From “The Discipline of Inspiration: The Mysterious Encounter with God at the Heart of Creativity” by Carey Wallace
Conventional wisdom on creation holds that artists tend to fall along a spectrum between the craftsman, whose trade is pure technique, and the shaman, guided by pure inspiration. Creation, according to this line of thinking, is also divided into moments of pure inspiration, and stretches of dull craftsmanship.
It’s a convincing framework, because it describes the experience of some artists: the flash of inspiration, executed over the course of long hours, or even years.
But many artists do not simply execute a complete vision given in a single blinding flash. Instead, we’re led by inspiration in a step-by-step revelation.
Inspiration is present not just when we conceive of a project, but in the midst of it: as we begin to frame a structure, give its bones flesh, and refine our vision. Along the way, we make all kinds of discoveries we never dreamed of in our first moment of inspiration. And each piece is fully revealed to us only when it is complete.