The Unknown

Here’s what I love about creativity.

Each time we attempt to write a screenplay, paint a picture, dance in a new way, perform a monologue, play a musical instrument, engage in a conversation, or present a poem, we are jumping into the Unknown.

If we know how to balance a checkbook, that’s great. It’s pretty much the same every day. If we know how to write a grant, that’s commendable; it could lead to increased donations for a worthy cause. Some creativity may even be involved in the process.

However, these and countless other activities do not involve flirting with the Unknown. One of the reasons I love the Arts and Sciences is that people working in these realms often do flirt with the Unknown.

They get started, and they get stuck. They go off on tangents. They learn what they’re trying to make as they attempt to make it. It’s a messy process. It doesn’t always make sense. It involves exploration.

If I’m ever fortunate enough to complete the process of writing a full-length screenplay that makes me proud, there’s no guarantee it’s going to make writing the next one any easier.

Doing it once may give me a tremendous boost to my confidence. And there are sure to be lessons learned that would apply to writing any future screenplay.

However, each story is unique. Writing any new story involves starting over. We must be willing to jump into the Unknown again and again.

In doing so, the Unknown may reward us with a sliver of knowing, tied to a specific creative project… for a time.