Tchaikovsky on Work Ethic vs. Inspiration | Brain Pickings

This article captured my interest for several reasons:

• It's about creativity and what inspires it.
• It's about music and writing. 
• It's about what inspires or motivates musicians and other creative people.
• It's about work and being inspired ... or not.

Mostly, the article quotes or links to Web articles or videos of several creative people.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1840-93, Russian composer of Romeo and Juliet, the 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and other classical music:

Do not believe those who try to persuade you that composition is only a cold exercise of the intellect. The only music capable of moving and touching us is that which flows from the depths of a composer’s soul when he is stirred by inspiration. There is no doubt that even the greatest musical geniuses have sometimes worked without inspiration. This guest does not always respond to the first invitation. We must always work, and a self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood. ...

Anne Lamott, 1954-, American novelist, nonfiction writer, political activist, public speaker and writing teacher:

You begin to string words together like beads to tell a story. You are desperate to communicate, to edify or entertain, to preserve moments of grace or joy or transcendence, to make real or imagined events come alive. But you cannot will this to happen. It is a matter of persistence and faith and hard work. So you might as well just go ahead and get started.

Nick Cave, 1957- , Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional film actor:

Inspiration is a word used by people who aren’t really doing anything. I go into my office every day that I’m in Brighton and work. Whether I feel like it or not is irrelevant.

Ira Glass, 1959-, American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life:

The most important possible thing you can do is do a lot of work.

Jack White, 1975-, American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor; guitarist, pianist and lead vocalist of The White Stripes:

Inspiration and work ethic — they ride right next to each other …. Not every day you’re gonna wake up and the clouds are gonna part and rays from heaven are gonna come down and you’re gonna write a song from it. Sometimes, you just get in there and just force yourself to work, and maybe something good will come out.

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This article is featured in today's (Aug. 3) Garbl's Creativity Connections -- available at the Creativity tab above and by free email subscription.