Have you ever felt drained by your craft?
As creative people, we often fall target to much judgement and criticism. It can be very difficult to push past the disapproval of others, especially these days with social media. When you create something new, you put yoursel fin a vulnerable position.
I was watching a TED talk on this subject a few weeks ago, where the speaker mentioned that back in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, there was a common belief that creativity came from a ‘genius’, which was some kind of invisible creative being hiding in the walls of the artist’s studio, helping him come up with the ideas. This created distance for the artist with his work and helped them remain humble and not take criticism as personally. Over time, during the renaissance period, people became more self-centered and started calling individuals ‘a genius’, rather than ‘having a genius’. The amount of pressure to produce the highest quality, or the most original idea, and being frequently compared to others, can be extremely damaging to our mental health. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, and as a writer, I’m constantly reminding myself that I don’t need to write like someone else to be a writer. That every time I compare myself to others, I get farther and farther from the writing in my own style. It’s difficult not to take negative comments and judgements to heart, but if we listen to all of it, we might never write another word again.
I’d rather be judged for my writing, then never write another word again.
Written by: Michelle Young