How to Live a More Creative Life

Ozge Samanci’s graphic memoir Dare to Disappoint follows her journey from frustrated student to emerging artist. A firm believer in the restorative power of art, Samanci urges everyone to make space for creativity in their lives. Here are her tips:

1. DO WHAT YOU LOVE—EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT THAT GREAT: “We are all born as artists, but somehow we forget,” Samanci says. “Somebody says you can’t draw, or you can’t sing, or you look really silly when you dance, and you stop.” If there’s an activity you enjoy, do it, even if you’re not blessed with natural talent. 

2. VALUE THE PROCESS: “Think about how children paint,” she says. “They don’t care so much about the painting in the end — they’ll throw it away. The enjoyment is in making it.” Creativity is kindled by the process of making something, not necessarily the final result. “Stop thinking about the outcome,” Samanci urges. “Just do it.”  

3. SET PERSONAL—NOT PUBLIC—GOALS: “Many people don’t do what they love because they’re conclusion oriented,” says Samanci. Arts education often follows the same winnowing-out as competitive sports: If you don’t play an instrument well enough to be in the orchestra or can’t sing well enough to be in the school musical, what’s the point of continuing? Samanci suggests looking at your artistic interests as valuable in and of themselves. If you don’t want to show your work to anyone else, you don’t have to.

4. LOOK AT ART AS A HEALTHY HABIT, NOT AN INDULGENCE: Samanci likes to quote a line from one of her favorite cartoonists, Lynda Barry: Art is what lets you start a new day without killing anyone. “Even if you have a boring job,” Samanci says, “if you keep doing what you love on the side, that day job and your passion will nurture each other.” And if you’re really lucky, those two selves might one day intersect in unexpected ways. — E.C.B.

Artwork by Ozge Samanci.