The Creative Genius Corner
Lessons, musings and advice from the author of ‘The Life I Won’
What Do Creative People Dislike The Most?
It’s time for a bit of honesty here, we creatives are hard to live with at times (all the time I hear ex-husband’s shouting)! We can be difficult, opinionated, we challenge the status quo (most of the time), even when it doesn’t need to be challenged. We tend to enjoy life based on our own set of rules, which most of the time others just don’t understand. When we get together as a group of creatives it can be dynamic, brilliant, and explosive as we bang heads fighting for our own ideas and opinions.
There are some things though that most creatives agree on wholeheartedly! Today I want to explore those things that make us the same and understand how important it is to be in the company of people who truly understand us.
Mediocrity
We are perfectionists when it comes to our work, and we are proud of what we create. There are so many stories of the great artists smashing up canvases and ripping up drawings because they did not meet exacting standards. So, when other people do sloppy work, it annoys the hell out of us! There is always room for mistakes and errors, and we are not judgemental, but obvious half assed attempts, don’t even go there.
People not acknowledging our work
There is an understanding that creatives can’t handle feedback and it is untrue. I adore feedback, most creative’s do! We love to learn and grow in our craft, but zero acknowledgement for our time and effort is soul destroying. If I hear another ‘I like it, but I wouldn’t pay money for it’ or ‘what is it’, I will scream. A simple ‘I like what you have done here’ prior to the critique can go a long way in managing reactions. We all hate it when you are an ass about our work and minimise our talent and time, remember that!
People who say they are creative but don’t have anything to show for it
Anyone can say they are creative and that is the problem. I find this the most annoying in entrepreneurs who write a book in 4 weeks that mainly consists of regurgitated content from other self-development books. They stick it on Amazon, manipulate a No. 1 Best Seller badge by using an unknown category and claim to be a best-selling author. NO!!!
This makes you a good marketer, but you are NOT a creative, believe me this annoys every creative writer who takes months and even years to write good quality literature.
Loud mouthed non experts in the creative field who shout their opinions – YES YOU!
You are the one telling the amazing talents that they are worthless and impacting on their self-esteem and earning potential. If you are the company accountant, I am sorry, but you have no right to critique the new branding and logo design, go back to your numbers. If you don’t like a piece of art, just walk past it, I don’t like you, but I don’t shout it in your face!
Copycats
There is a reason that you are taught at school to be original and NOT to copy other people’s work. Studying the impressionists and finding your own way in that style is one thing, blatantly copying someone else’s work, just don’t! You won’t be able to keep it up and you look like an idiot, go, and do something linear or take a class on originality.
Braggards
If that isn’t a word, I am officially announcing that it is now. There is a world of difference between being confident in your work and being an obnoxious bragger. I love naturally confident people with a rich story behind them who share it to teach others, they are inspiring. The ‘look at me, I am amazing’ crowd can sod off!
The ones who dress like they are creative for attention
Wearing the paint splattered shirt and jeans does not make you a creative. There is no uniform, if you desire to be creative and then find a unique style then go and mix with artists, take some classes, and get into the thinking. Don’t pretend to be something you are not; we can see through it.
Interruptions
I am just going to say this out loud
DON’T INTERRUPT ME WHEN I AM IN FLOW!!
Creative’s hate being interrupted because it can be the end of their day! It can take ages to get back into that creative flow if at all, so think before you butt in or call or shout ‘do you want a cuppa’. If we need a drink, we will get one, everything else can wait.
People who just don’t understand the creative process
This was at its worst when I was in retail, as soon as they know you are a creative, they shout, ‘come on, give us an idea then’ and expect you to just pull it out of the hat. Even worse is the ‘can you do a picture of this scene from my holidays’ or worse still ‘can you paint my dog’!!! No, I can’t, go and find a pet portrait artist and pay them decent money!
I really could go on, but I have loved writing a creative rant in the form of a blog. My own rules. Don’t care if people hate it. Don’t critique it if you can’t acknowledge the time it took. Don’t shout about me having an opinion.
Just read it and if you are creative, you will get it and if not jog-on.