I can write anything that was genuinely, authentically mine, that reflected my view of the world. Early in my career I had been a children s book editor, and later I d switched to corporate communications. Like a chameleon, I could change my voice to suit the project. I had adopted many different personas, but I had never taken the time to find my own persona. I was, I realized, a shadow artist.
People become shadow artists for many reasons.
Some encounter teachers or other authority figures in the artistic world who tell them they have no talent. I can t imagine a better way to spend the second half of my life.