I get many emails from people asking variations of the question “How do I start a career in the arts?”. It comes from singers, writers, hip hop producers – all people who perform and create. They are starting out, they have a drive, they think they have what it takes but they are not sure of where the road is.
I will tell you the secret. And it’s very simple. I cannot tell you if you will succeed, or if you are any good, or even if you should. But here’s the secret:
This advice was attributed to Carol Burnett and was told to me by my Mother when I was around 21 years old. That’s my memory of it. I can’t verify the facts. But it’s what I did. Did it work? Well, I think so. I can’t really judge myself. But I would do it again.
- Step One: Take every job you can until you are booked solid. Don’t worry if it pays or even if it’s what you want to do. Just fill your schedule.
- Step Two: Once you are booked solid, start replacing the unpaid jobs with jobs that pay.
- Step Three: Protect your paid jobs so that you do your best work. Replace the lesser paying jobs with the better paying ones.
- Step Four: Amongst your paid jobs, start just taking the ones that you enjoy, are good at, or pay the most. Your choice.
No, I’m not being a smartass here. I’m serious. The nuances of this journey are up to you. There are many ways to achieve what you want; this is just one way.
The other obvious choice to make is to find people that are doing what you want to do, then find out what THEY did.
And many times in retrospect I think it might be true it doesn’t matter what you do. You will do what you do, and there are many different ways to get there. Don’t be so hard on yourself and just go.