The Romance of Being an Artist
I hate the word “creative.” Particularly when it’s used as a noun. That a person is a “creative.”
Why do I hate it?
Because it implies someone who is different from—and better than—the average blue-collar working stiff.
There’s a romance to being an artist, isn’t there?
The novelist starving in a garret like Dostoevsky. William Burroughs on junk, Charles Bukowski the barfly. The ballerina, the photographer, the actor, the musician, the concert pianist. That’s romance, right?
What I’m hoping to do in this series of posts that I’m calling TK THS JOB N SHOVE IT is to disabuse all of us of this notion.
Being an artist is NOT romantic and if you and I undertake any artistic pursuit with that notion, we will flame out in a hurry.
The mindset of the artist is the mindset of the blue-collar worker, the mindset of the warrior, the mindset of the entrepreneur—the individual who is alone in his or her aspiration and must be tough as nails inside if she’s going to keep going and succeed.
DO THE WORK
Steve shows you the predictable Resistance points that every writer hits in a work-in-progress and then shows you how to deal with each one of these sticking points. This book shows you how to keep going with your work.
THE AUTHENTIC SWING
A short book about the writing of a first novel: for Steve, The Legend of Bagger Vance. Having failed with three earlier attempts at novels, here's how Steve finally succeeded.
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
Steve shares his "lessons learned" from the trenches of the five different writing careers—advertising, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction, and self-help. This is tradecraft. An MFA in Writing in 197 pages.
TURNING PRO
Amateurs have amateur habits. Pros have pro habits. When we turn pro, we give up the comfortable life but we find our power. Steve answers the question, "How do we overcome Resistance?"
Yes, I’d forgotten these truths.
Now at 75, I must rekindle their power in my daily life.
We can be creative in every area and this we should be… Quote Bhagwan. When you are creative then often you are creative in every area because you are a creative person.
I chose to tell anyone who asked that I was an artist so they would stop asking me what I did” for a living ” after telling them that I had five very bright children living at home!
Now the children are grown and gone so I can paint, write and do whatevsr comes to mind! STILL AN ARTIST!
I can sure relate to being a carpenter, a writer, putting wood or words together to build a ladder to climb from the dark cellar, reaching for the Light.
Poetry ✍️ !
Thanks, man. For real.
I’m not an artist. Craftsman. Writing is a skilled trade. I’m building stories. Not representing divinity. If I ever call myself an artist, that’s about the time I’ll start referring to myself in the 3rd person then disappear up my own asshole. “Artist” carries too much importance. Too much ego. Too many people call themselves artists in order to feel special. There are some artists in the world, but they are very few.
Today’s post speaks truth to me. Romance, ha! Art and writing are the hardest jobs I’ve encountered. But the most rewarding at days end.
To think I’m still productive astounds me. To see what is possible amazes me. To find what remains inside makes me giddy.
Great week wished for all. Thanks, Steve. Today’s post made my day.
Great week to you as well, Jackie!
Thanks, Kate.
É trabalho duro como tantos outros. O trabalho duro do artista serve para o deleite, o descanso, a distração, a conexão das outras pessoas. Por isso é da mais alta responsabilidade. É trabalho duro mesmo. 👏👏💪
Yup, no romantic scenarios come to mind re:the life of a writer. Kafka summed it up perfectly: “Time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.” May our wriggles be smooth.
thank you. thank you. thank you. great week all.
Agreed, so much of this work is being in the trenches. Having a lofty vision is awesome, and gets us on our way. The way, however., is a labor of love, which includes much labor. Thanks for sharing, Steven:-)
Ain’t it the truth.
Tough as nails. 💯
Steven, I am 88 years old. I just want you to know that I am so grateful for your generous help. I feel as if you are helping me to hold on to my last spec of grit in a lifetime struggle to remain true to my lonely work. Not looking for pity, just recognizing the truth of your words and the need to keep on.
We all have the potential to be creative! Every single one of us on the planet. What sets some apart is hard work. Well said!
Micke D’s Three Rules in an Identity Crisis;
1. How do you want to be known?
2. What have you done today to be known?
3. Who knows you?
I just tell everybody I am a roofer
Oh, THANK YOU for this!
I am so very tired of people thinking artists have some kind of magic wand that sets us apart from the rest. They don’t get that it takes years of dedication, as well as literal blood, sweat and tears to produce a creative work that, if we are honest with ourselves, never quite measures up to the vision we had in our heads. Being creative means never being satisfied, always being just a little frustrated, and just that much more determined to do better next time.
Thank you.
You may never know how your messages come at just the right time…
So glad you posted this! Whenever I hear “Wow, you’re so creative!” often, my first thought is “I wish I wasn’t!” But that’s quickly followed by me pointing out to the accuser that everyone is creative in their chosen (or where they’ve landed) field. There’s no way to know this, but I often wonder what it would have been like in any of the industries in which I’ve worked to have had no pull towards standup, writing or acting. To have wanted with all my being to be a cop, financial crimes investigator – or any profession outside the arts – to be able to enjoy a novel or performance without seeing myself attempting the same! I have to imagine, for example, that being a successful dentist who greatly enjoys the arts – but with no desire whatsoever to be an artist – has to be a much less angst-filled life. Even to know from a young age that one wants to dance, paint or write classical music, and all jobs are just to feed oneself whilst pursuing ones art, has to be a healthier emotional life than to, as Joseph Campbell said “Find yourself at the top of the ladder of success, and then realizing the ladder was leaning on the wrong wall.”
Right on!
I see the utility in having the mindset of the blue-collar worker, and I also see the value in making every task — a spreadsheet, a spiffed-up parking lot, a formerly irate customer turned fan from (of all things) a sparkling tech support conversation — a work of art.
Labels limit. A job title is the medium, not the message. What is your story about?
Good on, Stretch. Right on point
Touch as Nails and supple as the Wind.
You always hear of the delicate, sensitive artist. I assure you that it takes the nerve of a bull-fighter, the digestion of a peasant, the vitality of a night-club hostess, the tact of a diplomat, and the concentration of a Tibetan monk, to lead the life of a virtuoso.
– Jascha Heifetz, violinist
Thanks for this Adam –
Brilliant.
Thank you so much dear Steve.
I wish the artist can be both romantic and disciplined. And I wish also that the warrior mentality derives from the inspiration that our true self brings us, whether it may be dark or enlightened or different.
In the end the sensible cosmos, stirred by sensible causes (e.g. writing as much as needed), is what (or who, if we can assume cosmos as a kind of being(s)), will bring the sensible results.
A real book is a sensible result.
It is damn it.
Or else I would shine bright in the world of people like a sun now.
Yeah, take the long hours and frustration and shove it. That and people telling me that “you must be rich” or “you got lucky.”
One of the hardest b****ds who I know was a drunk, a martial artist and a brawler, but he could paint like a forger.
I don’t know how many writing events that I have attended where 90% of the “writers” are “thinking about writing something…”
Embrace the suck and keep going.
Well said!