THE TRAGIC LOT OF THE CREATIVE TYPE: A Rant
Are you a "Creative" type? Don't expect any meaningful career support unless your Daddy is rich and prone to indulge you in your chosen profession. It's sad but true: The creative's friends and family are often worthless, if not damaging to his career. First, you have the cheerleaders who say anything you do, no matter how bad, is fantastic, then you have the dream-destroyers who think you should pursue something more practical, like being a doctor or a lawyer (as if we don't have enough of these parasites in our country already). Of course, 99% of their "advice" and comments are useless (if you can even get them to look at anything in the first place)... They quite simply don't know anything about what you do, whether it be writing, filmmaking, art, whatever. They pursue their painfully boring, uncreative little little lives without a care in the world, scratching their heads like good little chimps when presented with anything out of the ordinary. Underneath it all, whether they know it or not, they are jealous and spiteful. Why should you succeed and lead a life more interesting than their own? It's the "build them up, tear them down" celebrity tabloid mentality--only without the build-up, LOL.
When you do manage to achieve a measure of success and independence as I have done, whatever you've attained is never good enough for them. "Why can't you be like Stephen King?" or "Why don't you go see Steven Spielberg?" are two of the most painfully stupid questions I am asked most often. Then there's the classic line, "I can't believe anybody buys that crap you make!" LOL. But wait, there's more: what about the greedy, nagging wife who undermines everything you do that "threatens" her financial stability or takes time away from her and the kids? Millstones around your neck, I say! Whether you have all or only some of these diabolical dream-destroyers dragging you down, wait until you actually prove them wrong and strike it rich! Then watch them change their tune long enough to come begging for a hand-out: "We always knew you'd make it! Can I borrow $5,000?" Yeah, right. F*** you.
Everything I've done I've had to earn on my own, clawing my way to success, tooth and nail. The most recent example of dream-destroying in my life inspired today's rant... As regular readers of this blog know, I'm currently engaged in writing my first novel, a monumental (but hardly insurmountable) challenge. I told a certain someone in my family that I'd bought a bunch of books that shared the theme of my novel as research material so I could get a feel for what other writers were doing on the subject. This jackass couldn't understand why anyone would want to do that and has the nerve to ask me: "You're not copying these books, are you?" That's about as close as I've come to punching somebody in the face in quite awhile, LOL. It's the worst insult you can level at a writer because it doesn't just challenge what you're writing so much as your ability as a writer! These people don't listen, don't understand and I don't know why I ever expected them to, when they've given me nothing but grief on everything else I've ever done.
Yessir, the lot of the creative type is a lonely one! Unless you're one of the lucky ones, my advice is to never bother to share anything with the "normals" in your life, but if you do, don't expect any kind of support. Unless they are creative types themselves, they are utterly incapable of appreciating or understanding what you go through to do whatever it is that you love. They think books and movies just grow on trees, LOL. Surround yourself with fellow creatives and you'll have an easier time of it.
If you find yourself struggling to get things done on your project, remember that there are only 24 hours in a day, so pick one and get started! Keep hammering away at it every day, even if only for an hour or two. If you are unlucky enough to have one or more unsupportive "normals" sharing your space, lock them out of your room and demand they treat you as if you were "at the office" when the door is shut. Easier said than done, I know. Wives and children are notoriously persistent in not understanding that what you are doing is important and "real" work. They may even try to force you into negotiating for your "free time!" Put your foot down: No deals. "Get lost! I'm busy!" is the battle cry of the creative when beseiged by the forces of mediocrity. How else will you ever get anything done?
END RANT!
When you do manage to achieve a measure of success and independence as I have done, whatever you've attained is never good enough for them. "Why can't you be like Stephen King?" or "Why don't you go see Steven Spielberg?" are two of the most painfully stupid questions I am asked most often. Then there's the classic line, "I can't believe anybody buys that crap you make!" LOL. But wait, there's more: what about the greedy, nagging wife who undermines everything you do that "threatens" her financial stability or takes time away from her and the kids? Millstones around your neck, I say! Whether you have all or only some of these diabolical dream-destroyers dragging you down, wait until you actually prove them wrong and strike it rich! Then watch them change their tune long enough to come begging for a hand-out: "We always knew you'd make it! Can I borrow $5,000?" Yeah, right. F*** you.
Everything I've done I've had to earn on my own, clawing my way to success, tooth and nail. The most recent example of dream-destroying in my life inspired today's rant... As regular readers of this blog know, I'm currently engaged in writing my first novel, a monumental (but hardly insurmountable) challenge. I told a certain someone in my family that I'd bought a bunch of books that shared the theme of my novel as research material so I could get a feel for what other writers were doing on the subject. This jackass couldn't understand why anyone would want to do that and has the nerve to ask me: "You're not copying these books, are you?" That's about as close as I've come to punching somebody in the face in quite awhile, LOL. It's the worst insult you can level at a writer because it doesn't just challenge what you're writing so much as your ability as a writer! These people don't listen, don't understand and I don't know why I ever expected them to, when they've given me nothing but grief on everything else I've ever done.
Yessir, the lot of the creative type is a lonely one! Unless you're one of the lucky ones, my advice is to never bother to share anything with the "normals" in your life, but if you do, don't expect any kind of support. Unless they are creative types themselves, they are utterly incapable of appreciating or understanding what you go through to do whatever it is that you love. They think books and movies just grow on trees, LOL. Surround yourself with fellow creatives and you'll have an easier time of it.
If you find yourself struggling to get things done on your project, remember that there are only 24 hours in a day, so pick one and get started! Keep hammering away at it every day, even if only for an hour or two. If you are unlucky enough to have one or more unsupportive "normals" sharing your space, lock them out of your room and demand they treat you as if you were "at the office" when the door is shut. Easier said than done, I know. Wives and children are notoriously persistent in not understanding that what you are doing is important and "real" work. They may even try to force you into negotiating for your "free time!" Put your foot down: No deals. "Get lost! I'm busy!" is the battle cry of the creative when beseiged by the forces of mediocrity. How else will you ever get anything done?
END RANT!
posted by Todd Tjersland at 3:55 PM
2 Comments:
The fact that a member of your family thinks you might be copying the books is, well, hilarious.
LOL
You're telling me! The career support I get from these people is hilariously nonexistent. But they mean well... (insert eye roll)
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