The real reason we create is because it nourishes the soul, especially for people dealing with mental illness. Beyond wanting an audience or a publisher, there's an overwhelming internal need to make something. Staying authentic matters most.
The reason you create is because it does something for your soul. If you suffer from a mental illness, creativity is often a very safe haven and a safe place to spend time in your head in a positive way. So this dichotomy arises. Am I creating for my voice to be heard? Yes. Am I creating to find a wider audience, say in a publisher? Yes. But fundamentally, I'm creating because I have an overwhelming desire to create. I have a need to create. Create. I can see the benefit of creating, and I think in that creative process, it's very important to be authentic for that.
