Being creative is cumulative.
When you make something, whether writing or sculpture or video or drawing or any of a myriad of other things, it prompts the formation of connections in your mind – both physical and mental – that leads to greater innovation, creativity, connectivity, and diversity. It’s exciting to create, because you never know exactly what the finished product will be like. Serendipity is addictive and spontaneous, exciting and encouraging. To find that something can work out even better than you thought – though it looked as though it would utterly fail – is rewarding and weirdly reassuring. It affirms that it’s all right to take a chance, all right to spend the time and money and material on doing something that you enjoy.
Creating doesn’t have to lead to profit. People who work in a creative marketplace can feel a stifling pressure to make money from all of their projects, and feel like any creative time spent on something that won’t directly lead to compensation is a waste. This is a dangerous perception. In reality, creativity needs to be freeing and fun, especially for creative people. Stress kills innovation and creativity. It’s actually important to take time to work on things that aren’t moneymakers, to branch out and find things that inspire you, make you interested and intrigued, press your buttons and make you want to get your hands dirty. If you start feeling like all your time is spent only on work, that you have no time to play and relax, then stop. Take a breath. Do something you’ve been wanting to do. This is important for both mental and physical health. LIfe is demanding. People are insistent. You’re always asked, “What have you done lately?” But the people who are the most fulfilled in the long term are the ones who step back, who take care of themselves, who make time for important things, and who give something away once in a while.
Robin McKinley, a famous and excellent writer, is still producing novels. But on her blog she’s recently been sharing a work of fiction called KES for free with her readers – because, as she puts it, “It’s funny about KES. It’s real work, it’s real brain energy, it’s yet one more frelling thing that I do. But it gives back more than it takes away—to me.” (robinmckinleysblog.com, August 15 2012 post) Because she takes the time to produce something she wants to make – even if she’s not making money from it directly – it benefits her in a very meaningful way.
The take-away from all this is, take a break. Rest by creating something that you want to make, trying something you want to do, and giving yourself permission to mess around. There’s no doubt that you will find it will give you more than you thought, and inspire you to be better at what you already do.