BWW Blog: Micah Young - The Work Stands Alone

We hope to convey a clear message of our intentions. At least, I think we do. In a meeting, an audition, a conversation, it's important to communicate what you planned on communicating. In the performing arts, any number of messages can be conveyed. Sometimes we do not have the luxury of explaining ourselves; and sometimes we shouldn't have to.

Many of us run the risk of oversharing. It happens when we're nervous about something, or usually having to do with explaining something. This tendency shows itself in music, where there are no words. And when we are creating, we fear the work won't be clear. It's easy to defend the work because what if it's misunderstood? What if the message doesn't come across?

When I've sat with other writers, we discuss, and many times we muddy the core issues of the work because we're explaining it. Let the work stand on it's own. Much like a mamma bird pushing a baby bird out of the nest; the work has to fly solo. And if the work, be it a painting or a play, doesn't convey what the artist wanted, then at least that much is clear. And for the first step in creation, the artist gains information about what is working in the work, and what isn't.

Photo Credit: pinhed