On Being Busy and Creating

While I like to think of myself as a generally creative guy (my GCSE in Pottery is probably one of my proudest and, looking back, most baffling achievements) the last few weeks have been  some of the most busiest creative weeks of my life. Timelines and deadlines have congregated, as only timelines and deadlines can, so that I suddenly have a lot of Things To Do. This isn't a complaint, mind - these are things I've chosen to do, because I want to, and I hope they'll make me (and the world) a bit happier.

Still, it's got me thinking a lot more about being busy and how it affects creative thinking.

(I'd also recommend this video by TimH about creativity and time. Look out for what he says about creating things when you have the least free time of all - it is good.)

So, being busy. It's a pretty subjective thing. One person's manic business is another person's regular job, and they way we deal with our time depends, in the end, on who we are. It might be tempting to look at someone else and decide they have much more time than you - but what does that matter? You're responsible for your own time, in the end.

 Remember the words of Gandalf, kids - "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Artwork by Nidoart

The many things I'm doing right now - some related to Eren and its publication, others related to new books, and others not related to my writing at all, but still things that need to be done - are taking up evenings and weekends, mornings and afternoons, time I should be working, time I should be sleeping ... and to top it all, there's weddings coming up, and vacation, and I'm going to be in Scotland for two weeks... 

It's brilliant.

Maybe just like an oil tanker takes a long time to get going, but then a long time to slow down, creativity has momentum. Could that be how it works? That if you're making things and doing things, you're more likely to make other things, do other things, and spur yourself on even more? Turns out, I think it is. Creativity breeds creativity, and being busy can wake you up, get you going, and (for me) force you to keep on top of your time, in a way few other things can. 

The things I'm doing that are keeping me busy, but through that they're helping me do more things. I know the cycle will break, eventually - a big project will come to and end and the house of cards will crumble - but right now, with all the balls in the air, I'm buzzing.

Now, I know it's possible to burn out. The flip side of creativity is probably apathy. I'm not wary of that, though I do know it exists.

I just hope at the moment that the outcome of my work will be good - and, when I look back, it will have been worth it.