Dear World

Please Kill Me,

It’s easy to forget why we do this. It’s easy to forget when we first learned QWERTY, wrote our first stellar sentence (or for the other creatives [Insert Relative Memory Here]#NoCreativeLeftBehind #ExceptMaybeDonaldGlover #HeDoesn’tNeedUs), or even when we made our first buck off of doing the thing that we love to do.

It’s easy to forget all of those things once the artistic ball starts rolling and you wind up at the giving end of creation and consumption. And, why wouldn’t it be? We’ve done it! Right? isn’t that success enough to justify some selective amnesia?

The short answer there is ….NO. (For several reasons, but MOSTLY because I said so….#Kidding #OBEYME)

Somewhere between chasing the dream and living it comes along the almighty (and dreaded) dollar.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I like making piles of cash just as much as the next (self-interested ego-maniac with such a depleted self-esteem that he feels the need to rant and rave at will for a site that he’s currently paying $49.95 (or whatever they charge) a year just to be able to do it at will?) guy, but what I’ve personally found is that money does something (make it rain?).

There’s something about the financial gain that spoils the art. (Oh…)

To date, I haven’t really zoned in on what it is about writing with “Gotta pay bills” in the back of my mind that stunts me. Back when I was just doing this for shits and giggles–you couldn’t pull me away from my screen, my chair, my coffee, (my subsequent creamer addiction), etc.

Nowadays, though I still find myself very much in tune with the craft, it’s a little more difficult. It’s like some bit of fun has been taken away from the whole thing–like (Spoilers) finding out that there’s no Santa Clause or that Oprah probably won’t adopt you. It feels less like the rollercoaster that it once was and more like…

*looks around room*

*sips coffee*

*spit-takes on screen*

“WORK!!!!”

The problem then is pretty direct. What do we do with that feeling? How do we keep ourselves from autonomous typing just to pay for the Netflix bill? How do we coalesce our passion and our paycheck without allowing them to correlate (I know…alliteration gives me the naughty feelings too #WordWhore).

The answer is…We Don’t.

But, we can compromise them.

“How do we do that?” you ask (#YouDidn’t) we separate ourselves from the stresses and obligations that occupy our everyday life. We segregate what we need and when we need it. Sure, you can be in line at the bank (like it’s 2005) and still come up with concepts, ideas, plot points, characters, etc.

But when you’re in the world that you’re building, you shouldn’t rightly be thinking about whether or not you were in line at the bank (and/or suddenly dropped through a wormhole that sent you to the early 2000’s #NeverForget). You should be focused on your story.

So drop the notion of what you do being “work”. Drop any attachment (apparent or otherwise) that the contents of your wallet have on the content you produce (#WordWhore).

Give your life the time that it deserves BUT never forget that no matter much time you give to the craft, it will fail you if you fail to give IT the attention that it deserves.

*Distractions are the enemy*

…Both seen and unseen.

So, before you sit, stand, waddle, stumble, or whatever stance that you create it in, take a moment to step outside and leave everything tedious and obligatory at the door.

This is our FREEDOM. Don’t let anything put a chain on that.

 

Almost Friday,

-Antwan Crump.

 

Follow me on Twitter, won’t you? @I_AM_ANTWAN

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Welcome to the world of the macabre. In this long-awaited anthology, we delve into the dark nuances of the human spirit. From the apocalypse to murder and brutal realities we remorselessly explore them all, in search of the truths that evil holds. Can you face the darkest corners of your psyche or will you cower back to your fairytales and superhero mythologies? When you tire of the lies—we’ll be waiting for you here…in the dark.