The Write Elizabeth
writing. creativity. play. life.
photo credit: stevendepolo
I’m taking Margo Dill’s great online class on Children’s Writing, which mostly focuses on the business side of the writing. She also blogs at WOW-Women on Writing, often contributing pieces about writing for children. But today our assignment is to discuss creativity. So, I’m tweaking it and asking you all, because it is affects many creative folks–writers and non-writers,alike–and how they perceive their own work:
Is creativity best served as the result of an organic part of yourself or in response to the call of the market forces? Or can you have both?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
7 Responses to Creativity for love or money?
Leave a Reply
Subscribe through RSS- Review of Here, Home, Hope 16 June 2011
- Punctuation and Creativity? 31 May 2011
Member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors
Member of One2One
FInished all 31 days!
I disclose
Hey, I decided to check out some blogs I have been meaning to lately, and what a great post today!!!
LOL You’ll have to let me know what people think about this. It is a hard question if you want to be a published writer. 
Margo
For me, the marketing spirits are paralyzing. To approach a creative project with marketability, or even just other people, in mind completely changes how I feel about what I am creating; my inner critic rules. If I work selfishly I can slap that critic down and out. I may not be clear yet–I’m only 64–on what the organic part of myself really IS, but at least I can function.
I think folks for know they have a creative spirit have a hard time tamping that spirit down. That said, vocations that allow for full creative expression don’t always pay the bills. And those who use their creative juices to meet market needs are sometimes considered sell-outs (or is that the jealousy of others speaking?).
(Kim from MomImpact)
Kim,
I agree that those vocations often don’t pay the bills…and sometimes when they do pay the bill, the paycheck dampens creativity! It seems like such a vicious cycle–with or without any jealousy towards others!
Thank you,
Elizabeth
Hi Lynne,
You write that if you approach a creative project with marketability in mind completely changes your inner critic rules. But once you launch a creative project, are you able to return to it and work towards making it more of a marketable piece?
I know that as someone in the midst of revising a novel, I’m keeping the marketing in mind as I tweak the novel…while trying to remain true to my creative work.
Elizabeth
Thanks for stopping by, Margo!
Alignment of the blogging planets, I’d say! …Now I need to get back to writing my assignment for your class.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! So happy to find you through the Blogathon. Just subscribed to your site. Love all the creative thinking you’re doing here. I really believe that when we’re working from our own core that we’re connected to the larger whole of the market as well, allowing us to work on an idea we love that others will love as well.