I’ve always struggled with being monogamous when it comes to my creative projects. Sometimes this comes at the cost of not finishing one project or another. (I have hundreds of unfinished stories hiding in multiple digital clouds.) And my creative projects go far beyond writing. I like to make mobile apps. I used to do a podcast. I just started making neurotic music. And if you’ve seen me loitering around Writer Unboxed, you know I also like to make YouTube videos (warning: new video incoming!).
For a long time, I elevated the writing as the one reputable activity. The others were just cute little pastimes. But recently, while struggling with chronic pain, sleep issues, and now, with all that is going on around the world (and specifically in the United States!), I’ve come to a new perspective on how I view my creative projects. All these creative projects have value. When I can, I work on whichever creative project is best suited to this moment, taking into account my state of mind, my mood, my state of health, the amount of time I’ve got—whatever feels right. It is OK to listen to the ebb and flow of whatever is ebbing and whatever is flowing.
If I want to write an essay about what’s going on in the world, great. If I want to make a song about headaches, no problem. If I want to make a video about the writing struggle, cool. If I want to write a short story about some silly thing that doesn’t even try to tackle the bigness of what is happening outside my door, there’s no shame in that either.
What’s funny about this acceptance is that I’ve been able to be more productive with this new mindset. (Not that “productivity” is the main goal here.) I feel more free, more open, less conflicted, less guilty.
I know not everyone wants to work on multiple creative projects at the same time. But I wonder for those of you out there who have other creative outlets, what is your relationship to these outlets? Do you consider one outlet more important than another?
Oh. Yeah. I almost forgot about the video I made about this whole subject. I think it characterizes my perspective better than these words—a video felt like a more natural way for me to tell this story. So here it is:
I made this video before the brutal murder of George Floyd and the protests, but as I write this post, I’ve started to realize how much more I need to understand and engage with what is going on around racism. I’m familiar with bigotry against Jews, but I have a lot to learn about racism against Blacks. I know that there are so many places to start, but I’ve started by reading some books by Ibram X. Kendi (both on my own and with my family). I’m also donating both time and money to organizations that fight racism, and I’m writing letters to local leaders who can make changes. I know this video and blog post are not about racism, but I still wanted to share my clumsy-but-sincere efforts to learn and engage.
About Yuvi Zalkow
Yuvi Zalkow's first novel was reluctantly published in 2012 by MP Publishing. His forthcoming novel will be published by Red Hen Press. His stories and essays have been published in Glimmer Train, Narrative Magazine, Carve Magazine, The Daily Dot, Rosebud, The Poop Report, and others. He occasionally makes YouTube videos and apps for iPhones. Check out his website if you actually want to find out more.
Superb, and true, been this way most my life, lol! – “ recently, while struggling with chronic pain, sleep issues, and now, with all that is going on around the world (and specifically in the United States!), I’ve come to a new perspective on how I view my creative projects. All these creative projects have value.”
Thank you, Felipe. Good luck on your projects!
First, I just want to compliment you on your choice of PBR for the drunk schmucks. Seems perfect for us, lol.
I’m not nearly creative nor versatile enough to have any multipotentiality. But I have been cooking again. When I was in the biz world, I cooked to blow off steam. And my skillz in the kitchen just sort of faded away. The quarantine has me honing them again, and it feels good… And useful! (Who needs all of those expensive restaurant trips?) I’ve even got a bumper crop of herbs and a weekly CSA I’ve been incorporating. And you’re so right–it helps me to keep hopelessness at bay, too.
What a perfect way to start the weekend, Yuvi. This was an “expected delight.” Thanks for the laughter and inspiration. Here’s to fighting hopelessness.
Even though my cooking skills are only so-so, I can totally see how cooking works as a creative and meditative and just all-around-fabulous activity to push away the hopelessness. Thanks for the feedback and all the help along the way, Vaughn!
