The best writers write books that they themselves would want to read. The same goes to musicians, filmmakers, photographers, graphic designers, web developers, and anyone and everyone who uses their brainpower to create some sort of new, artistic content or product.  If you wouldn’t read it, buy it, or listen to it, what makes you think other people will? That’s the difference between the artist and the door-to-door knife salesman.

The salesman doesn’t care about the set of knives he pedals. In fact, that salesman has never used or even touched the set outside of a sales pitch. He would never buy these knives and he knows it, but he tries to sell them anyway because that’s what he’s been given by his supplier. They think knives are popular. Everyone needs knives, right? The point here is that the knife salesman did not make the knife set. He had little to no hand in what he was given to sell, so he does his best to lie.

Don’t get me wrong, being a salesman is a fine profession. But some of us, perhaps those who choose to read a blog like this, are tired of pedaling someone else’s product. If that’s you, then there’s good news. You don’t have to be a door-to-door knife salesman.

As a creator, you are the maker of the masterpiece. You are the curator of the content. You are the peddler of your own product. The artist creates a new product that is all her own. She knows that if that product moves and inspires her, then she has a real chance of it doing the same to others. She knows this means that her content won’t be popular with everyone. Not everyone likes or is inspired by the same things she is. Popularity is not the point though. The point is to provide your specific audience or tribe with quality, engaging, and challenging content every time you create. If you write plays, write words that actors will be drooling to say. If you write classical music, write music that musicians will be dying to play. This is a necessary component of vital creativity.