contemplativePersonally, in the "create" category I fall mainly under three separate distinctions: Icons. Vids. Fics. Which is... kind of a lot! (I need to slow down.)
Anyway, I was talking to Dayln about the kinds of things we produce and asking the question "Why do we do this?" Which is, honestly, a question that I don't think I ever really ask myself.
If I could give one of those things up, it would be graphic making. I don't really do it that often anymore unless it's for something in particular, a contest, an event, I happen to really really want an icon of such-and-such, etc. When I'm making them, it certainly hits my creative buttons, but beyond that, I don't think it's something I'm all that in love with. And I certainly don't go back later and say, "Oh look at this really cool thing I made."
But with fic and vidding, I think for me there's more of an emotional satisfaction - when making them and even afterward. I think that's the reason both of those things are something I cherish and probably wouldn't give up unless I had to.
There's more of a storytelling aspect (even to vidding) than there is with making graphics. It can be ambiguous, symbolic, or even straitforward storytelling. Either way, it's one of my biggest creative kinks, if you will. Even if you're making something that could fall into place in the canon, or something episodic, there's still a kind of world-building (world-expanding?) that goes on, even if it's simply to explore another point-of-view or to point out a particular pattern. Which, to me, is incredibly creatively satisfying.
Most importantly, you get the opportunity to touch people in a way that you just never could with graphic making. You strike a chord with some aspect of your product, be it a fic or a vid, and sometimes it leads to a dialogue. I personally love it when someone makes a comment where they draw lines to things you never consciously thought of when writing/vidding, but were inherent anyway.
Even if what you're doing is straight-up silly, like Battlestar Inferno or a piece of crack fic, I think there's much more of a connection with your peers and fellow fans. And I think for me, that's what's special about it.
Yeah, I'll admit this was kind of random, but I've been thinking about it since yesterday.
By the way: I think I got to thinking about it because I was thinking about vidding in general and thought to myself that I would rather make a vid or write a fic that gets one heartfelt comment, than I would make a batch of icons that gets 100 comments.
ETA, from the comments: I didn't mean to say "graphic making is silly" or even lesser, I'm just far less invested in it emotionally. I wouldn't say I put my "heart and soul" into my icons, but I would say that about my fics and vids. And I guess for me that's the distinction. But I still make graphics cause it is fun and I enjoy the creative process.
Sorry, I really do know how to cut entries. Promise.
