Is a day job a starting artist or writer's best friend?

Learning to appreciate our day jobs as we pursue our creative endeavors

One of the things I talk about a lot with other artist friends is the desire to go full-time with their creative careers. While I’ve known many creators who have managed to make it work, I’ve also known many where it has led to a lot of heartbreak and financially put them in bad situations. I still work a full-time job, and while it’s challenging to manage it all, I have found it to be a tremendous lift for my creative endeavors, especially when I was just getting started. I talk about it in my newest video.

To summarize the key points of my video, I have learned to see my day job as something that aids me in pursuing the kinds of art I care about. Here’s how:

I changed my perspective

I used to be miserable at my day job, like capital M. I would sit in my car during my lunch breaks, dreading going back into the building and pining for the day I could leave and do the kinds of work I felt I truly cared about. I was looking for every way out. I applied at movie studios, taught art classes, and took on commissions (whether I liked the project or not) so I could try and find something that would allow me to leave.

But then something changed. I realized that I actually had a really great job that provided for my family, and it was me who made it so miserable.

I started thinking about how my day job took the financial pressures off of me so that I could pursue the things I truly cared about in my off hours instead of looking for a way out. When money or changing my career was not my chief concern, I stopped trying to take on artistic pursuits that weren’t furthering my ultimate goal of becoming a professional comic book artist. I stopped taking on commissions and building portfolios for a job search and wholly focused on my pursuits as a comic artist. Freed from my frustrations, I could dive into my comic work with energy and excitement. I made decisions that were good in the long run, like learning how to finish a book.

Simply learning to be grateful for what I had made such a difference.

I looked for ways to use the spare moments

Depending on your work situation, we often have moments to spare at work or on our commute. Maybe you’re waiting on something from a co-worker (as was the case when I worked in television), or you’re stuck on a train. While others would use these moments to browse the internet, I would try to be intentional with my spare moments and ask if I could do anything to advance my projects instead of wasting time.

I often think of the hugely popular author Brandon Sanderson and a story he tells about a night shift job at a hotel he picked up specifically because it allowed him to write when there was nothing going on. He would use the open spaces when there was simply nothing to do but wait and use that time to make progress. He wrote several books this way.

The principle is simple: use your time well. And be a good employee, of course!

I learned valuable lessons about productivity and professionalism

There’s more to being a professional artist than just drawing or writing. As I’ll talk about more in upcoming installments, I quickly realized that I was terrible at basic productivity practices and organization. These business and interpersonal skills play a massive role in your success and often go unnoticed.

I started implementing skills I was learning on the job into my comics practices and saw a huge lift in all areas of my work life. I suddenly had systems for getting things done and a tool kit to adapt when challenges arose.

It’s hard to quantify how much my day job has impacted me this way, but I’ve learned a tremendous amount because of it, which has helped me be a better creator.

Don’t miss this! Look for ways to learn from your job.

When is it time to quit?

Now, I’m not saying all of this to tell people that they shouldn’t ever go full-time with their art. Instead, I’m encouraging you to see your situation as something that can help you in your pursuits of creativity. At some point, you may be able to leave and do your creative work full-time, or maybe your creative work will open up new opportunities for you in the world of employment, as it has for me.

Keep on keepin’ at it!

New book update: Project “Deepwater Creek”

Production is entering its final months on my latest graphic novel, Deepwater Creek. I’m down to just a few weeks now to finish the line art and turn in cover sketches.

I also need to make a few story changes, but overall, they’re pretty small things compared to what they have been.

Now that the story feels more solidified, I’m really beginning to enjoy this book and what I think it can become. Here’s a recent page:

What I’m digging

The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. I recently picked this book up after watching Ali Abdaal’s review on his channel. The principle is simple: instead of planning your work over the course of a year, think about it as a twelve-week stretch. Essentially, this is quarterly planning! I always use this process in my business life but have never applied it to my creative endeavors. I am really enjoying the results so far as I implement it into my system.

Lichdom from Feral Wizard is a solo journaling RPG game in which you create the story of a sorcerer’s fall into ruin as they pursue immortality by becoming a lich. I started building my own character as part of the process I am using to create a fun fantasy story. It’s a fantastic game, and I love tools like this, where creativity and storytelling are made fun and unexpected.

Notion—I was this year’s age when I finally learned about Notion, the powerful digital workspace tool, and wow! I am blown over by it. I am only a few weeks into using it, but I adore it and its flexibility to build workflows that work for me. I’m even writing his newsletter in it!

Check out my book The Sleepover

The Sleepover follows a group of kids as they try to cheer up their friend, Matthew, following the loss of a loved one with a sleepover party. But things turn nightmarish when they begin to suspect their babysitter is a witch from a local legend.