As an Artist, You Decide What Is Normal

A true artist decides what is normal.

This is true regardless of where you are reading this article from.

The problem in today’s world is that we tend to easily forget that. We start off with a gumption of creativity and when folks around us don’t validate our ‘art’ via likes, shares, comments, etc.. we either become critical of our work or stop sharing our artistic talents with the world altogether.

Am I wrong?

Over this past year, I have spent some time thinking about true art and how it is so hard to find (especially online) as platforms like Medium become more and more hyper-structured. It’s almost as if platforms and voices birth out of creativity but then feel no choice but to conform to the norms of readers, rules, users, and subscribers around them.

If you don’t believe me, think about the last time you actually created a piece of art that was not influenced by what you thought people would think of you if you shared it with the world. If it was recent, what did that feel like? I am betting it felt damn good!

So what happened?

Why did you stop?

Why did you change direction?

Why did you conform to what you felt folks would enjoy versus bringing your true artist talent and creative thought to the world?

Lots of questions to ponder.

In my own life, I had to take a break from writing twice because this happened to me. I felt like what started as an artistic hobby morphed into a conforming obligation. I felt that I ‘had’ to publish something for my readers regardless of how I felt or what I was really writing. I lost my artistic tones. I lost my creativity. My writing turned from a honey chai tea latte to a regular coffee and I had to take a pause because I wasn’t feeling like a true artist any more.

In that pause, this is what found me. The truth that true art is not influenced or built for monetary gain. It is created and shared with the world not for acceptance by the many but for acceptance by the few.

If you are a creative writer on Medium, my hope is that you continue to be a conscious artist.

Don’t conform.

Don’t over edit and chop loads of your content because you feel it won’t resonate. Maybe it will! Maybe your un-edited thought will transform someone elses life. Maybe your article will change the way someone sees the world. Raw can be good. You decide what is normal and what is not. You shape the world. Keep shaping it!

For readers on Medium, seek out and celebrate raw, artistic work. It is so hard to find with so many writer’s saturating the market. Find the most creative work, read it and treat the clap button like a supportive paintbrush!

Encourage creative art in world that tends to drift chocolate or vanilla.

Ryan