Writing a book is a daunting task.
Trying to write something valuable for my peers is even more daunting.
I think it boils down to the question: Why me?
What qualifications, what authority do I have to write a book such as this?
Well I am young.
Not super young anymore - I am a ripe old 24 - but young enough.
The benefit of being young is that the struggles young creatives go through are very fresh for me - either I have recently gone through them, I am currently going though them, or I will be going through them quite soon.
So there is great immediacy for me in writing this book.
Second, I am creative.
I paint and I write poetry and I have been told I am decent at both things. This is important because a lot of the theories will come from my personal experience.
I did go to the private prep school. I did grow up in the high art contemporary gallery scene. I did win art scholarships to college. I was awarded travel grants to make art in other countries. I did participate in an international art exposition at 19. I have had gallery shows. I did start an art management and consulting company. I have booked over 250 shows and events in the past year. I have gotten some pretty great clients and lost some pretty great clients as well. I have made a ton of mistakes and have had some pretty solid successes. Basically I have been a pretty pro-active young creative person thus far in my life.
So what?
I know there are other people who have had just as much success if not more in the creative field by 24. What makes me "the one" who gets to write "the book" for young creative people?
I think my greatest qualifications have nothing to do with creativity. I think the fact that I am a full-licensed stockbroker and have worked in the financial field for two years gives me a different perspective. The fact that I religiously read both venture capital and basketball blogs - and am overall a huge sports guy is important as well. My major is actually Political Science.
And that is perhaps the first thing that every young creative person should know - don't just be a creative person.
Of course you have to know your craft, and keep up on the cultural scene - however don't just do that. Find a sport that you can like and be passionate about that. Learn how to cook if that isn't your thing. Pick up an issue of the Wall Street Journal or at least start reading the business section of the New York Times. Subscribe to Economist magazine and actually have a clue about world affairs - or at least a particular region of the world.
The reason I love venture capital blogs is because they deal with the most cutting edge technology and with entrepreneurship. Thus I kill two birds with one stone - I am aware of the latest technological trends and I receive great ideas and wisdom on being a better entrepreneur.
This is very important because all young creatives are entrepreneurs or to use an older term - "freelancers". One of the most important thing a young creative person can do is to start looking at themselves as a business. Once you view yourself and what you do as a business, you start to take yourself more seriously, work a bit harder, and make better decisions about your work. This in turn leads to other people starting to take you seriously as well. When in doubt think "What Would Coca-Cola Do?"
Which brings me to my last qualification - I passionately care about creative people. Helping creative people live off of their creativity is my life mission. I want to help this newest class of young creative people make the term "starving artist" obsolete. This book is merely another step on the journey.
I will be literally writing the book on this blog. I was reading an essay on the college basketball blog The Mid Majority by Kyle Whelliston (which follows the non big conference schools) and in an essay he suggested the days where you went to a farmhouse and hacked out a novel are over. Writing can be an active, even a communal process. I look forward to being able to tap into "the community" to help me write this book as well. I have some fun ideas and theories, but will also depend on you telling me what you think every young creative should know as well.
Thank you for going on this journey with me. It will be fun.
