For Yourself

Like most people who enjoy writing, I've been doing it since I could hold a pencil. It has been an outlet for my creativity, a solace in trying times, a source of excitement, and everything in between. Most of all, it has been private. Until recently, only school teachers, people who read my school's newspaper, and a handful of friends had really read anything written by me. Going "public" with my writing has been an adventure in itself.

Here are a few of my thoughts on sharing your art...

Any creative endeavor is an expression of something within that person that needs to be let out. Often, the catalyst is emotion.

A painter rendering a field of flowers on canvas may be letting go of sadness. Though, the viewer of his art may only see joy and happiness when they appreciate his work. Regardless, of what the painter was feeling, each person that sees the painting will interpret it through their own lens. Just because the painting elicits a different emotion from the person looking at it, doesn't make the emotion invested by the painter, any less valid. If the artist was intent on producing a specific emotion from the person who is seeing his work...it would, without a doubt, be an entirely different painting.

The same thoughts apply to writing, needle craft, woodworking...you name it. I think that if you are, consciously, creating for a specific goal, such as commercial success, your end product is going to be affected. This is glaringly obvious in the current state of main stream music. Here we see formulas developed by corporations. Everything from the beat, to the look of the singer is merely an algorithm. You can go back a decade or so and easily see and hear when this happened. Thanks, Disney...among others.

Rather than stifling society's creativity, it has just forced it onto a detour to make itself available to the public. Hence, we have some of our favorite artists and bands that we found mining YouTube, or some other site. Many of us find artwork that speaks to us, not in some chain store, but on Red Bubble or Fine Art America. Etsy and Ebay thrive on the creativity of individuals.

E books, no matter what site chosen to publish on, have made a dream into reality for many of us who scribble away for hours on end. Gone are the days of hoping to be published by a big house, like Penguin or Random. Or worse, being ripped off by some shady independent house. Luckily, I never fell into that second trap. Nor, have I ever attempted to submit any work to the mainstream big names.

I have wanted to be an author since junior high. But, I knew that I wasn't ready. Maybe I still am not. But, I'm going to share what I am doing. I have come to that point in my life. I'm doing what I feel driven to do. Writing not only clears my mind, it lights up my brain in ways nothing else does. I don't really ever expect to make my living at it. That would be great! I've heard of many people who have made it, independent of the mainstream machine. I am going to shoot for it. Someday. Someday, I'll hire a professional editor. And, my finished product will be radically changed. For better, probably. But, commercial success is certainly not why I do it.

I feel like I have to do this for myself. It is worth it to me. It feeds my Soul, while cleansing it at the same time. It's difficult in ways. But, the satisfaction of the process outweighs all the tough parts. I don't really expect anyone else to understand it. At least, not the same way I do. People relate to their world in their own way. And, that's beautiful. If we all thought the same way, what a bland world we would find ourselves in. I hope some enjoy what I imagine. But, in the end, it is for myself, that I write.

So, whatever it is that frees your Soul, lights up your brain, clears your mind, and makes you happy....Go for it! Stop waiting for tomorrow to piece that quilt, carve that wood, take that photo...Do it now. Listen to your own heart. And, don't worry too much about the rest. Do it for yourself.