Conceptualizing

Many hold that all writing is autobiographical, regardless of how fictional or far-gone a piece may seem. I submit that art of any form is necessarily a product of the artist's collection of life experiences, emotions, and personality traits.

Why fight it? A tree can only grow from an acorn that, in turn, fell from a parent tree of identical species. As we create, we must give our origins a nod, whatever they may be. If we try to do otherwise, we are lying to ourselves and to our audience.

As I begin to consider an overall artistic direction for the musical product of the Redline Project, these tenets of creation are flooding my thoughts and channeling my ideas. There is much more to explore that remains unknown.

Worth exploring:

• Where did I come from?
• Who has influenced my personhood?
• What are the most transformative moments of my life?
• What do I believe?
• What do I think has worth or lasting value?
• What inspires me to experience the greatest sense of joy and the deepest feelings of sadness?
• In a world full of endless noise and chatter, what do I have to say that may add something of worth to the dialogue?

Each of these questions deserves a well-considered essay, but in a timed effort such as the Redline Project, there is only bandwidth enough for blog posts. I dedicate the next week to answer these questions, one a day, and the results will be posted here. I hope that my findings will lend powerful suggestions as I commence the intentional search for an approach to the final product.