And when I truly was not sure what to do, I could stop, and think about whether it was taking me towards or away from the mountain. My goal.Īnd I knew that as long as I kept walking towards the mountain I would be all right. Something that worked for me was imagining that where I wanted to be - an author, primarily of fiction, making good books, making good comics and supporting myself through my words - was a mountain. That’s the beauty of being young or being an artist we’re brimming with optimism and ideas and there are no rules to tell us no. You have no idea what you’re doing, and it’s a relief to hear someone consider that a good thing. Starting a career in the arts is like entering adulthood. And because nobody’s done it before, they haven’t made up rules to stop anyone doing that again, yet.
If you don’t know it’s impossible it’s easier to do. The rules on what is possible and impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them. People who know what they are doing know the rules, and know what is possible and impossible. When you start out on a career in the arts you have no idea what you are doing.
8 Lessons from Neil Gaiman that have helped my writing career 1. The entire speech is golden, but these quotes are the ones I reach for the most. When I convinced my parents that writing was worth pursuing, I reached for my copy of the transcript, covered in highlights and underlines, and read it to them.Īt this point, I know the speech almost by heart, and whenever I need advice, these words return to me. As that journey began, I found myself reading or watching the speech whenever I needed inspiration. At that moment, I decided to pursue writing, a passion I’ve had ever since I was a child. I took out a highlighter and read it again.
I was handed the transcript by a friend, back when I didn’t know who Neil Gaiman was. The transcript has been published as a book and the YouTube video has garnered millions of views. His recorded speech has inspired artists beyond that graduating class. On May 17, 2012, Neil Gaiman rose to speak at the commencement ceremony for The University of the Arts.
0 kommentar(er)
