Creation is Simple

not easy, definitely simple

There are a couple of scenarios

- you haven’t put your work out for a while

- you have put out work and it hasn’t been received well

- you have never put your work out

- you have put out work that’s been received well

There’s a ton of fears that can surface in each of these very different cases.

I’m reminded of some of my favourite books written on creativity thinking about this topic.

Never putting work out there

- In the Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert writes about a particular story that came to her but at the time she couldn’t create the space to write it down - and a while later the exact same storyline with the precise details was published by another writer. ( I swear I see this with other creative projects in my own life as well.) Elizabeth then writes that she imagines that these ideas are floating around and find many people - but not many will do the work to bring them down - even less who finish and publish them.

Not putting work out there after a well received piece

- In the The Artists Way, Julia Cameron in one chapter talks about a writer who after publishing one book that was selling very well, could not get over the fear of his next work not living up to that standard again, therefore quit writing altogether. (and how many similar artist’s stories we’ve heard of )

Not putting work out after a ‘badly received’ piece

- In the The Creative Act, Rick Rubin he writes that in creation, you (the creator) and the piece come first, the audience comes second.

The actual effects of the work you put out there in a great proportion stay unknown to you. When people are triggered - maybe it helps them create changes they wished for? When people are deeply moved and uplifted - maybe they never give you feedback or they only do so after 5 years? Is there really such a thing as a badly or well performing piece?

Even the title of his book itself says it all - it’s always more about the act of creation than the ‘result’. Maybe to prove his point, he always puts out his instagram posts out for one full day only. Then deletes it. Mindblowing.

Not putting work out there for a while

- The dried up creative river, the discomfort of starting to work out again after time out, rebuilding your routines after holidays - we all know the those pains.

Here’s the thing with creating. It’s not easy, but it’s very simple. There’s countless formats for it. In each and every case, the way to get back into the flow, that gushing river of wild creation, is to sit down and do it.

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Can you tell in which scenario I am and how I made myself sit here to type up this piece from a mere few lines to here… :) ?

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My inspirations (as you seemed to like this section in my previous post) in sitting down and writing about writing:

• The workshop created by

  Emmie Rae
  and
  sierra mcdaniel
  on ‘All about Substack’

• Forming an intimate accountability/creativity group with my close friends and having our first call

• The brand new Substack of the ever inspiring

  SAT NAM LIVING
  and the comeback of the Substack of a dear muse and friend of mine
  Eszter Virág

• Talking about my fairy world drawings as a child with a dear friend of mine this afternoon and how much I miss creation for the sake of it

• Getting tea high on some GABA Zhao Zhou tea.

• Listening to songs like this

  

I’m curious, where are you at in your creative processes?

Could an online co-creation zoom call (where we all just sit and write and keep each other accountable like that) help you?

Let’s keep creating. It’s good for your health, your business and inspires your community.

We’re in this together, don’t ever forget that!

With love,

Zsófi