I’m somewhere between a 3 and a 5.
I write urban fantasy novels. If I lived in most other parts of the country, I’d make enough to support myself. Because I live in the Silicon Valley, I’m glad that I have an engineer spouse who makes enough that we can live comfortably here. If it weren’t for him, I’d have to move or get a “real” job and go back to writing on the side.
I’m in between 2 and 4, being closer to 2 at the moment. I hope to end up somewhere between 1 and 4, without any delusions of 3 or 5. Right now I’m focusing on finding another job, hopefully more related to my education, since my current job is killing me and making 4 close to impossible. Thankfully health insurance is a given where I live.
The options list needs a 1.5: making a meager living off of it, and being happy and content. I’m there. I’m also not in the US, which matters.
I personally don’t know any artist who makes a living doing only the art they want as they all have other jobs of some kind. The writer I know is in marketing. the painter works in a library, and ever single musician I know either has a regular job or makes ends meet as music instructors.
I’m extremely proud of my son who is a professional dancer living and working in NYC. He is 33 now, he grew up in San Francisco and schooled at San Francisco Ballet, and high school at San Francisco’s SOTA — School of the Arts, then graduated from NYC at Marymount Manhattan with a BFA in dance.
He was a long-time 1 who is becoming a 5.
He loves to dance! He followed his heart and his passion, worked hard at his career and odd jobs on the side to make ends meet, and now he is a freelance professional.
Here are six photos of him performing — Dance Dance Dance! - Album on Imgur. I took the first one, and the rest are professional shots of him.
He has worked hard to build his career, and he’s been able to do what he loves — dance dance dance!
Hi, dontbesojumpy, do you have pictures of your work?
I know a guy who lives in L.A. and does stand up comedy. He has been doing this for about 3 or 4 years and is still pretty much at the bottom of the food chain. He has a regular job that has him just getting by in the hope that he will get some kind of break through. He says he does get discouraged and has thought of giving it up, but he isn’t ready to give up on his dream.
I know a couple of 5s (making a good living at it), though one was a 3 (had financial help from family) before becoming a 5. Both are big enough now that everyone here has surely heard their music, though you may not be aware of it. It’s been used in commercials, at sporting events, in movies, as bumpers on NPR, etc. The lesser-known one plays 80-100 nights a year to make enough to support his family in an expensive suburb. The other could live off his album sales now if he wanted to, though he does play 15-20 shows a year, mainly festivals, which pay a lot but cost him nothing (he doesn’t have to book a venue, pay a promoter, do advertising, etc.).
I know people at 1, 4, and 5. I’m at 4, and I know a lot of authors who write and hold a regular job. It’s a myth that you can’t establish yourself as an artist without doing it full time. It all boils down to how you manage your time.
Most people start out that way. Some get a big break eventually, but others can do it part time (e.g. Wallace Stevens).
The starving artist is a romantic myth. Possibly it had some relevance in the 19th century, but no longer.
This is not universally true. There are many starving artists. Through my son I know many dancers who are 2s, 3s, and 4s because they could not afford to live while dancing.
I believe RealityChuck was referring to “starving artist” in the literal sense. (Good luck trying to find anyone in the U.S. who is genuinely starving.)
Yes, I was speaking in the figurative sense.
Figuratively, there are many starving artists.
I’ll let RealityChuck clarify if he was speaking literally or not.
I am #4. I was torn between going to college for music vs. engineering and decided on engineering, with the idea that I could switch later if I thought it was a mistake. I ended up loving computer science and doing well in those classes so that’s what I got my degree in. In the meantime I played in the backup band for a university song & dance troupe, the university jazz band, a rock band, and a couple of musicals. I pursued a career in software development, got into management. I continued to play in local bands, and now play in jazz combos. I just did a big-band gig Saturday for a swing dance party.
I have always liked my job, and don’t do it just for the money (although I don’t get up in the morning with a passion for developing schedules, writing proposals, and doing project performance analysis, bursting out the door to greet every new day at the office. Sorry, Zig Ziglar.).
I made a calculated decision. I could have been a professional musician if I had dedicated myself to it–the difference between most serious amateurs and pros is not talent but dedication. But I see the lives of my friends who are very talented professional musicians and I am just as happy with the choice I have made. They will never be rich and famous, and it’s a very hard life to make your income from performing, plus the hours and the travel are hard on family life. Most of them teach to supplement their income. I am sure they are also very happy with the decisions they have made, because they have made music their lives.
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Those are some awesome moves! And that brings up another point of such people, eventually age creeps up on you and you cannot pulloff those big moves anymore and another younger person comes along.
Does he plan to “retire” and maybe just be a dance teacher, choreographer, or director?
Well doesnt every successful artist really just put out what the audience wants?
Didnt even Shakespeare write what his audience wanted? For example when they wanted tragedy and dramas he wrote those. When they wanted comedy he wrote those.
I read where Cher said she actually doesnt like her own music. But hey “Gypsies Tramps and Thieves” pays the bills.
I personally know a number of #4s: A few people who play paid gigs in bands on the weekends, a cousin who does stand-up, someone who had TV recaps published on a newspaper website (they burned out and stopped), etc. None are paying their mortgage that way but they’re regularly being paid to artistically perform in some manner.
I don’t know any #5s personally, but that doesn’t mean much. I don’t personally know any veterinarians either but the obvious evidence tells me that they exist, same as professional full-time creative artists.
Thank you!
He is really good, and he’s doing what he loves — what could make a father happier?
I took that first picture, his 180° jump split, and I’m proud of that shot. That moment was over in a split second.
I know athletics. I’ve been a sports fan all my life, after playing a little bit in my youth. I do NOT know dance, at all. But I figured that like in most sports, the ages of 25-35 are generally your athletic peak, so I’ve been talking with him about that. Earlier, late 20s to 30, I was pointing out that he was likely at his peak so he should map his career accordingly, and then also during those same years we talked about ‘after’. He’s fortunately been injury free, but he does have a plan that includes choreography, and teaching. He’s been doing some of that already. He’s great with young dancers, and he enjoys the teaching. He’ll do okay.
I’m a 3.5. I have a wife with the steady pay and benefits and I contribute financially with my money from music gigs, but I teach music part time at the local high school. By far most of the musicians I work with are in that same boat.
I actually consider myself closer to 3. I teach, but it’s still music.
Several times I’ve told my wife that I’m sorry my career doesn’t pay more and that I could contribute more financially to the household. She says it’s fine, because I’m happier doing what I do. (I sure love her.) I actually can pull in pretty good money, but it’s erratic.
I’m honestly envious of artists in counties that have social healthcare. It would make my career so much easier.
I’d argue that there are a very few – Bob Dylan comes to mind – who seem to follow their artistic muses, even when it’s contrary to “what their fans want,” and they manage to be successful anyway. But, I also suspect that they are the rare exceptions which prove the rule.