I've been listening to The Moment with Brian Koppelman. There's a ton advice about writing in these podcasts and his interviews with Seth Godin are the basis of Godin's book The Practice. One of the things he was discussing about writing when I was listening was making a terrible first draft, as written about in Bird by Bird. Great advice, among many other nuggets of wisdom.

I couldn't help but wonder, as these gentlemen were discussing all the novels they read, as they jumped around from author to author, as they enjoyed all their free time to write and read, what they did for income. Now, these are two busy, professional writers. So, I get that their job is to write and read. But I mean, what did they do before that? A quick search tells me Koppelman's father was a media producer, New York based. The writer he was interviewing, David Lipsky, also born in NYC, was the son of a famous painter and artist. OK. Bingo! They had a safety net.

Barbara Sehr in her book, Wishcraft, wrote about the need to have a supportive community (or family). She says, if you don't already have one, then create one. Boy is that important and it's so often overlooked when giving advice to writers and artists. In my own experience, this very much includes a family who can be there when an artist falls and is able to pick the writer/artist up and help them keep going. Actors often talk about great directors such as Eli Kazan providing the feeling of a safety net. My advice to you, dear reader, if thinking of a life in the arts is to get a supportive social system first. I hold no grudges towards both of these guys being born with privileges, and they have certainly earned their successes. But at least let's make it clear before offering advice to writers to at least say, "Well, please remember, I didn't have to move to New York and find a job and an apartment, and a community and meet some connections and I was able to live with mommy and daddy and if I needed money, they would help me, etc., etc." That's all. Just offer full disclosure.

I recently read a book at UCLA. I forgot the title. The author was a young YouTuber who wrote all about the mindset of the successful musician, and would say things like, "When I was struggling, creating music in my mother's basement, even then I knew I'd be a star. It's a mindset." Whoa, whoa, whoa, Pilgrim. Let's look at the words "struggling in my mother's basement." That's not a struggle. That's lucky. Many, many, many people are just trying to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, which is a full time endeavor in itself. Many people would love a free basement to get to live in and write music. To give advice and say, "Read more books and produce more music," is a slap in the face.

I took a writer's workshop at Wesleyan Writers Conference in the early 2000's. Two of the three featured writers had trust funds, which they failed to mention. They spewed forth advice on how to create conflict in a story, how to draft query letters, and how to create characters. We struggling writers diligently scribbled down notes. No one mentioned that they didn't have to have a day job as they wrote. The third writer had gone on welfare to finish his novel.

I say this not to sound bitter. It's just some advice if you, dear reader, are thinking of the artists' path. Please, find and prioritize a support system, figure out a way to enjoy life with a community, which unfortunately may include a job that you can tolerate. This was Patti Smith's method. Here's an article from the 1990's about Jay Borjarski . He was in an off Broadway show, but refused to give up his job in insurance.

On another note, I still like Seth Godin, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins and other success gurus, magicians and Merlins of our time, but please remember these guys are the choo-choo train of modernity, which is some people's books may be unsustainable.