Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins

Jeff Goins’ Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age is a book that came into my hands at the perfect time.

Now that I take my creative work seriously, as something necessary rather than optional, I feel that the lessons from the book will be extremely beneficial to me in the long run, as the rules introduced at the beginning, summarized below, really relieve a lot of pressure off of you and let you simply focus on creating.

Although the book talks a lot about the right mindset of an artist, I personally found it to be most useful when it introduced knowledge related to… money. It helped me understand the importance of having patrons and how they are often right in front of us: our employers (yes, it’s one of those books that advises you to keep your day job), your family and friends, and the connections closest to us. Importantly, it also changed the way I think about charging for my work, as Jeff Goins explains:

“You have to be willing to do the job of an artist, which includes more than just making things - it means charging what you’re worth.”

“Charging brings dignity to our work. It validates our offering to the world. And it allows us to keep working.”

“You set the tone for how people will treat you, which means you must believe your work is worth charging for.”

“We don’t make art for the money. We make money so that we can make more art.”

The book made me think of and list everyone around me who will be willing to invest in my work, and asking for support has always been uncomfortable for me. I know that I must now implement all of this advice and actually start selling my work. So keep an eye out for my zines, which is where I plan to start!