I think 90% of my interactions on a daily basis are with professional creatives and 10% with those in non-creative careers, between going to classes, shows, auditions and work. I’ve been hearing some disheartening things from a lot of talented creatives lately, and this seems to happen near the holidays (when y’all go home to your families for dinner and your careers come up.)
I wanted to post a blog that hopefully is uplifting and encouraging. This is as much a letter made to myself, as it is geared towards anyone else. Some of the tips are reminders; some of them are recommendations.
- Your career is real; you’re not jobless. Know it’s normal to be self employed, in any career, and be referred to as unemployed by non-self employed people. It’s not limited to just to professional creatives. My husband has been self employed for almost 2 years now in a “non-creative” skilled trade, and even he recently got referred to as “jobless.” I can’t count how many times what I do for a living has been referred to like a hobby…my “photography thing” or my “acting thing”…even the years I’ve grossed more than my 9-5 peers. It makes no sense. All it does is say more about the person saying it, than you. On one hand, you can’t really expect those who are in a different career path than you to understand what you do, but since you’re not always familiar with how other industries operate yourself, you can always ask how someone’s retail thing, their suburban family thing, or their lawyer thing is going for them. Jk, don’t do that (look to number 6 for why).
- Your vulnerability makes your work beautiful; keep it. Know that being creative professionally is something that will naturally make you vulnerable. You put your work out there in to the world according to your taste and vision, and you also charge for it, and whether it’s a scene in a multi-million dollar network episodic, or work you sell independently employed…money is on the line. Some creatives are free spirits; some are perfectionists. If you fall into the latter category like I do, know you are probably more judgmental about your own work than anyone else could be. There’s a great 2 minute video by Ira Glass that explains this phenomenon. He says you have great taste, because you have great taste, sometimes you can tell what you do is not so good, and thankfully you have the ability to recognize it. The only way to bridge the gap is to put out a massive amount of work.
- You don’t actually need validation for your work. We respond to validation, and respond to criticism… naturally. It’s normal to hold your breath when you share your work, and relax when you get some validation. This also puts you in a place to get crushed or embarrassed when you don’t get that validation. I learned a long time ago when I left my last 9-5 job that you can’t seek validation for your work. A lot of people won’t give it to you, and some paths, like acting, you’re going to get rejected…a lot…a lot of times for many reasons that have nothing to do with your work…your zip code, your hair color, your gender, you look like the CDs ex boyfriend’s new girlfriend, etc. Building a business is also an upward climb that sometimes takes a lot of investment before seeing a return. Also know, that you may not share the same style or taste with every artist, or Joe Schmo on the street with an opinion, so stay true to your vision because you can lose it chasing validation. Do not let the response, or fear of a certain response, to your work change your creative process! Be brave. Be bold! Try that new long form opening, keep testing your jokes at open mics, put up that off beat original play, shoot that sketch and hope the timing hits right, try a new lighting setup, follow your impulses in an audition, go to an open mic with your new song, write those blogs/one acts/short stories/features…get in the habit of viewing your work as a never ending journey of growth instead of some perfectly polished item to show to the world.
- Do the work, so you know you did the work. As a creative, you can’t half ass anything, you can’t be lazy, and ignorance is not an excuse. There are a lot of things you can’t control; there are a decent number of things you actually can control. If your lack of training makes you insecure, jump in a class. If you can’t light your self tapes, or shoot video well, pick up a used book on Amazon or hop on to Youtube university. Find your artist friends who’s work you admire and teachers you respect, and send them your stuff to tear apart…then buy them coffee or dinner. Send your auditions to that buddy who books, your images to your friend that works in that commercial retouching house in LA for a quality check, your professional editor buddy to look at your webseries, your musician friend to hear your recording, invite friends over to table read your original play, etc. Do the things that scare you until you own them. When your work gets examined by the world and sometimes gets a negative response, on top of the rejection some artists are bound to face, you’ll have the discernment to know whether or not what you’re receiving is constructive criticism or just a stab from an untrained eye. You did the work to know the difference; you’ve had your work picked apart with a fine tooth comb by industry professionals whom you respect and who’s opinions you value. What you hear will either sound like correct feedback, or it will sound totally off base. You will only limit yourself with doubt by what you don’t know, if you don’t put in the work.
- Take a compliment when you get one. Leave your insecurities for those in your inner circle who help you grow. Not everyone is lying to you. My one performer friend helped me with this, saying that when you deny an audience member’s compliment of your work (like a show you’re in) you’re basically telling them they’re wrong or have bad taste if you respond with all the things you think weren’t great about it. I’m still working on this one (and I’m sorry to that friend if I butchered your advice when I wrote the gist of it.)
- Be kind. Be an encourager to other creatives. Help each other out. Confident creatives are kind anyway, and insecurity is obvious, so be confident and be kind. Surround yourselves with those that ground you and keep you kind when you’re doing beautifully vulnerable work in the midst of rejection. I don’t know where I’d be without the photographers and videographers, actors, musicians, editors, yogis, dancers, painters, directors, writers etc that have generously gifted me their time and knowledge, expecting nothing in return. Some have even gotten me internships. Be successful, and then be that helper to other people. Even if you don’t feel like you are successful, still be kind, and encourage others. You’re much more likely to work more, in such a collaborative industry, if other people like to be around you, or at the very least, can tolerate you.
- Create because you were born to. Our culture too often looks for answers in the back of the textbook. You’re not wrong for innovating. Though people in non- creative career paths may not value your work… know that our society and generation has many problems, without solutions located in the back of some textbook yet. Your work is important and you’re part of the process of making things better.
Every creative journey has its peaks, valleys and sometimes, plateaus. Sometimes the holidays fall on one of your valleys or plateaus and you don’t have a lot of successes to share. Don’t worry….some years you will…and you still might never get that response you want. You may finally have booked some network roles after auditioning with no success for awhile, and those family members only see 30 seconds of screen time on a show they don’t like. You may be a wedding photographer who booked their entire next year by August and you’re told you need a “real job.” You could be a nationally touring comedian or musician and it’s just your little “thing” you do. Some people are just ignorant, some people have their own problems they solve through negativity with others….but remember this: a lot of people go around assuming everyone values their opinion.
This is me reminding you that not everyone has an opinion you need to value.
Be brave. Be bold. Do the work. Create. Be vulnerable, friends.
