Being a creative person, in a creative family with every member doing something creative, I find it hard to hear others who don’t have loved ones to support them. My wife is a proper artist (paints, draws, digital, pottery, sculpture, etc), my son plays piano and is learning Blender and my daughter dances. This means that whenever I need time to get things done, writing wise, they are more than willing to give me the time required.
This is not the case for others, though. They don’t live with creative people who see our passion as a waste of time and a mere hobby. This is disheartening to hear as we require that time to get things done.
But what is a hobby and when does it become more? Is it only the amateur hobbyist, then the professional like J. K. Rowling, George Lucas, or Banksy?
I argue there is more to being a creative than that. It is a myth that professional creatives are discovered overnight. They go through years of training, hardship and rejection before they become an overnight success. Mainstream media ignores this as it is a better story if they are brand new and successful.
What is a Hobbyist?
A hobbyist is someone who does something creative for fun. They are still a creative and in some cases still artists. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about their intention of creating. A hobbyist is someone whose intention is the act of creating. Sitting down painting the miniature, or canvas, is what is important. It is not important to complete the project, just to work on it. It is also not important how often the hobbyist works on the project. If they complete something, it is a happy accident.
Passionist
This is a term I just coined. It encompasses the middle ground. The large middle of those who are more creative than a hobbyist, but have yet to be the overnight success. They have a passion for being creative and every professional has gone through this process. It is for those who want to be professional. A Passionist strives to complete projects. They work to complete things and the act of working is the happy accident. The reason being that they can sell completed projects and make them the overnight success they desire.
Professional
These are the overnight successes. These are the J. K. Rowling, the Brandon Sanderson’s, the Banksy’s, etc of the world. The misconception of them is that they must have talent and therefore success. Each other of them worked hard to get through the middle stage until they got lucky. Luck has to do much to do with it. Many were in the right place, at the right time, and they all were proficient enough in their craft that they were noticed.
How much do creatives need to make to become a professional? Simple. How much are the expenses? If it costs two thousand dollars to live, then all they need to make is that number. They don’t need to make six figures to be considered a professional.
What does this mean?
Hobbyists are hobbyists cause they want to be. Most are happy where they are and have no intention of trying to become a professional. Those Passionists have grown to love what they are doing, and they want to do it for a living. It is these who need the most support. They need people to buy their completed projects, to give them the time to complete them. They are not hobbyists. They are ambitious and want to be professions. The best thing we can do is to nurture and support them. As for what can be done. Sometimes it’s a simple act, like giving them a few hours a day to work on their passion. Cause one day they may become that overnight success.
This journey is not something I can do alone. It takes support from many people for it to become a reality. The easiest way is to visit my Amazon Author Page and purchase one of my books. They are available in all countries and for free in Kindle Unlimited. I have a tip jar set up at Ko-Fe, where you can buy me a coffee. Or you can also visit me on Facebook. Your help and support are much appreciated.
Atomic Slingshot Press 