exists

If you’ve read this far and want to know why I’m doing this, there are several reasons.

One, challenges are fun. Having a set amount of time, such as three months, gives you the space to work on your creativity but not so long that you can’t commit to it.

Second, having a support network is helpful for these. Creative energy feeds off other creative energy.

Third, my word for 2023 is Leap, and this is one of the projects I wanted to take a creative risk on. If even one other person participates, I’ll be happy!