Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Writing What You HAVE to Write

Sometimes there is no reason behind a song you write.

I don't mean there's nothing behind the lyrics or the inspiration for the song, I just mean it may never be a song that is meant for any kind of recognition, fame, or even sharing.

That may sound strange, but sometimes I think we all put too much expectations on the songs we write, paintings we paint, blogs we blog, or anything we create. We do it and wonder, "I can't wait to see what THIS does!"

Oh we may have high and mighty goals and aspirations for it, with visions of saving the world with our art. I don't think those are necessarily bad either.

But sometime art just needs to be made because it needs to be made. Sometimes it's just for us.

I just finished a great book I had been reading in my morning devotion time. It was by Don Hahn, a producer of Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and more for Disney. The book is called "Brain Storm, Unleashing Your Creative Self."

Near the end, Hahn says this: "Most of what you create will be for your own enrichment or will be a stepping-stone to better, more insightful work. Maybe once or twice in a lifetime you will be recognized with public kudos, so in the meantime, create for yourself. Create because you have to, not to be famous, but because you are a living, breathing soul who must create or die a slow and boring death."

On my writing sabbatical this week, I'm following this advice. Yes, as always, I have multiple projects to write and prepare for. But I'm trying to write what comes, what interests me, and what moves me. This isn't something I always get to do in the rush of creating on demand for clients looking for audience approval and commercial success.

Like many of you reading this, I also have a following of listeners that I want to please. But sometimes the audience of One (God, not me) needs to be written to, and no I don't mean praise and worship music. What I mean here is that I have to write what is in me, which was put there by God.

So, I have to go now, and you know, make up stuff.

EC

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