What does it mean to be creative?
A new series from Whispering into the Void
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a creative person. As a child, creating came effortlessly, but as an adult, I often struggle to bring my ideas to life. What causes this shift? How do we move beyond the spark of ideation and into the actual act of creation? What is it about creative people that gives us not just the desire but an innate need to create?
Inspired by the Creative Coffee Café’s interview with Chris Corvan, I want to explore what creativity is and what drives us to make. In the interview, Chris says:
"I’m a firm believer in the mantra of ‘don’t think, just do.’ The longer I think about it, the more likely I am to never do it.”
Creativity feels both deeply personal and universal. We all engage with it in some form, yet each of us brings our own approach and unique flavor. There’s immense value in hearing how others navigate their creative journeys—the struggles they face, the sparks that keep them going. While Chris’s philosophy of “don’t think, just do” resonates with me, I know each of us has our own way of overcoming creative inertia.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be digging down into the meaning of creativity through:
Reading and Reflection: I’ll be sharing insights from books that explore creativity. I’m starting with one of my favorites, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you have any recommendations for other great reads on the subject, I’d love to hear them!
Interviews with Creatives: I’ll be talking with artists, writers, musicians, and creators from all backgrounds to understand what creativity means to them and what drives their work. I’m particularly curious about why we feel compelled to share our creations. Why not just keep them in a box and never let anyone see them? These interviews will be distilled into articles where I’ll feature their perspectives, along with links to their creative projects. Tell me your thoughts on creativity here. It should only take a few minutes.
My Own Introspection: As I read and interview, I’ll also be reflecting on my own creative journey—how creativity has shaped my life, the frustrations I’ve faced, the need to share my work, and the moments of joy that keep me coming back.
I’m really excited to dig into what makes creativity such a vital part of who we are, and I hope you’ll join me in this journey. If you’d like to share your thoughts, suggest a book, or share your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you.
Stay tuned for the first post in the series, and feel free to share this project with any creative friends who might want to be involved!
Updated 01/08/2025
Updated to include remove the Google form and replace it with the Typeform interview.
This is always a great question to dig into! And like you say, it’s unique for everyone. It’s also not always about the product we ‘make’ - I call myself a collector or creativity cos I’ve never really settled on one thing. I love trying everything! I’m a designer in many guises, and for me creativity is more about how we think. Our thought processes, what we take as inspiration from the world, and the questions we ask - it all adds to our creativity, whatever form it ends up in!
Anyway, very happy to be part of your chats with creatives if you’d like me! It’s a topic I love chatting about 🫶✨
Big Magic was an interesting read. I would check out The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. That book is short ams to the point about the creative process.