I read an interesting article by Tobias S. Buckell on the truth about making a living as an author. I’m not an author but pretty much all my income comes from creative arts, mainly photography, and what he has to say rings true to me too:
I’m playing the long game. And maybe I don’t know what I’m doing, I’m pretty open to that, but I’m always happy to report on what’s going on. Each successful career I’ve seen, though, requires a ton of hard work, and many people I see trying any method with a focus on shiny and new and ‘beating’ some system often flame out and fall away. Lots of people who’re doing the right thing and working hard flame and fall away too.
Making a living off art is hard.
But that isn’t a sexy sell.
That isn’t to say you should give up. Fuck that. But I am going to say: get ready to work, don’t expect riches. Focus hard on the art.
And pay attention to those charts and adjust your expectations accordingly.
I’ve taken some hard knocks and setbacks in my pursuit of a photography career but these words are valuable – keep working hard, keep plugging away, focus on the *art* first and foremost.
Source: Survivorship bias: why 90% of the advice about writing is bullshit right now
by Tobias S. Buckell
