Do you suffer from the Straight-Line Syndrome? Not sure? Here's a quick way to check. When someone asks you, "Can you draw?", do you give a start of surprise and say, very rapidly, "You've got to be kidding! I can't even draw a straight line"?

Do you suffer from the Straight-Line Syndrome? Not sure? Here's a quick way to check.

When someone asks you, "Can you draw?", do you give a start of surprise and say, very rapidly, "You've got to be kidding! I can't even draw a straight line"?

I've noticed that the Straight-Line Syndrome doesn't draw the line, so to speak, at questions related to drawing. Straight-Liners will exhibit the same symptoms when asked various other creativity-related questions: "Can you paint/sing/dance/write?" "Do you like that painting/sculpture/poem?" The specific words in the answer may well differ, but the general tone remains the same: "You've got to be kidding! Me, paint/sing/dance/write? I'm not artistic enough." Or, even worse, "Oh, I can't tell if I like it or not. I'm not very good at that kind of thing."

It's time, I think, to debunk the straight line myth. Let's start with that straight line itself. First of all, is it really that important that you can't draw a straight line? Is the straightness of your line truly an accurate reflection of your creative ability?

Think about it this way. Anyone can draw a straight line. As long as you have a ruler, every single line you draw can be straight. It's not an impressive feat.

Try this. Take a sheet of paper and place two dots about two inches apart at the top of the paper and two dots two inches apart at the bottom of the paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, connect the dots on the left-hand side of the paper.

Nice straight line, right?

Now, connect the remaining two dots, on the right side of the paper, without using the ruler.

Take a good look at that straight line you drew with the ruler. It goes from here to there. Straight. No stops, no accidental curves, no breaks.

Now look closely at your freehand line. Ignore the fact that you haven't set it down with geometric precision. Remember, when you need a truly straight line, you do what any artist would do - you reach for that ruler. So take a good look at your not-straight, every which way line. Trace it with your finger. Count the surprises along the way: a strength in the way this section of the line curves slightly off-kilter, a softness over here, perhaps a bit of a tragedy over there

Take another look at the straight line. Notice something?

That straight line lacks the curves and bumps and hiccups that make a natural, freehand line so interesting.

So, the next time you feel the urge to say, "Not me. I can't even draw a straight line", remember that a straight line will get you where you're going. But the imperfect freehand line? Ah, now that line will tell you a story about your journey there.

Welcome to the place where you can finally get to work on your dream! 
HowMuchJoy.com

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