Two Worlds

I'd been thinking about these two worlds for quite some time.




Then I came upon Lewis Hyde's The Gift, and discovered that another had already observed quite astutely the existence of these two worlds, and the rift between them.

We writers, artists, poets, creatives and servants of others, must navigate between these spheres.

The Marketing World
It's a left-brain world.

publishing
focus on what publications are doing
focus on making money
asking: what do they want?
asking: what sells?
watching markets, being savvy to "what's out there."

The Writing World
It's a right-brain world.

writing/creating
focusing on where your passion is
giving art the highest value
asking: what do I want to do?
asking: what ideas are exciting to me right now?
watching and listening for the inner life: "what's inside."
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Looking at these worlds, you can see their vast disparities. Our job, our toughest job, is reconciling the two. But be sure of this: your best work will always begin in the writing world.

Try this: when you write (or do art), for a space of time, vanquish all thoughts of publishing and money-making. Be filled with the passion of creating.