As an artist – writer, singer, photographer, dancer, etc – the most important piece of your process, the thing that gets you up in the morning, is the need to create. Most artists would create no matter what, because that is what keeps them going. It’s what fills their tank, so to speak. 

However, there aren’t many artists that simply want to create and then hide their creations in a darkened room. While creation fills their tank, recognition adds spark to their passion. Good or bad, recognition sparks drive to improve and expand.