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Why Creativity Doesn’t Pay
Day 43, Sunday 29th April 2018
Over two years have passed since my ‘deli day’, as Joanna Blythman calls them, manifested itself. Deli days are the “screw this” moment when a resignation is tendered and we decide to open a deli. In my case, it was the day I stepped out of my old company’s spacious offices for the last time, bought a desk for my front room and began the process of making a living from the creative skills that I, Gavin, possess. Basking in the comfort of 8 years commercial experience running my own business, the cool, sweet breeze of creative emancipation was utterly liberating.
Life was full of hope, it was a world of possibility, I wasn’t even sure how I would make money, but I was sure it would come, if I put in the work. And work I did, six or seven days a week. Yet, in this time, I’ve discovered one thing, which is that I’m not very good at making money. You may scoff at my privilege for being lucky enough to be able to try in the first place, however it’s true. I’m sitting here today, wondering how the actual fuck I’m going to earn enough money to get through the rest of the year. There’s a massive difference between being a highly productive creator and being a successful businessperson.
Every day I sit here and merrily write a post on Medium, it’s my daily practice which fuels my desire to write. Yet does…
