Many people think that when God gives them a gift to prosper them it will be easy. I personally know of several people who believed God told them to write a book. So they did. However, the books were disorganized with many grammar and spelling errors. The books were very thin with horrible covers. Yet, they wanted someone to pay top dollar for them. Also, they thought that once the book was done it would sell itself. For everyone who is creative, here is one man’s experience that demystifies this illusion.
Why Real Creativity Requires Significant Work, Part 1
Michael Hyatt was one of four speakers at “The Creative Life” conference on the Re:create Cruise 2011. In this post he recaps the process of writing a book and getting on the New York Times bestsellers list. What he thought was going to happen, didn’t and brought great discouragement to him. However, he pushed forward, reaping the rewards of his struggles.
Read more details of Hyatt’s process of publishing his book, The Millennium Bug.
Michael Hyatt is the Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the U.S
Do you find his experience to be a typical experience when it comes to being creative? What were your experiences?
Why Real Creativity Requires Significant Work, Part 2
In this post he shares the common myths that aspiring writers and other creative people have about the creative life. He refers to it as “The Romantic View of Creativity.” He goes into detail concerning the following four myths:
- The creative life is easy and effortless.
- People will beat a path to your door.
- People will love you for your art.
- You might just get rich – or at least be able to make a living.
He combats these myths by showing you that:
- Real creativity involves a mass amount of work. He refers to the “10,000-Hour Rule.”
- Real creativity involves a lot of promotion. While you may have help it ultimately is your job to promote your work. He asks the question, “If you have invested the hours creating the work and really believe in it, then wouldn’t you want to get the work out to as many people as possible?”
- Real creativity invokes criticism. So you must stay focus on what you are doing and why you are doing it. Everyone is not going to be for you. You are to learn the difference between your friends, critics, and trolls, which he defines in part 2 of creativity and hard work.
- Real creativity can make you some money, but it takes deliberate action. You must put a price on your art. If you don’t think it is worth anything, why should anyone else?
He leaves us with this thought, “The only thing standing between you and your dream is hard work and persistence.”
Do you agree or disagree with his myths? Do you have any more myths you could contribute? Were his myth busters informative?