Losing My Muse
It took me awhile –and in a minute you will understand why — to write this blog post. I wanted to be able to accurately capture my feelings about what I do for a living without slighting those who do not work in the arts. I meant this blog post for all those who harness creative forces for work or play –but mostly for work. You will understand my frustration and sympathize with my current feelings of inadequacy; you understand that performance of the arts is both a discipline and an act of divinity. Artistic endeavors appear effortless to those who have never attempted them professionally. The ballerina makes dancing look easy, great artists make painting look like child’s play, and the ubiquity of computer keyboards leave people with the impression that anyone can write a novel.
Such is not the case.
muse
myo͞oz/
noun
plural noun: Muses; plural noun: muses1.(in Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences. Synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus; forma lafflatus “the poet’s muse”
2.a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist. Synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus; forma lafflatus “the poet’s muse”
I have created many creative solutions in my lifetime and I can definitely say that the process of designing an application or writing the copy for a website exerts more energy than the actual coding of it. Coding an application is logical. Once you have your requirements you apply the right algorithms and your work on the app is done. Designing the app and writing appealing copy takes more time and more of my energy than it ever did to write the script because there is an intangible, emotional component to this type of creation that is either there for you or it’s not. Don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly not saying that design is strenuous or physically harder than manual labor or even coding (it’s not). What I am saying is that the ideas do come from a different place inside of my head. As a designer and as a writer I often feel as if I am channeling some greater power or ethereal energy.
Creativity is tied to inspiration and emotions. It is why songwriters can write the best music when they have either lost someone they loved or met someone and fallen in love. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say “I was inspired” when coming up with a recipe or even after painting their home. The inspiration behind creativity has a particular spirit; a muse, if you will, and that muse can only appear when we have fertile-blank- space waiting for it within us. When we are happy and want to share the happiness with others our muse arrives with flowers and gold dust. When we are mourning the loss of love or a loved one another muse will arrive to enable us to memorialize him or her. Muses hate mental clutter, preferring either blank space to work with or a single point of focus for their magical energies. What they don’t like, unfortunately, are brains that are wrapped around business squabbles or dealing with financial issues. They steer as far away from the pedestrian, as possible. Muses need the right energy and room to play, which means no pressing worries or stress that can soak up our thoughts and emotions like angry sponges.
We cannot be inspired nor create works of genius when we have bills to pay or irksome people to deal with. Name one good story whose plot is focused on the litigation between two businesses or a song written about how the man you hired to steer your company embezzled money from you over a ten year period. Beyonce doesn’t have a hit song about that, now does she? No, she doesn’t.
Creativity comes with a price. Designer’s rut and writer’s block happen. They happen when life becomes too challenging. They happen when our brains are cluttered with trying to manage the petty disputes and difficulties that life tosses our way. They happen when people abuse our trust. Your creativity cannot rise when you have troubles occupying your creative space. Most recently, I have become embroiled in a dispute that has simply drained me of my creativity. My trust was broken, and I cannot seem to pull the magic out of the past few weeks. I am a woke person and that sensitivity is why I am able to empathize with my audience. I can put myself in their shoes and design expressly for them. But now I am left hurt, and at a loss for inspiration. My muse was –temporarily- gone.
My point with this rather lengthy post is to highlight the problems creative people face daily, weekly, monthly and to defy the idea that if you’re not sweating, saving a life, or putting someone on the moon you aren’t deserving of praise or pay. It isn’t easy being a web designer. It isn’t easy writing copy. It isn’t easy creating logos that people will respond to. Just because a logo looks simple doesn’t mean it was easy to create or isn’t deserving of a few thousand dollars — just ask the folks at Apple and Nike. The whole world now associates an apple with innovation and quality and a swoosh with athletic excellence. That writer who can “effortlessly” pump out your content spent more time on that copy than you know; they only made it look easy because they are just damn good at what they do. JK Rowling was a secretary creating daily letters and making barely enough to live off of before she gave the world Harry Potter. Carolyn Davidson was only a design student when she came up with the most iconic logo in fashion. True story: Phil Night of Nike paid her $2 an hour to design the logo and couldn’t believe she spent 17.5 hours on something “so simple.”
Just because we make it look easy, doesn’t mean it is.
Our talents are not only needed, but integral to life itself. As a friend of mine once said, Everything we do in life is done so that we can enjoy the arts. You work to enjoy a beautiful home designed by an architect or to purchase a pair of shoes designed by a materials artist. You spend your money on music, books, and games. While food and water sustain us physically, it is the pursuit of love and art that makes life worth living. So for those of you who enjoy the arts or have creative people working for you, understand that their ability to dazzle you and your customers comes at a price. Respect their craft, respect their intuition, and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve so that they can continue to channel that muse and make magic happen.
Oh yes, my Muse is back.
