Welcome to being an artist as a JOB.
When you're an artist as a hobby, you can just peek in when you like, do exactly what you want, and then pop out again.... but as soon as you take MONEY, it changes things.
NOTE: Changes. Not ruins, just changes.
Because what it means now is that you're expected (and in many cases obligated) to continue even when you don't FEEL like it. Which means the way you view your art has to mature, or you reveal yourself as a flash-in-the-pan. Or worse--a fraud with no ORIGINAL ideas. Because you have to realize that maybe 10% of what we do in any art (mine being music, but certain principles apply elsewhere) is the "inspiration" stuff...
...the rest is WORK, and it involves CRAFT. You can't just "feel" your way through a project if you want it to succeed. You can if it's just for your own personal edification, but you've accepted money now, so we're past that. Time to sit down and do the WORK of it.
What's even worse... when you get famous for doing ONE TRICK, guess what folks want to see from you? THAT trick. We've got folks that write about spaceships and dragons and zombies and politics. You're the "teen vampire" lady--and we're just plain not interested in your "versatility." I don't need a screwdriver that can ALSO be used as a dodgy hammer--I HAVE a hammer already. Just stick to being a damned screwdriver. And welcome to the entertainment BUSINESS.
When you're an artist as a hobby, you can just peek in when you like, do exactly what you want, and then pop out again.... but as soon as you take MONEY, it changes things.
NOTE: Changes. Not ruins, just changes.
Because what it means now is that you're expected (and in many cases obligated) to continue even when you don't FEEL like it. Which means the way you view your art has to mature, or you reveal yourself as a flash-in-the-pan. Or worse--a fraud with no ORIGINAL ideas. Because you have to realize that maybe 10% of what we do in any art (mine being music, but certain principles apply elsewhere) is the "inspiration" stuff...
...the rest is WORK, and it involves CRAFT. You can't just "feel" your way through a project if you want it to succeed. You can if it's just for your own personal edification, but you've accepted money now, so we're past that. Time to sit down and do the WORK of it.
What's even worse... when you get famous for doing ONE TRICK, guess what folks want to see from you? THAT trick. We've got folks that write about spaceships and dragons and zombies and politics. You're the "teen vampire" lady--and we're just plain not interested in your "versatility." I don't need a screwdriver that can ALSO be used as a dodgy hammer--I HAVE a hammer already. Just stick to being a damned screwdriver. And welcome to the entertainment BUSINESS.
![[zonking great]](https://eg-forums-escapist-data.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/data/avatars/l/36/36225.jpg?1620302945){kind=avatar}
