What I know

Let’s admit the ugly truth. "Creativity" (lousy word, ain’t it?) is magic. It ain’t math. You can’t reduce it to a formula. If you do, it ain’t creativity. Fun, huh?
There are, of course, rules, gimmicks, tricks, archetypes, techniques, templates and patterns. But the good stuff always tweaks the recipe. It happens spontaneously. Bubbles out of you. Like free money.
And, I don’t know about you, but when that happens, I WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. Goddamn it, Muse, do what you just did! Dance, monkey, dance!
That, of course, kills the magic. Every time.
So, you’re forced into this weird walking-on-the-razor-blade situation.
You can’t put a gun to the Muse’s head. You can’t crucify the Muse to some dumbass formula. On the other hand …
You can’t just sit on your ass waiting for inspiration to strike. Anybody who actually paints, draws, writes, amuses drunks with music, makes drunks laugh, or pretends to be other people on stage knows this.
The trick is to walk the razor blade. The first trick being: There’s no trick, you just walk. The main thing I’ve learned is …
As you’re walking, two voices are against you.
Two voices are constantly nattering. They’re your enemies, pal. If you pay attention, you will fall on one side or another.
The one voice says: You can’t do it, you’ve lost it, this is no !@# good, you’re a hack, you’re not talented, you lost the wave, give it up, give up …
The other voice says: It has to be perfect! That’s a good idea … but it’s not good enough. Keep waiting and working and reworking. A BETTER idea will emerge. Don’t settle for THIS idea. It has to be perfect! And it’s not good enough, not good enough, not …
Ignore the bastards.