It’s important for artists have a why. Why do they create? This answer—it can more than one and it often changes over time—acts as a compass to guide the creator. My own why has changed. And for a time when I was floundering with my writing, it circled around to, at least partly, that I’d lost my why.
Creativity, like everything in life, ebbs and flows. It’s tough to ride the ebbs. If we celebrate the flows, then maybe we can shorten the hard times or have tools in our toolbox to help us navigate difficult days and return to the ease of making art. I started writing as a way to understand the human condition. My stories investigate social ills. They also immerse the reader in the emotions of the characters (and the plot).
For some artists, they create as an act of rebellion. Telling or showing the truth is their why. Throughout history, depicting what the artists sees and interprets of society, has been a way to record that history. In places with extreme governments, that depiction caused the death of the artist. That would certainly make the artist think hard about their why!
When society is in turmoil, it could be a call to all creatives. They are the ones who show others the changes occurring. They are the ones who remind others the right to free speech, even in a place where such a freedom is squashed. For some artists, the truth is bigger than those who believe the freedom of art should not exist. Our why for making art can change, and sometimes that why is bigger than the individual artist. Do you know your why?
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