The one thing all creative pursuits need

As far back as I can remember, I've been attracted to creative pursuits; dance, drama, words. The result, ending up where I am today with a love and a call to writing.  And it seems I have passed on my love of the arts to all of my children. It must be a mix of environmental and genetic factors, as both my biological, and my step daughters are drawn to creative pursuits.All of them find happiness in either dance, drama, drawing, singing or a combination. And at least one, so far, is planning to pursue a career in the arts.It got me thinking about what all successful creatives have in common.Yes, they all have a passion for what they do and they all have a force that pulls them towards their creative sides. And of course, to reach any sort of success, whether on a personal perspective or a wider stage they do of course have to have a degree of talent.But the one thing all creative pursuits need, and that ultimately sets the successful creatives apart, is... emotion.Think about it.Music, literature, dance, painting, sculpting - all creative arts, performance or visual, evoke emotion. And the more emotion they evoke for both the creator and the audience, the more meaningful the piece.How often do you listen to a song and get goosebumps? Whether from the beautiful voice or the connection to the lyric?How often does a book bring you to tears or make you laugh out loud?Ever watched a dancer create and evoke emotion through their movement, expression and feel of the music?And what about a beautiful piece of visual art?  Where you can see just how much care, how much emotion it has taken to create such a piece.And of course, what about a dramatic performance that makes you want to stand and applaud when the credits roll or the cast walk on to stage?The bigger the emotive response, the more effective, the more meaningful and the more successful.I think that is what draws me to the arts as a whole. Feeling. Emotion. Connection.It's the emotion that makes a song stick with me, or a book or author to become a favourite. It's the connection that a dancer has to the music that stirs an emotion that can be breathtaking and memorable. Or even just the sense of fun, relief, and joy that dancing can bring. Yes. That.If there is anything I want to teach my daughter's about creative pursuits, it is that they must feel it. Sure, it's enough to enjoy it, but to really get the most from their chosen field they must feel it. And give it everything they have. My favourite saying: Leave it all on stage. In other words, don't walk off stage thinking I held back, or I could have given a bit more.And that's something I have to remember too when writing. In all aspects of my writing; blogging, writing for a client, or creative fiction. We are humans. Fortunate enough to feel strong emotions evoked by words, music and art. I mean, how lucky are we to be able to experience emotions on the widest spectrum? To me it's beautiful. And it's my main goal, especially for my fiction, for the reader to relate. To connect. To feel. If I can manage that, then no matter how many books I publish or sell, I will feel I have been successful. Leave it all on stage.  

Tell me about a movie, a song, a dance, a piece of art that has evoked your emotions.

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