Hey, Creatives!

April 2021: Keeping Your Keyboard off Creatives

By Candice “Ordered Steps” Johnson

When it comes to projects, much of a Creative’s measure of “success” is determined by ensuring the crossed “Ts” and dotted “Is” we’ve meticulously toiled over can withstand the test of harsh criticism of scrutinous eyes, deeming whether or not our art is worthy for public consumption. Is it entertaining? Uplifting? Who will it offend, and who may be jealous that they didn’t create it first?

Listen, we know what it took to birth that project. Countless late nights, investing funds that were barely there, and the tears that sacrificed themselves just so we could have some sort of relief before our faith manned up for real. Every step we’ve taken to assume our rightful place on the artistic map has been taken with humility, grace, fear, anxiety, self-imposed trauma and DOUBT. These feelings are the common denominators which thread creatives together…until one of us pulls the string, which can unravel us all. Because we’re no stranger to our hearts feeling as if it’s going to explode from our chests right before taking the leap to introduce our latest finished product to the world, the one thing we have to do is to protect each other. It’s hard out here in these creative streets, especially when a simple social media scroll can easily turn into seeing our art vilified for “likes.” It hurts. But what cuts even deeper is seeing the blood drawn by a fellow creative. Will we enjoy every book we read, movie we watch, or song that’s produced? Chances are, NO. But what we shouldn’t do is head to our favorite platform to trash what we didn’t like. It’s alright to have a difference of opinion – especially since each of us have our own unique pallet. What’s not okay is participating in the destruction of someone’s work, simply because it wasn’t up to our “standards.”

For me, one of the best parts of being a creative is SUPPORTING other creatives. Support doesn’t always amount to money, although it helps. Support can be as simple as electing to keep our keyboards off other creatives when their art doesn’t hit our pallet in the right way.

Before posting something that can negatively affect another person’s art, consider this: How did it feel the last time you read something similar about yours?

Keep creating, Creatives! And in the meantime, don’t lower the boom, raise the praise!