How do I know if I'm actually creative or just copying other artists?

This question itself tells me you're paying attention—which is half the work. I spent years watching court ladies compose poetry, and the ones who worried most about originality were often the most alive in their observations. Here's what I noticed: copying becomes creativity the moment you're asking *why* you're drawn to something. Are you imitating the surface, or are you learning the underlying structure so you can build something new from it? The real distinction isn't between original and derivative—it's between imitation done unconsciously and imitation done with full awareness. When you observe deeply, when you sit with why a particular phrase moves you, when you notice the small details others miss, you're already working. That's not copying. That's the interior life doing its work. The artists I knew who felt most authentic weren't the ones trying hardest to be different. They were the ones most curious about what already existed, most willing to be changed by paying close attention. Start there. What are you actually noticing that others aren't?