How To Stay Popular in the Creativity World

It’s hard to become popular in the world of creativity these days, let alone maintain that status. You would think that just because you can be original, you can earn the respect of your fellow artists. No matter how creative and original your works are, they always have to go through the eyes of critics. But what is originality? It seems to be a word that is almost always linked to creativity. Except, creativity can exist without one being original, whereas artists who produce original pieces are always creative. Meaning to say, if you can be a brand of your own, it shouldn’t be hard for you to become well-known.

What is hindering you from a breakthrough?

Nothing we create is truly original. I have read an article back in 2010. It was by Janis Zroback. I read it again today to get a refresher on the point she was trying to make. She claims that denying the influences that surround us is only embracing and displaying ignorance of the human condition. She also said that every artist is linked in some way to an artist from the past. And I agree. An individual’s creativity is influenced by the forms of art that he or she was exposed to and grew up on. Janis calls originality a spectre, because like a spectre, one could question just out of philosophy if it truly does exist. Though, she closed her article by saying that this is far from being  a problem, because what is important is the individual approach of artists and the manner in which we release our experiences and influences upon a canvas or in words.

If originality is not so much of a factor, how then can we become popular and stay that way in the creativity world?

1. The number one rule is to always break the rules. Art has no standards. When you carefully examine your work all the time so that you won’t mess up, you end up putting a limit to your creativity. When we were younger, we were taught that we must color within the lines. Sure, the work comes out clean, but it looks the same with all our classmates’. Whose work does the teacher notice? Of course it’s the kid’s, who shaded the picture from all directions and didn’t color within the lines. In literature, one rebel I absolutely admire is Lewis Carroll. One of his most popular works is Jabberwocky, a poem full of words that he just came up with because for him, no existing word can truly describe what he is trying to say. He didn’t mind what others might think or that no one would understand his work, but look where it got him. Many of his terms are now added on modern dictionaries.

2. Always look on the brighter side of things. A bit of optimism goes a long way. Just because you didn’t get the honor you know you deserve right away, doesn’t mean it will never happen. Good things always take time. If you think patience has nothing to do with popularity just because most of those who are famous are so by mere chance, you’re wrong. Everyone has an equal shot at something, and they who persevere deserve the attention. Consider these things; even diamonds go through a rough stage and; before pearls are made, the oyster goes through a lot of pain.

3. Treat your craft as you would a significant other. Personify your skills. And what is the best foundation for a good relationship? Trust. You will not always achieve perfection in your creations, but believe that practice makes it possible. It does. You can even learn from nature on this matter. The shark for example, is thought to be a mindless hunter. But if you study its behavior, you will find that it actually goes through a lot of failed attempts at getting its prey before it masters the attack. Once it has mastered it, it grows more confident. This is probably why sharks come off as arrogant creatures, but not at all mindless. When we want our creativity to shine, we must think like Pablo Picasso, not as a painter, but as an artist in general. He did not concern himself with the past and the future. He only trusts in what he creates in the present and hopes that it will remain in the present. And remain, his works did.

To sum things up, the three-step way to gaining and maintaining popularity in the world of creativity is; there are no rules; think positive; believe. Now go forth, and create!