“No vision is real until it’s enacted upon the earth for the people to see.” —Black Elk
I love writers and poets and artists and musicians and all those crazy dreamers who have the guts to enact a vision and put it out in the world for the people to see. But the world is rarely kind to dreamers, and sometimes hope can feel like a traitor. So I’m starting this page as a way to post things that might help those of us who’ve dreamed, and created, and failed, and gotten up to create again. Let us be heroes to each other. And let us help each other enact those crazy, desperate, beautiful, often ineffable visions.
If you haven’t seen this short video, it deftly sums up the reality of publishing today. I have to warn you, though, it involves Hitler and contains a few F-bombs, but it’s pretty damn hilarious. Many thanks to Colin Falconer for creating this.
“I can’t keep defeating myself. I can’t keep repeating the mistakes of my youth.” —Eels (the song I just happened to be listening to as I wrote this post).
Bottom line: We tend to think transformation can only come through suffering. But transformation can come through joy, love, hope, and belief. Artists need to let go of their attachment to suffering. It’s not the only way to discover truth. Write from love, not fear. And be a dreamer until the bitter end.
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Please comment below with other quotes, insights, links, or advice for all those trying to keep the courage to create.
Yes, the suffering must end. It is not needed. We will walk through peaks and over valleys, but it is our journey. Without it, we wander lost among the words.
A short inspiration piece of mine is here: http://deankmiller.com/2013/07/18/moments-of-inspiration/
Agreed. Thanks, Dean! And thank you for the link to the beautiful post.
That video was fantastic. it might be my new favorite.
also that song, not a fan of the acutal music, but i love the lyrics. it’s super easy to become “trapped” by the world we are in. But it’s never too late to turn around, is it?
transformation can also come through technology… like the transformers.
and here we have all the random thoughts from Susan’s head.
Mr. Mitchell, you are awesome, and your books have been inspirational and helped me get through a lot. the Secret to Lying is my jam. you rock (or should i say “you’re the breadst…” to, you know, go with the jam.)