What makes an artist?
You know how people say, "It's not what you say that makes good art, it's how you say it"? I disagree. I think that what an artist has to say is the most important part of what makes their art good or not. Not every subject or statement is art-worthy.
This is not to say that technique doesn't matter. The more an artist masters the form, the better her/his art will be. But if the artist isn't starting out by mining material that breaks new ground, that gets under your skin and makes you uncomfortable - something transgressive, growth-promoting - then all the technique in the world won't save it.
I had this insight recently because I couldn't figure out why I get so frustrated when I try to write stories. It's true that I haven't worked too hard on my story-writing technique, so I probably shouldn't expect too much. Still, people have been telling me for years that I'm a really good writer, at least when I write essays, opinions, online posts, expository work, technical manuals. But when I try to write fiction, I always end up feeling like, after whole lot of work, I'm left with something that doesn't really say anything. Hmm... perhaps that's the problem.
The driving force for me in writing stories has to do with creating a world, a universe, a relationship - something - in which the protagonist finds out that she is just fine as she is. She struggles with feeling unworthy, until something/someone - a wise witch in an alternate universe, a new and accepting, encouraging lover, a future society where nobody is ever judged unworthy - helps her to understand that she is as valuable as anyone else.
I get an idea for a story (such as the above), and I go off to start it. But pretty soon I start feeling like "So what? Why bother with this? Who's going to be moved by this??" Who wants to read about a girl who feels inferior finding out she's worthwhile? How is that a ground-breaking statement? I would find such a story soothing and reassuring, not challenging. Which is nice, but is it art?
I'm not saying that such stories would be utterly worthless. Plenty of stories get published - and are enjoyed by many - that aren't exactly great literature. Still, knowing that what I have to say, when I write from my heart, is not going to give the world a new perspective or shake anyone up, is disappointing, and is kind of a disincentive for me. I don't want to write a story that's personally very meaningful, and have it end up in the Reader's Digest.
I don't worry that my grammar is bad or that I can't construct a sentence. I know I can. But I worry that I don't really have anything to say. That's what keeps me from writing.