What’s Starving Artist Syndrome? A syndrome is a collection of symptoms or signs that help in the diagnosis of a condition, usually a medical one. For example, an official diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome (which I have) is given if you have 10 or more of 18 specific symptoms. The medical profession uses the word syndrome…
Why care about Starving Artists? Well, that question reminds of a question from my ex that absolutely floored me! I had told her I was taking a workshop on poetry writing (a very expensive $ 50 workshop) and fretting about this horrendous expense she peevishly remarked, “But, what’s the practical value of poetry?” Any of…
Do you know a “Starving Artist”? You know the type — oh, and they don’t have to be ‘real’ artists either. They don’t want to sully their life with ‘business’. Their ‘art’, or whatever it is they produce, if they actually produce anything, is much to elegant to be understood by the “masses”. They want…
I was chatting with a friend and colleague in Vancouver yesterday about this notion of a “Portfolio Career” and how it fit for me. Wayne made a comment about the great thing about portfolios, like those artists carry, is that the stuff inside isn’t linear. Thanks, Wayne, that got me thinking again. Wayne’s right. We…
When I was growing up, if you asked a guy — and, yes it was almost always a guy — what job he held, HE KNEW! My dad for example was a carpenter for most of his life, except for a brief sting as a nickel miner. Then things began to change as we Baby…
This is for Pat who said, “I’m hoping being here will help to uncover or resurface a passion for this.” Well, Pat I’ve wrestled with this one for a few days now. Finally, I knew what I needed: poetry! I’ve learned that when I’m stuck in my feelings. Or, caught in a war between my…
I sometimes joke that the single most significant cause of auto accidents is “the nut that holds the wheel!” The same is true of small businesses. Especially businesses run by a single person — your so-called Solopreneur. I’ve been consulting to 1-person businesses since 1988 and the thing I learned early on is that most…