I need your help. I am an aspiring songwriter.

[Bill McCloskey]

There are two aspects to creating anything: how it makes you feel and how it makes other people feel. The world of creation, and the world of commerce. Two different things.

The act of creation is always the main thing for me. I used to be a painter, some 23 years ago and recently I began hanging my old paintings up on the wall. You know what? they are a lot better than I remember them and now everyone who comes in the house comments on them and they look beautiful. Over time they have taken on a new meaning.

And then there is the act of commerce. Selling what you have produced. Some of the best and most important work often has little commercial appeal. Some of the most commercial work has little value from the standpoint of creating something lasting.

Songs and songwriting should be about the act of songwriting: how it makes you feel to sit butt in chair and actually write it down, record it, put lyrics, chords, melody, and rhythm to it. Some of the absolute best songwriters I know are unknown and do other lines of work.

Don't confuse commerce with the act of creation. Creation has great value in its own right. Creation is about the work, commerce is often about luck and connections.

Van Gogh sold two paintings in his lifetime. But he knew he was great. He died never achieving success, and would have been unknown today if it wasn't for the great fortune that his brother was an art dealer and knew how to market a dead brothers work.

Create, enjoy, breath. Do it every day, and you'll have a marvelous life.