In Case You Thought Being a Creator Was Easy


Giving everything for the sake of your art

Requires a vulnerability and rawness

That tears you up inside

The misconception is you’ll always love what you do


When the truth is

A lot of the time you’ll fucking hate it


Who’d willingly cut themself open and pour themselves out?

Sharing what’s in your heart and mind with the masses

Leaving yourself open to critics and scrutiny

Who often have no idea what they’re talking about, by the way,

Deciding if you’re Good Enough


An arbitrary decision that determines

If you’re choosing between rent and food this month

Or can pay for both, and maybe other bills


And the danger of Making It in your chosen scene?

If you cater to the masses, you risk becoming beige

A mediocre shell of your former brilliance

Kissing ass, bending over, and down on your knees


The two hardest things about being in the arts:

Giving everything you have for your passion, and

Having the strength of conviction to stay true to yourself

Skaja Evens is a writer and artist living in Southeast Virginia. She runs It Takes All Kinds, a litzine published by Mōtus Audāx Press. Her work has been published in Spillwords Press, The Dope Fiend Daily, and The Rye Whiskey Review.