Most Important Advice Ive EverReceivedAs An Artist/Writer

Most Important Advice I’ve Ever Received As an Artist/Writer

1.) Always keep going, never stop. No, seriously. You’ll regret it.

2.) You’re gonna suck. So suck out loud.

3.) It’s okay to suck. Everyone has sucked no matter what anyone tells you.

4.) “Natural born talent” is largely a myth. Hard work makes you what you wanna be.

5.) Be ready to be critiqued, and that doesn’t mean having your grandma tell you “aw that’s nice, honey”; it means mentally having your intestines ripped out through your esophagus.

6.) Know how to take critique. Actually listen to them. Consider them carefully. Be ready to accept that you’re wrong. A lot. (I highlight this because this is one thing I see ignored repeatedly.)

7.) But know that you don’t HAVE to listen to EVERY critique. Consider it genuinely, but if after several attempts, it just doesn’t fit, it’s okay to not follow it.

8.) You actually have to make stuff in order to get better.

9.) If you find that you actually don’t like making stuff, that’s okay.

10.) If your passions/mediums/subject matter changes, that’s okay.

11.) Don’t avoid writing/making things because it upsets people.

12.) Don’t avoid reading/looking at things that upset you. Consider all viewpoints.

13.) If you don’t love something, stop frigging doing it and find something that you do love.

14.) It’s okay to be a little full of yourself. It’s not okay to lie about it.

15.) There’s a fine line between having a normal, artist-type level of narcissism and being a douche. Watch yourself.

16.) Talk to lots of different types of people and artists. Try lots of things. Listen. Always listen.

17.) Whatever you’re aiming for can happen, and will happen given enough time. Some things just take more time than a lifetime offers.

Tumblr’s new messenger

If I don’t reply to you, it’s probably because:

I’m in a different tab/window

I’ve fallen asleep with my computer left on

I’m using my phone

I’ve got a game/movie fullsized on the screen

I’m busy creating something

I’m at work/school

Someone is reading over my shoulder

I don’t feel up to socializing

I am in another conversation

I’m in too many conversations

I’m not even at the computer

It is NOT because:

I dislike you

I’m mad at you

You’re annoying

I don’t want to talk to you

I’m hoping you’ll go away if I ignore you

I know a lot of people get anxious if their messages are ignored, so have a little reminder that there are a ton of reasons why people might not be responding, all of which have nothing to do with you. Okay? Okay. <3

this took too long

this is my first time drawing a character from a game aaa

OK but real talk about the messaging system Re: Artists

It’s WAY easier to message someone than to send them an ask - which means it’s gonna end up being WAY overwhelming, especially for artists. You can now pester them endlessly, with minimal effort! Yay!

Except please don’t do that. Let’s not do that. 

Please treat artists with respect and don’t message them unless they’ve stated clearly that it’s ok for anyone to message them, or if they message you first. It can be incredibly difficult to deal with the influx of asks in their box - a flood of messages is even more stressful. Please be respectful and if you want to ask them a question or tell them about something, use their askbox, because that’s something they have approved as a tool for reaching them.