You mean the cool kind of creative.

Heh.

I will say that reading this and contemplating my writing while doing tech support is a bit of a bummer.

I think I'm with David here in not seeing Amanda Palmer's statement as such a terrible thing. It's not the right advice for everyone, but I don't think it's wildly objectionable, either. For many people, a successful career in art requires risk-taking, intense focus, and lots of time, and if you spend a good chunk of your time focusing on building a backup plan, that's necessarily less time you have for your art. There's a way to phrase that that isn't "Fuck Plan B!", but that's not Amanda Palmer's style. And, sure, I can see why her attitude rubs people the wrong way, but it doesn't for me.

I haven't quantified it but I'm reasonably sure that I'm well versed in artist bios, as I've read literally hundreds of them.

The biographies of the exceptional (and, really, and one who gets a bio is probably exceptional, or has gone the small press route for horn tooting) are as biased a dataset as the performance data from charter schools with a strong ability to select their students. It doesn't serve as an instruction manual for having a fulfilling creative life without starving to death or dying of preventable ailments in countries without proper health care.

For many people, a successful career in art requires risk-taking, intense focus, and lots of time, and if you spend a good chunk of your time focusing on building a backup plan, that's necessarily less time you have for your art.

Now you're being all reasonable and thoughtful and succinct.

The biographies of the exceptional (and, really, and one who gets a bio is probably exceptional, or has gone the small press route for horn tooting) are as biased a dataset

Yeah, but that's the dataset of Succeeded, so I don't think it's improper to draw inferences on How Best To Do It. It's like a sleezier Best Practices approach with more sex work and drug dealing. (at least for the musicians. The writers simply wrote porn for pay.)

The more I think about it, the more I think Sophia said the most important thing -- it's only risky to be an artist if you are lower-middle class or similar. If you're poor, you have nothing to lose, and if you are rich, you know people who can support you.

Yeah, but that's the dataset of Succeeded, so I don't think it's improper to draw inferences on How Best To Do It. It's like a sleezier Best Practices approach with more sex work and drug dealing. (at least for the musicians. The writers simply wrote porn for pay.)

Eh, that's the dataset of Exceeded. Not the same.

Or, rather, depends on how you define success. There are many people I would define as successful (Kristen, for example), who don't fit that pattern.

The more I think about it, the more I think Sophia said the most important thing -- it's only risky to be an artist if you are lower-middle class or similar. If you're poor, you have nothing to lose, and if you are rich, you know people who can support you.

Exactly. And I admit, part of why I'm so against the "Fuck Plan B" philosophy is because of my lower-middle class background. My childhood was filled with worrying and fighting about money, and I refuse to live that way now.

Or, rather, depends on how you define success. There are many people I would define as successful (Kristen, for example), who don't fit that pattern.

Yep. Again, what are we defining as a successful creative person? Someone who is has a Plan B and is still managing to work on their creative outlet, even if it's not as often as they'd like in a perfect world? Or someone who is being supported by someone else, talks about their creative work, but doesn't produce much? Or someone who focuses on their art, produces amazing work, but has left a long trail of people who have supported them behind them?

I came up with so many fucking wannabe actors and comedians, and I watched some of my friends make it way bigger than anyone dared dream aloud, and some of them drop out of it entirely, but if you think that "Plan B" is separating those who succeeded from those who didn't you're ignoring a lot of really important things--like talent, luck, looks, and the ability to define your plan A. So much more important.

And you're ignoring the "I really like being a psychologist and doing voice work for animation and computer games" people who have it going on both cylinders, and like their lives to boot.

AND I would have a lot more tolerance for the "Fuck Plan B" stance if Amanda Palmer didn't then turn around and ask other struggling artists to help her put on her show in return for beer, hugs, and "great exposure!". Yes, she eventually decided to pay the musicians who were joining her on stage, but only after people took her to task over it.