Authenticity Is Invaluable.

For all of my creative-minded friends needing some inspiration with your craft, I think a quote might be just what you need.

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.

Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery -- celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from -- it’s where you take them to.”

- Jim Jarmusch

I believe this is true: nothing really is purely original. Everything comes to fruition as inspired by something else, based on some muse, lifted from fragments of ideas already floating around in the universe. Everyone is influenced by someone else to some degree. The trick is to own the influence and make it yours. By making it authentic, you make it real.

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I've been needing some inspiration lately; besides writing the (almost) daily blog entry, I've been reading a lot more. As a result I'm trying to spark some ideas for short stories or a novella as well as write some more verses. It feels like my brain wants to create something; it's just been so long that it doesn't quite remember how to anymore. I find myself browsing websites centered around design, art, photography and writing (Tumblr is particularly good at collecting pieces from which I can draw inspiration) in hopes of jump-starting the creative process.

We'll see if it works. In the meantime, I'll keep that quote handy.

Oh yeah, if you have Netflix, rent Night On Earth, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It's one of my favorite films.