In my last Creative Life post I discussed the ideas of inspiration and where they come from. In this post I would like to address something that is unique to creative people, but especially to writers.
This notion that we are all depressed or bipolar or recluses.
While aspects of the above stereo-types may well be true, they are not the whole story, not by a long shot in the dark.It is true that I myself have struggled with depression, and know of more than a few friends who have done the same, but it is by no means the rule when living a creative life.
There are few aspects to living a creative life that seem to be slightly universal, that most are introverted, thoughtful, caring people. It seems to me that creative people just think differently, their brains are wired differently and they have different needs than others. Let me clarify, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS. It is simply the differences in how people operate.
I will only speak for myself here, and will use my own life as an example.
There are times when I don't feel like doing anything. Therefore, my laundry may wait longer to get done than normal, the house might not be cleaned on the correct day of the week, and I may end up sitting around watching re-runs of my favorite tv shows or movies all day. The humorous part is that often I won't even know why I feel the need to do nothing. But literally every time afterwards my mind pushes through a barrier of some sort and my stories end up better, or I am able to get through a tough spot in writing. I may find an answer for something intangible that I didn't even consciously know was a problem. But my subconscious worked it out and then handed my conscious mind the newly polished thoughts.
On the other hand there are times when I am trying to get through a blockage in writing where the entire house has been cleaned spotless, my laundry is done several times over, the rodents cage is perfect and suddenly my room is arranged like a museum. These times too, my mind is trying to work through something whether I realize it or not. And within a few days I usually have my answer to a problem that I never consciously thought about.
Yes, I understand that this sounds slightly manic and depressive, which I suppose is why the stereo-typing of writers exists. However, I am not bi-polar. This just seems to be the physical or tangible way for my subconscious to work through things.
As far as the recluse stereo-type goes...well, being around large groups of people is exhausting. Writers, I have noticed including myself, seem to be more introverted than other people. They are typically observing others, noting behaviors, personalities and so on. This observation gives them the fodder to create the characters that people love to read about.
Being forced to interact with others can exhaust their creative energies, even when they want to be social. The introverted writer or creative person would rather put their energy into creating something for everyone to enjoy for years to come, rather than suffer through an evening of stifled hostilities and redundant conversations. They need to recharge their batteries with alone time rather than with others.
These differences make each and every person unique, and adds flavor not only to our lives but also our society as a whole.
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