“If they’re speeding, I’ll stop ’em and write out a warning ticket. I’ll write “STFD”—slow the f**k down!”
– Oz Fudge, Come From Away
I promise I didn’t only choose to write about this topic because it gave me the opportunity to open a post with a quote from my favourite musical. That was just a happy bonus. I’ve actually been thinking about the topic of creativity, the time it takes, and the benefits of slowing the heck down for a while.
If you have any familiarity with my work, you probably know how much I hate so-called artificial intelligence. (And if you’re new here, hello! I’m Jess and I am a loudly and proudly anti-AI writer. You can read all about why I hate AI here.)
One of the most common arguments I hear in favour of AI is this: “but it’s just so fast!” AI allows people to generate blog posts, photorealistic imagery, and increasingly hard-to-detect video clips in seconds. It requires no technical skills, no artistic talent, and only the barest bones of an idea. It’s dirt-cheap or even free.
The question I want you to sit with is this: is that really a good thing?
When, and why, did we decide speed was the ultimate factor in the act of creation?
It’s Not Just About AI: The Curse of “I Need It Yesterday Lol”
Sometimes content needs to be delivered quickly. I understand that, and I’ll always do my best to accommodate a client who needs a speedy turnaround if I can.
But the reality is that if you want my fastest possible work, you’re probably not getting my best possible work.
If you want a 2000 word blog post by tomorrow, I’ll burn the midnight oil and finish it for you. And the result will be fine. It’ll be clean, grammatically correct content that gets the job done. It’ll certainly be a hell of a lot better than anything ChatGPT can spit out.
But if you give me even just a few more days? You’ll get something that really sparkles. I’ll have the time and brain-space to mull over your project, let ideas percolate like coffee in the Moka pot I use on luxuriously slow mornings, and try some things out to see what works best.
True Creativity Takes Time
Read that again, then read it a third time just for fun.
Creativity takes time.
Whenever we’re trying to create something, our first ideas are rarely our best ideas. Those first ideas aren’t necessarily “wrong.” They might be perfectly serviceable. But when we slow down and allow our amazing, magnificent, creative minds to do their thing, magic can happen.
I can’t count how many times I’ve been stuck on a tricky passage in my PhD thesis, my work-in-progress novel, or a client project, only to have the answer come to me when I step away from the screen. Taking a walk, taking a shower, making a cup of tea or calling a friend are all clichéd solutions to writers’ block because they often work.
Magic Can Happen When We STFD
When I’m not writing, one of the hobbies that consumes a lot of my time (and money) is fibre arts. And yes, I’ve speed-knitted a bunch of reliable bestsellers ahead of a craft market. I’ve finished crocheting a shawl an hour before the start of the wedding I want to wear it to. I’ve also spent long, peaceful sessions with nothing but a good audiobook, my cat sleeping next to me, and the feeling of yarn in my hands. I can tell you which one is more fun and which one ultimately results in the work I’m proudest of.
That’s why I roll my eyes when crafting influencers brag about how many pieces they made this month as though we’re all in some competition we never signed up for. Creating should be about the experience of creating, not just the end result.
Despite claims that AI has “democratised” creativity, it’s actually depriving people of the joys and benefits of the creative process.
I don’t just write to have content to give to my clients so I can get paid. I don’t just craft to get to the finished garment. The process is the joy. The process is the point.
Whether you’re a creative person or the client of one, I’d like to challenge you to try slowing down. Instead of focusing on how much you can churn out and how quickly, pause for long enough to take pleasure in the act of creating itself.
Conscious Content With a Heart
If you’re looking for an AI-free writer to create soul-driven content for your brand, business, or project, you’re in the right place. I’m here for the intentional process, the “what if we tried…?”, the middle-of-the-night flashes of inspiration, the heartfelt, the real. I’m here for genuine creativity that takes a little time.
Let’s talk?
Leave a Reply