Creativity Can Sure Take A While

The other day, I was chatting with my friend Elijah about creativity and time. He sent me this podcast which talks about the song Hallelujah, its creation and its long journey into the public musical lexicon. I related to process quite a bit.

I’ve often struggled to work quickly when it comes to finishing something. (Just ask the STRAYLIGHT/DR BLOC team.) My album took me 7 years to release once I started recording it. Even longer if you include when I first wrote the songs. 88bit arrangements/videos take me much longer than I initially hoped when I first started the project. (One a week was and still is the goal.)

I’ve got multiple projects of my own that are still on the back burner and projects with other artists who are waiting for me to get started on their stuff. (Thank you all for your patience. 🙏)

I see other creators cranking out GOOD art quite often. And following their work is inspiring! But also I think, “How do they do it? Why can’t I get things done that fast?”

I ask this question just about every day. Seemingly every night I go to bed feeling that I haven’t accomplished as much as I hoped to that day. And I often I end up staying up way later because of it.

I’ve had relationships fall apart because I couldn’t find enough time to devote to my partner while also feeling satisfied with the amount of music I’m getting done.

Sometimes you hear stories about how this or that musician wrote a famous song in one day, or even just 15 minutes. And maybe the thought then is greatness only happens in brief lightning-strike moments.

I certainly don’t believe that.

Personally, I CAN work fast when pushed to a deadline. For example, I’ve done 10 or so 48-hour film projects where I’m given a short film on the last day to compose, record and mix a film score in just several hours. And some of that is stuff I’m quite proud of!

But in general, I feel my best stuff comes out when I work something through all the possibilities to where I’m about 99% satisfied.

I strive to create something great, something meaningful and moving. And that, for me, takes time. It takes lots of trial and error, and decision-making and then changing those for something potentially better.

This is how I’ve always worked. And I’ve always struggled with it. Hearing this podcast episode though reminds me that there’s more than one way to make great art. Some of it takes lots of time. It takes me lots of time. And that’s ok. :)

Listen to episode “Hallelujah” from Malcom Gladwell’s Revisionist History Podcast.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EJEMNRNm8ZLmJON58ynrR?si=axbThzGfQ-2ieUb3c8xjHg