Creativity

Recently someone commented on one of my poems and said they wished they could write a poem like I did.  This got me thinking and I decided to write an article about creativity.

First: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you don't share your creations because you don't think they are very good, you will have prejudged your work. Others may see it from a different view and their comments may get you to take a second look with a new appreciation for your work.

Second: We are not of a collective single mind.  Some people may enjoy your creations and others will not.  We like all kinds of ice cream or the only flavor would be vanilla. Just like art, photos, poems and any other creative endeavors there are going to be some who adore it and others who abhor it.

Third: Creativity becomes better with time and practice. The greatest artists that lived did not start out with masterpieces. It takes knowledge, skill and practice to hone your creations to be their best.

Fourth: Sometimes you need to create to create. Sometimes we need to scribble before we draw.  Or think of words or feelings we would like to use in a poem or article. The best creations happen when we are just tooling around with an idea.

Fifth: Never let anyone say you are too young, too old, too messy, too dumb to create. Creating is something we are all meant to do.  We just need to find the perfect medium that appeals to us and our styles.  Just as your Grandmother's sunday best apple pie was a creation she made out of love, so is the poem you wrote for English composition. There are no right or wrong when it comes to creating. You can get hints and suggestions and different takes on your creation from others. Poems don't have to rhyme and pictures don't have to be obvious objects.

Sixth: Create because it makes you feel good. There is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment when we finish writing as story or making up a poem or seeing a photo we took. We all need to make ourselves feel good and creating is one way to do that.