I wish creative passions didn’t have to be reduced to the sideline, only pursued in spare moments (and therefore sacrificing other things: relationships, health, or leisure, and leaving you feeling a little guilty for pursuing them at all)
It’s a predicament. The obvious solution is to try (through some miracle) to make the passion bring a paycheck. But that comes with it’s own confusing drawbacks
Creation feels pure, the trappings around it hopelessly complicated
For me, the openings for creative endeavors have come in seasons of life. I'm thankful to ever have been able to eek out a creative vocation, even when the work was by commission. Other times, a 60+, sometimes 70-hour/week cubical job and/or family needs have squeezed creative work down to zero. My current phase is - demanding day job, but working from home (all that commute time saved!), and normal hours, which allow for writing time early mornings and weekends. That's a lot more creative time than I've had in many years. (But it's still never enough!) Thankfully, Hubs is an introvert and doesn't mind if we both hide away as much as possible. It is definitely complicated and often feels hopeless. But we soldier on. Because we must.
Keeping play separated from work seems to be a theme the universe keeps sending my way. I've turned my play into work in the past, and lost a lot of the luster of the play. Now I'm trying to figure out how to make money while continuing to do something I love, while not worrying about maximizing income or anything like that. EG, writing here on Substack- I care far more about the tangible benefits I get (it's fun and scratches a really fundamental itch than eventual monetization).
Tricky, isn't it? We all want to be able to do our thing full-time, but it's a different animal when the bills depend on it. I've had several careers in the arts - for that, I am privileged. I hope one day people will pay for my visual art again - but because they like what they see of the finished work, rather than made to order. It's all good. Just different.
I like that. I hope to stick with my guns here on Substack, and remember not to get distracted. My writing is pure and represents me today, and I like that a lot.
I wish creative passions didn’t have to be reduced to the sideline, only pursued in spare moments (and therefore sacrificing other things: relationships, health, or leisure, and leaving you feeling a little guilty for pursuing them at all)
It’s a predicament. The obvious solution is to try (through some miracle) to make the passion bring a paycheck. But that comes with it’s own confusing drawbacks
Creation feels pure, the trappings around it hopelessly complicated
For me, the openings for creative endeavors have come in seasons of life. I'm thankful to ever have been able to eek out a creative vocation, even when the work was by commission. Other times, a 60+, sometimes 70-hour/week cubical job and/or family needs have squeezed creative work down to zero. My current phase is - demanding day job, but working from home (all that commute time saved!), and normal hours, which allow for writing time early mornings and weekends. That's a lot more creative time than I've had in many years. (But it's still never enough!) Thankfully, Hubs is an introvert and doesn't mind if we both hide away as much as possible. It is definitely complicated and often feels hopeless. But we soldier on. Because we must.
Keeping play separated from work seems to be a theme the universe keeps sending my way. I've turned my play into work in the past, and lost a lot of the luster of the play. Now I'm trying to figure out how to make money while continuing to do something I love, while not worrying about maximizing income or anything like that. EG, writing here on Substack- I care far more about the tangible benefits I get (it's fun and scratches a really fundamental itch than eventual monetization).
Tricky, isn't it? We all want to be able to do our thing full-time, but it's a different animal when the bills depend on it. I've had several careers in the arts - for that, I am privileged. I hope one day people will pay for my visual art again - but because they like what they see of the finished work, rather than made to order. It's all good. Just different.
I like that. I hope to stick with my guns here on Substack, and remember not to get distracted. My writing is pure and represents me today, and I like that a lot.
Half of it is figuring out what we want. It's easier to stick with it then.