Shawn MacDonald
Aug 9, 2017 · 1 min read

The best advice I can give you is to review every decision I’ve made for the past fifteen years, then do the EXACT opposite. :)

Based on the piece you wrote, I would say that you definitely are on the right track. I was never very organized about the way I did things (I’m still not) and you seem to have a much clearer idea of what you’re doing. I have always just sort of made it up as I’ve gone along.

I normally don’t give much advice (because I’m the LAST person who should be doing so), but since you asked, I have two pieces of advice that I wish I had been given years ago.

  1. Even when you are slammed, make time to market yourself. Even if it’s just a few hours a week, it will help because when things slow down you will already have been planting seeds.
  2. Make more time to create things you want to create. Draw this, sculpt that, make a fake movie poster…just be sure to give yourself time to be your own client.

I don’t have any regrets about the way I did things, but I definitely could have made things easier on myself. Hell, if I had taken this advice even just one year ago, I’d be better off than I am now. :)

    Shawn MacDonald

    Written by

    Graphic artist. Writer. Vinyl-only DJ. Bicyclist. My best friend is a 2-year old Aussie/lab named Daisy. We live in the middle of the Mitten.