This may sound weird, but I see creative expression as akin to drilling into the Earth, extracting molten iron, and forming it into a solidified structure above the surface.
Creative people need to go into a sea of potential and concepts (the molten iron), stay focused so they can extract it and cool it down, then form it into a structure on the surface that others can appreciate (paintings, books, movies, music, etc.).
It’s not enough to just be an “idea guy,” or just an “expert” who can quote established theory–all the flowcharts that supposedly map out cause and effect. There has to be an ability to work across domains. It doesn’t have to be a one-person show (that’s why people work as teams on creative projects) but the creator must channel the energy and spirit of their work so that it captivates and energizes–if not in its finished form for their final audience, then as something that excites the appropriate specialist to take it closer to the finish line.
Explore the Worlds Behind the Stories
Kent Wayne’s ideas about storytelling, power, and human nature appear throughout his fiction.
If you’re curious how those ideas appear inside the stories, start with the Echo Saga.
Kent Wayne 
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