There’s a fairy tale we tell ourselves about our artistic and creative pursuits.
We say, “I’m an artist.” Then boldly forget to back that statement up with real, consistent and meaningful art work. Are you really an artist if you don’t make your art every day?
The truth: If you last wrote something years ago you are not a writer.
You’re someone who writes.Quit saying you are a writer because you’re setting yourself up for a massive failure. To actually be a writer you need to write at least multiple hours every day. You won’t have anything to edit and mold into a good story, and you won’t accomplish any body of work if you don’t. Loving what you’ve written isn’t necessary, but you need regular rhythmic labor to exercise your ability to wordsmith.
What does it mean to be consistently an artist?
One who shows up habitually and does their creative work on time is an artist. Fame be damned. Creating your art has nothing to do with being well known or even considered the artist in your smaller community. In fact, it’s not about being known at all. Being consistent is a hard task master. To end your fairy tale you must have your own creative habit and live it like religion. Staying creatively fit requires daily practice.
If you can’t stop telling the tale of what you want or ought to be, ask yourself what the moral of your fictional story is about. Likely, the answer will be brutal because your fairy tale isn’t about creating. It breeds low self-esteem and depression to keep your creativity suspended where you perpetually reach for the unattainable. No fun. Just another sad story of make believe ever without a happy ending. Stop telling it. Real artists work their art daily, and dance with the tension between finding meaning in the final product versus the production of it.
Pick up your brush and doodle.
Paint the air if you have to. Write nonsense until you form words, then phrases and sentences. Tap your toes and hum. Action is the antidote in every fairy’s saga. Tonight you’ll have a real consistent and meaningful story to tell.
If you’re stuck in your fairy tale don’t look for a reason to create. Change your story and make art!
Sandy Nelson is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.
The online feature magazine, JenningsWire.com, is created by National PR Firm, Annie Jennings PR that specializes in providing book promotion services to self-published and traditionally published authors. Annie Jennings PR books authors, speakers and experts on major high impact radio talk interview shows, on local, regionally syndicated and national TV shows and on influential online media outlets and in prestigious print magazines and newspapers across the country.
