The 4 People Every Creator Must Be

Austin Kleon shared a clip from a Susan Sontag journal about how “The Writer Must Be 4 People.” 

These don’t just apply to writers, they apply to all creators (and forward-looking business people, and humble leaders, and great coaches, and etc.). 

The writer must be four people:

1) The nut, the obsédé

2) The moron

3) The stylist

4) The critic

1 supplies the material; 2 lets it come out; 3 is taste; 4 is intelligence.

A great writer has all 4 but you can still be a good writer with only 1 and 2; they’re most important.

Take a look at your work today and ask which boxes you’ve checked. Then, push yourself to check all 4 next week. 

Were you a little crazy?

Were you willing to stub a toe or bump your head or take a risk?

Did you make it look sexy?

Did you provide a take, unique view, or thoughtful deconstruction of some applicable position or argument?