Love Your Day Job

So many people have a false dream about becoming an artist. They hate their day jobs and loathe their careers, so starting a blog or writing a book for money and profit seems like a creative alternative.

Rick Riordan, author of the bestselling Percy Jackson series of books, was a teacher before he became a full-time writer and he didn’t want to leave his day job.

“When I explained to people that I was still a full-time school teacher, they would give me sympathetic looks. I tried explaining that I loved teaching. I was not anxious to leave my calling. For some strange reason, no one believed me.”
— Rick Riordan

Here is a guy whose books have sold in epic proportions with international fame, who loved his job. He didn’t want to leave his job. He saw it and still sees it as his calling. He realized, though, that he could still be a teacher through his books instead.

Why is this important to understanding Riordan’s success and to our potential success as artists?

Before Percy, Riordan wrote a series of adult mystery novels that didn’t sell. You’ve probably never heard of them but they are all still in print.

The thing is, Riordan loved writing those books even if they didn’t sell millions of copies. Just like the Percy Jackson books, he would have written them even if no one published them.

Taking these risks and enjoying the process of creating these worlds was only made possible by the day job that he enjoyed. He was able to write a book that might not sell because he wasn’t dependent upon the income to survive.

This isn’t to say that artists shouldn’t try to create something people will buy, but placing all your hope for happiness in the financial success of an artistic endeavor can rob the joy and creativity out of the process.

You will have a choice: create what will sell or create what is right.

Rick Riordan created something he loved and millions of people loved it too.

Having a day job you love frees you up to enjoy the creation of your art and enables you to create something you can be proud of.

“It took me ten years before I became a full-time writer, and even then I didn’t plan it. So is writing a responsible career choice? I’d have to say no. A possible career, yes. But this is not a good reason to starting writing books.”
— Rick Riordan

Inspired by Rick Riordan’s “Advice for Writers” speech.