The Creative Mind (Part Six) Or: I Never Asked to be John Grisham

We're continuing our series based on the work of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihaly. Last time, we looked at one particular implication of the polarity Imagination/Fantasy and Rooted sense of reality. Here's a second:



Stop me if you've heard this one before, but I'd like to be a published writer someday. A Full Time published writer.

And, among those who like to scribble words, I'm pretty sure that puts me in the majority.

Singers and songwriters want recording contracts.

Actors and actresses want film deals.

Painters want their work displayed in galleries.

I don't know what Paris Hilton wants.....

But when we move on from the act of creating something, and start thinking about what to do with it, we have to balance this imagination/reality dichotomy.

Most creative types produce their work with at least the hope that other people may eventually see/hear/experience it.

And (come on, now....) you wouldn't mind getting paid.

Apart from crass materialism, the truth is: it takes money for the simple things in life.... like eating.

So we write our words, we paint or sculpt, we audition for American Idol, dreaming that someone will throw piles of cash at us, so we can do what we love Full Time.

I'd love to do that, wouldn't you?

Dreams vs Hard Reality.

In this act of creating, I think we need to favor the Imagination/Fantasy side. Once we've finished, and we're glowing with pride at what we've brought forth, a dash of Rooted Reality is in order.

Personally, I must be a closet masochist. I don't mean to be, but I do seem to have a knack for making things difficult on myself. Follow this logic, and see if you don't agree:

I write. That eliminates the percentage of the world's population who never pick up a book. And in today's video-saturated world, that percentage seems to be growing.

I write fiction. That eliminates the percentage of readers (a large one) who only read non-fiction.

I write fiction from a Christian worldview. Big drop off there, Bucko.....

I write Speculative Christian fiction.  For those unfamiliar, that's translated "weird." Christian fiction for those craving Fantasy, Sci Fi, horror, supernatural.... Which cuts the field down to approximately the size of Bluejacket, Oklahoma.

Oh. And just to add a bit of challenge, I tend to prefer stories that straddle the line between literary and commercial.

That leaves me with a core audience of roughly 5 people. (On the plus side, that does simplify my marketing plan--I can just call 'em up.....)

Think I should quit my day job?  Dreams vs Hard Realities.....  Creative people need both to survive (with sanity intact).

Where's your balance between Fantasy and Hard Truth?