Celebrating Creativity

As an author, creativity is very important. I don't understand it well, but without it there would be no art or music or stories. . . or computer programs. Though technology sometimes mystifies and confuses me, I understand that it is simply hands-on creativity. When some new piece of technology hits the market (like this week's new version of the iPhone or the new Gears of War game), I shake my head at the ability of some people to make their dreams into a portable, usable format and share it with the world in general. And, as an author, I guess I do that, too!

Very few people in the world personify creativity as much as Steve Jobs did -- his creations changed the world in which we live and in which our children and grandchildren will live.

So, the announcement that Steve Jobs died hit me more than I thought it would.

It's not as though I knew the man personally or even followed him closely, so this gut reaction surprised me. I've been watching all the news bits about him, about his history, about the technology he's created or shepherded into existence and about how his many innovations came about. I find it interesting to see how much creativity is celebrated and honored by him and his life.

I want to share a couple of quotes of his -- this one about how Apple merged creativity with technology --

"Picasso had a saying. He said 'Good artists copy, great artists steal.' And we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas. ... I think part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world."

And this one -- about loving what you do--

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

Both of those are inspirational to a writer like me -- reminders that unless we follow those voices in our heads and move in the direction our hearts send us, we will never be all that we can be. I don't consider Steve Jobs a saint, but I do think he's changed the world for the better and that's something I'd like to be able to say about my own life, too.

So, in honor of the man, I'm going off to let my creativity flow and to let those voices in my head and the dream in my heart show me the way.....I'm going to spend the day writing.

Do you consider yourself creative? What is your special creative power? Do you create words, pictures, ideas, people, gadgets, calm or what? Post a note and I'll pick a commentor to win a $15 iTunes gift card (I mean, really, what else could I do?!)....



Terri is busy working on her next Harlequin Historical - a new Highlander series! - coming in 2012. Her recent release, MISTRESS OF THE STORM from Kensington Brava, is available in print and digital formats and her short story KIDNAPPING THE LAIRD is available in digital formats! Visit her website for more info about her and her books.