I’ve recently been on a kick where I’m going back and reading books I bought back in 2002/2003, but never got around to reading. One of these books is Scribbling in the Sand by Michael Card.
Now, Card is not so much recognized for his writing as he is recognized for his music. In fact, one of my long-time favorite albums is Starkindler — an album composed mostly of old hymns and folk songs skillfully set to Celtic music.
Anyway, as I was reading Scribbling in the Sand, I came across a quote on page 122 from one of Card’s friends, Harold Best. I thought it was appropriate to share here:
Remember that only God can imagine and create something out of nothing. In this sense, he is the only One who deserves the title of Creator. We are merely creative. That is, we can only imagine and make something out of something else — something that has already been imagined and made, whether in the creation itself, or from the work of creative people. This means you are not to consider your work as much original as individual. Your work will always be “out of” what you have come across and “into” what others will eventually come across. Thus, don’t be afraid to borrow, but be sure you borrow the best and grow from the borrowing. Then you will understand this simple fact: The best artists begin by being influenced and end up influencing.
Card’s book has nothing to do with copywriting, but I felt this particular quote was quite appropriate to copywriters and business people.
It is truly impossible to create something “original.” We are not creators, only creative.
This is why it’s so important to read and hand-copy great ads. You will end up borrowing from them sooner or later when you write your own ads — whether you do it consciously or unconsciously.
-Ryan M. Healy
{ 8 comments }
Harold Best’s quote is quite inspiring. It says a lot with a few words.
I really need to remember that my creativity and individuality is influenced or driven by the company I keep… and the comment about God being the only true creator certainly puts things in perspective for me.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention :-)
I’ve said to anyone who’ll listen for as long as I can remember…if you really think you’re creative, build me a lamp.
And I don’t mean going to Home Depot for the parts. I mean build me a simple lamp…from scratch. You can’t do it. You need people. You need the input of their experience, and you need their skills you don’t possess yourself. Then you can add your part.
That being said, I agree with a quote I saw from Clint Eastwood. He said “I have a reverence for individuality.”
While we need people, we should never lose sight of the fact that we’re each wonderfully made with special gifts and talents…not merely “happy accidents”.
I have had experiences with creative projects that I could not possibly have finished successfully without some form of devine intervention.
Many years ago I was friends with a Native American woman who was about to be adopted into a family from a Native American nation other than her own.
She asked me to make a leather tunic for her to wear at the adoption ceremony. I was to decorate the front of it with a Golden Eagle made from Porcupine Quills. So there I was, a little white girl with a “How to” book, bags of quills, a gazillion packages of Rit Dye, and a picture of a Golden Eagle which I copied onto a hide that would become the bodice of her ceremonial tunic.
Well, I had more fun quilling this Eagle onto that hide than I had ever had with any other project, and it turned out exceptionally well; it truly was a beautiful example of the medium.
And the entire time I worked on that piece, and it took quite awhile, I felt a presence guiding my hands in the execution of a totally unfamiliar task, helping me to make decisions about utilizing foreign technique from a foreign culture.
I believe the presence I felt guiding my hands was that of spirit, God, the creator, and ultimately the great unknowable. It was indeed the creator’s creation. I was simply blessed with an opportunity to embody the PRESENCE in my hands for a few weeks.
Since then, I have spent some time putting paint brush to paper and I can guarantee you that the ONLY time I like what I do is when I DON’T DO IT! When the painting is MINE, it looks self-conscious. And when it comes from the creator, when I get myself out of the way and allow the creator to work magic in my heart and through my hands, it is ALWAYS amazing.
Wishing you blessings and joy,
Arieljoy
I like you quote, We are not creators, only creative
Ryan,
Thank you for sharing that. Very true.
Ryan,
Nice quote. Good, sound thinking.
As for Michael Card, I’m partial to his Poema cd myself. :-)
- John
@Kingsley – You’re welcome. Thank YOU for commenting!
@Tony – Great point. We all need each other’s strengths. No one person can do everything himself.
@Arieljoy – Your story illustrates how God works through us. Beautiful!
@Farid – Thanks for commenting.
@Colin – You’re welcome!
@John – I don’t have Poema… I’ll have to check that one out.
A great post. I guess for us copywriters it all comes down to using those 26 alphabets in a manner that pushes the emotional hot-buttons of prospects. Twist them, turn them around, fiddle with them – the more sequences you can come up with that make prospects buy, the more “creative” you are. Period!
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