Writers Are Artists Without A Studio
Literature can be considered as an art in itself
People often roll their eyes whenever I try to portray writers as artists.
They find it hard to digest.
Even on the internet, you can easily find writers and artists being used as two different personas. I think in reality there’s not much difference between visual art and literature, they are very much interlinked.
I am drawing this conclusion because I have a fair share of experience as a painter as well as a writer. I have spent around 8 years as a painter and over a decade as a writer. Almost all my childhood was spent playing with paints and brushes. The tools for creating art forms differ but on the ground level, the psychology remains the same. Just like in any art form, we writers use our tools to communicate with the audience.
Like a painter, we use our words instead of colors to create stories. We create these stories out of nowhere, weaving them into strings and hooking our readers at the same time. These stories evoke the same emotions as when you observe a painting or even watch a movie.
People who think writing is too easy to be considered art cannot be so wrong.
Writing even influences other forms of art. Music, for example, is nothing but literature. Very much similar to poetry. I am not taking anything away from the individuals who perform them, they are truly amazing. But if you look carefully every song is nothing but a collection of words. Grouped together to form a rhythm.
The modern-day definition of the artist has changed a lot. It can be simplified as a person who wishes to express him-or herself using any medium. Just open Instagram or Pinterest, you find hundreds of such people. The same goes for Youtube as well. Everyone has this one desire in common.
The urge to express
Like every artist, writers too get the same feeling of expressing ourselves to the world. We use our words to showcase our art.
“True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist” -Albert Einstein
Our writings also create the same set of emotions in the audience as when you listen to any song or watch a movie. A finely crafted story can make you either cry or happy.
Again it was the desire you express that gave you emotions to react. On the contrary, apart from writing every other art form has a physical aspect to it. But not writing, it’s more like an imaginary world we create for our audience.
Writers create mental art
All visual art forms can be judged instantly. Everyone appreciates paintings and sculptures in museums because it’s easy and right in front of your eyes. You can make a judgment within seconds, the medium is either visually or audibly pleasing to you.
The title artist is largely driven by this judgment.
As writers, our medium of expressing isn’t that visual and our work cannot be showcased in a dramatic manner. You cannot just walk in a library and read every book stacked up just by observing. You can only form an opinion when you have read the entire content. Sometimes it takes days to appreciate the quality of a book and the writer behind it.
I know this because I read a lot of content every day.
The inability to showcase our work often separates us from other folks who create visual art. Also, the process of creating our art isn’t very intense either.
There’s no music or tune or any drawing on the wall. Content creation is not entertaining. Great books were written by people with just a typewriter and a chair. Typing and creating thoughts all by themselves.
The modern technology has brought new tools for writers to create their art. Today you just need a laptop and an internet connection.
Personally I prefer to write with a clean desk and a comfortable chair. But mostly it’s my laptop and nothing else.
On the contrary, a painter or musician may have a studio dedicated to creating their art. This studio attracts people and it is very attractive for their audience. I like it too.
The title artist is largely driven by this judgment, where you instantly make an opinion presented to you. Literature is a little different, it needs time and dedication to crate and consume the content.
This judgment should not deprive the writers of the recognition they deserve. Every story that we create is a result of passion, dedication, and grit. Any art form is a result of a passion for creating it. You cannot please your audience if you are not passionate enough. It reflects back in the work.
Yes, we writers are artists too but without a studio.
You just read another exciting post from the Book Mechanic: the writer’s source for creating books that work and selling those books once they’re written.
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