Ah, another Yuvi take. It’s kind of weird how your videos show what’s in my brain. Except I’ve not said “drunk schmucks” since college. I can’t believe you make that techno music during a migraine. Oy. Only Gregorian chant for me. But seriously, I love how the different creative outlets cross-pollinate. I spend inordinate amounts of time listening to church music and singing it or playing it, and even recruited my husband :) I wrote a bunch of short stories and got my daughter to make art for it (I paid her). But that novel is nudging me again…but so is another nonfiction book…so I’m not in a hurry to make any social engagements. There’s always the cooking, cleaning, gardening, and my husband got bees this spring so it’s been really cool watching them do their stuff. Take care, Yuvi. Thanks for the laughter and joy.
Thanks for the feedback, Vijaya! Sounds like you have lots of fun projects in the works as well! I love the idea of having art for the short stories! And yeah, the migraines are not always conducive to noisy activities, so I sometimes just listen to a quiet audiobook on those rough days. And, like you, the social engagements (as well as the social media interactions) are a bit less frequent because of all the projects… 😜
Writing may come first, but it’s all too easy to let that priority become a compulsion and to get stuck in the false belief that any time and energy devoted to another art form is unforgivable thievery.
I am reactivating my early love of photography (so easy now that printing can be done at home–no more fussing with film and developing) and find that it is more than relaxing and restorative; it fertilizes the writing.
Surely all the arts cross-pollinate one another.
Thanks, Yuvi, for this joyful interlude.
Good to hear from you, Anna! Yeah, photography seems like an incredible art form that I haven’t explored too much myself. Though I love listening to photographers talk about how they take their photos 😜 Wish you the best!
Thanks for the affirmation.
Soon after the quarantine started, it was clear that I needed to take this time to learn how to play again. I picked up an old hobby if jewelry-making and forced myself to make beauty for beauty’s sake and let go of all results and expectations. I’m not trying to start a jewelry business. And as expected, the focus eventually came back around to writing, but into a completely unexpected area – poetry. And I’m having to apply the same no-expectations mindset to see where it leads.
Creativity is soup, and noodles are just as vital as chicken.
Thank you.
That’s so cool that the writing came back in the form of poetry. (And your chicken noodle soup metaphor is fabulous.) Thanks, Maria!
I love this–thanks. I like to think I’m a one-woman band and my talent is writing–but when the rejections come in, I’m gardening, arranging flowers, dabbling in arcylics (I did one kinda good painting and the rest my grandson (he’s 9) just kinda smiles.) But hey, we bond over art. Life is great when you reinvent yourself on a weekly basis. So thanks for this, made my day.
Hi Beth — I love this idea of reinventing yourself every week. And I definitely relate to the bonding over art… I don’t really know how to draw (as you can tell from the video 😜), but my 11 year old and I have these drawing sessions that are fabulous. (Gardening and arranging flowers sounds like a wonderful activity too…)
I so agree! It’s all energy that bubbles up from the same spring. (Or, on a great day, erupts from the same geyser.) Just because I have an opportunity to monetize the one does not mean the others have less value.
Yeah, that’s really true, Regina. It took me a long time to learn that art isn’t a numbers game, if that makes sense… I need to (mostly) ignore the money or the attention the creative pursuits get…
What is your relationship to these outlets?
An uneasy truce & frequent overwhelm. I can’t help being interested in multiple different things but struggling with ‘lack of completion’ is a down-side. After all, we live in a world that wants you to just pick one thing & do it. I simply can’t. I need all the outlets. Yet the inesacapable truth is if you don’t finish a book, you can’t publish it. And I get SO many ideas. For books and art projects. I’ve taken Barbara Sher’s advice & keep track of all the ideas in a Scanner Daybook. If I didn’t keep track of them that way so much would be lost.
Do you consider one outlet more important than another?
When I’m feeling haughty I prioritize writing over other creative forms. Certainly, the number of hours I’ve invested into learning the craft of writing will pay off before my endeavors in the various visual arts where I haven’t been able to put as much time.
But I want to do it all! 8-)