Growing as an Artist

As with any of the arts, there is a question of what it means to grow as an artist.  If you look at ones collection of work, you'll see how they improved or changed over time.  For instance, with music.  Greenday has evolved with each album they put out.  As a writer, I always try to attempt new things.  I've written sonnets, sestinas and abcedarians.  I've written memories, articles, fiction and non-fiction.  I've tried to dabble in romance and comedy.  But I am still drawn to horror.  My childhood is filled with fond memories of witches, vampires and slasher films.

Growing as an artist also means improving your writing.  With each new story, I feel I'm always learning something new.  My latest Jekyll and Hyde themed story is some of my best writing, even though I only have two pages written.  But it's also the slowest I've written because I'm focusing on every word and sentence.

Sometimes I focus on the wording while other times I just want to get the story out and I'll save the wording for the revision period.  In the process of editing my first novel, I am noticing where I can grow as an artist.  I notice when I need to change my sentence structure and when I'm being too cliché.

Anyone who cares about their craft has to continue to develop it.  As good of a writer or singer or painter as one is, you can always improve over time and continue to achieve new greatness.  There are always new techniques you can develop or new styles you can try.