Is Your Medium Prohibitive of Individual Creativity? 

Yikes. That’s a wordy title. Here’s what I mean: Are you able to start and finish projects on your own? Or do you have to rely on other people?

When I was in high school, I loved playing alternative rock music. I created bands with my friends to perform at our school’s Battle of the Bands, and to write our own music. I had a blast in these bands–some of my favorite memories. But the bands broke up. The longest I ever had a band was nine months. This led to dry spells. Periods of time in which I had no one to play with.

My medium was prohibitive of individual creativity.

Then, when I got into college, I downloaded Logic Pro 9. This software changed my creative life forever. Instead of making rock music, I made electronic pop music. I could record and arrange all the instruments by myself, and the genre was conducive to doing so. I was able to write and release songs without depending on anyone else. 

This set me free creatively.

I was finally free of previous roadblocks and excuses. When I wasn’t making music, there was no one to blame but myself. I’ve carried this freedom into my new creative medium: blogging. Not only am I solely responsible for writing and publishing my work, but I can do it anywhere. I’m writing this on a plane right now. It’s safe to say that I wouldn’t be able to play with my band on a plane. 

If your creative medium is reliant on other people, that’s ok too. You simply need to be prepared for any hiccups by having a robust network. If you’re a portrait photographer, you need a list of models on standby. If you’re in a band, you need connections to backup musicians. If you’re an entrepreneur, you need connections to a wide range of professionals. 

It might be worth asking yourself how you could become less reliant on others. The key for me has been finding a medium in which I’m solely responsible for my own creativity. 

Good luck out there! 

Reese Hopper

Reese Hopper is the author of What Gives You the Right to Freelance? He’s also a prolific creator on Instagram, and the editor of this website.

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