I’ve found that lately I lack much motivation to create. It’s hard for me to focus on editing my novel. I don’t draw much anymore. I can’t even write these original stories I think up every night as I lay in bed trying to sleep. And I wondered why. It would be easy to blame it on laziness. But that’s not really all of it.
A friend of mine was asked once why she writes: for herself or for attention. At first, I related with the person asking the question. You should write for yourself.
But then I started thinking. Why does anyone write? I can’t answer that question for anyone but myself. And my answer? I write for other people.
If I say here and said I write for myself, I would be lying. I don’t need to write down a story if it’s only for myself. My imagination is far better and more creative than my brain can put into words. If I were writing for myself, I would never write at all. I would simply sit back in my chair or my bed, close my eyes and let my imagination run wild.
The act of taking those thoughts out of my head and putting a shadow of them onto paper isn’t done for my own sake. I do it because I want to share this crazy wonderful story with others.
I like to think that’s why others create, but I can’t answer for them. And I think that’s why I have trouble forcing myself to create anymore. When I feel like there’s nobody who cares about what I create, it gets harder for me to create anything.
And it’s not that I’m looking for praise even. I just want to create things that make people smile. That make them feel good or laugh or cry.
I guess what this all boils down to is that if you read a fanfic or see a piece of art that you like or anything that someone created, I hope you go tell them that. Because I think that it will make them very happy to know that their work made someone happy.
Don’t forget to feed and nurture your artists and writers and creative types.