When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?: Parenting and the Creative Muse

by Richy K. Chandler

"Drawing pictures all day. Nice work if you can get it, eh? I suppose you haven't had so much time to focus on a proper career..." This witty, insightful graphic novel explores the challenges faced by artists in today's society, through the life of a comics creator named Tariq. Creative block is the least of Tariq's worries, as he struggles to be a `good enough' father while pursuing a career that is underpaid and underappreciated. Swapping notes with other parents in creative professions, and driven by his artistic muse, Tariq maps out a plan for making his art and his other responsibilities work together in harmony - most of the time.

Genres: Graphic Novels

112 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2017

About the author

Richy K. Chandler is a writer, illustrator and comic maker.

He is the creator of webcomic "Lucy the Octopus" and "WASP (Webcomic Artist Swap Project)", and co-creator of fairytale manga "Rosie and Jacinda". His comic publishing imprint, Tempo Lush, has released two "Tempo Lush Tales" anthologies, which Richy conceived and edited as well as contributing writing and artwork.

Richy is also the author and illustrator of the graphic novel "When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?" published by Singing Dragon and the children’s picture book "You Make Your Parents SUPER HAPPY!" published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Richy has worked as a freelancer for Titan Comics, both writing (Almost Naked Animals, Wallace & Gromit, Adventure Time) and drawing (Dreamworks’ Home). He also illustrated Apples and Snakes’ The No Panic of Book of Not Panicking.

Richy runs comic workshops for children and adults, and shares a studio with a cat who also handles his finances.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost passed this book by. The thought of another self-help book, telling how to raise your kids. Please, I am so over that, and besides, my kid is grown and out the door.

But then, I read the description, that this was a graphic novel take on it, and then I read the book itself, and fell in love with Tariq and is little fiery muse.

This story is so close to how it is for any freelancer, who wants to do some sort of art for their own pleasure. As someone who writes, it is hard to find the time to do the art form you enjoy while raising kids. The voices that discuss this, and the actions that happen to Tariq in the book, reflect all the different ways to solve this problem.

I like the solutions demonstrated, and enjoyed reading the story as well. Well done.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?: Parenting and the Creative Muse' with words and art by Richy K. Chandler is a graphic novel about the challenges of having a creative muse and limited time to do anything with it.

Tariq is a stay at home dad. His wife holds down a good job and Tariq loves his daughter. Tariq is also trying to get his career as an artist going, but with the demands of parenting, he has little time to be creative. This book is his character working that out with other people and himself.

It's an interesting inner monologue between this character and his creative muse. At no point does he consider letting parenting take a back seat, and I applaud that. He does find some creative solutions. The art wasn't my favorite, but it worked for the story.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Singing Dragon, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[David Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of short comics about the difficulties of raising a child, family life and trying to be an artist but most of it could apply to other creatives equally. The stories cover all the different aspects of family life competing with creativity from little distractions to kid’s sick days and in laws having a go at you for not being a breadwinner. The fact that the artist is male as well gives it an added depth as it challenges the perception of how society looks at stay at home parents. This is an inspirational book where Tariq (the artist) rather than letting the obstacles get him done, accepts and tries to adapt to them for instance when the school is closed due to a burst water pipe he takes his daughter to an art museum and they draw together that way he doesn’t feel like he’s ostracising her. While the book dialogue sounds like a self-help book at parts the inclusion of a creative Muse spirit creature makes it more a work of fiction. The Muse is an interesting character in that he’s occasionally helpful, easily agitated a bit in the beginning and at times depressive. In other words, he’s a lot more human than Tariq who seems too nice but also subdued kind of like Cleveland from Family Guy. The narration squares whilst telling us what people like and seeming a bit obtrusive are good at demonstrating quickly how everyone is different just like the splash page (last page) of Tariq’s Turn to Talk story where it has everyone with their Muses.
Like the stories and use of Muses themselves, the layout is interesting like the part of the story Survival Guide To Working From Home With Kids with the different aspects of living at home drawn with a background of a house and the words following all around the house with the images. The different appearances of Tariq’s Muse to exemplify his feelings and help Tariq are amusing like the Genie from Aladdin he transforms himself into everything from a calculator to a ladder. I’ve not seen such a variety of backgrounds before in a comic but it works as it’s about showing how Tariq sees the world and his daughter’s drawings. It also distracts from the self-help element dialogue and narration which makes it more readable. One final note on the art is it’s a bit simplistic for my liking with its blocky figures but the backgrounds and the colours can’t be faulted as they suit the story perfectly.
Overall, this is a unique comic with its self-help truthful stories which inspire and are told in an imaginative art style.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

   I picked this up because I thought I needed a book with a blue cover for the Bookopoly board my library was doing, but it turned out I needed one with a pink cover. Since it was a graphic novel and therefore a quick read for a busy weekend, and the title did intrigue me, I figured I'd read it anyways.
   It's not quite a linear story, though it does tell a story - of being a parent and a creative, and finding the balance between the two. Both are rewarding in their own ways, but they are also often at odds with each other for time and energy. Chandler, through the eyes of the fictional Tariq, explores the often conflicting pulls of being a father (daughter gets sick at school and needs to come home, when Tariq had been looking forward to a day of getting creative work done) and the pulls of the creative muse (when Tariq finally finds a chunk of time to work with, his muse and creative abilities are on the fritz making it hard to be "productive"). Tariq also has conversations with other creative parents and parents-to-be, in casual settings where several voices can chime in with their own experiences, both similar and different. Of course, there is also the self-doubt - am I really there for my kid? Am I a good parent when I take time for myself? - and while there is no hard and fast answer for how to balance creative drive with parenthood, it's clear that that balance can look different to everyone, and that is OK. There are some reaffirming nuggets in this graphic novel, applicable not only to the creative but any parent who juggles their parenthood with any other calling/profession/hobby/etc. The artwork is fun and loose, and I especially liked when it broke things down almost as visual charts to explore and meander through.
   (Side note: I find it interesting that a white man decided to go with a person of color for the protagonist. It didn't seem that race played into the discussions or perceptions of creative/parent life - which it doesn't have to anyways, let's be clear - so what was the meaning behind adding this extra layer, this extra lens, when it does not exactly speak to the author/artist directly? It does kind of make me wonder if he was going for something slightly less auto-biographical and diverse/inclusive.)

Typo:
Yes, some people will try to tell you that any amount of pain is something you just have deal with as a necessary of parenthood. - about page 51 - should be "just have to deal with"

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘When Are You Going To Get a Proper Job’ is the touching and charming story of Tariq – a stay-at-home parent trying to pursue his ambitions of being a brilliant Dad and achieving creative success.

Tariq suffers from all the standard work-life balance issues that parenting brings and is further troubled by the unique challenges of a creative career. Eventually, through the encouragement and affirmation of like-minded friends, creative solutions to his own problems, alongside the ever-reliable trick of getting more organised, Tariq begins to achieve his ambitions.

The comic strip format skips along at an effective pace and is regularly and imaginatively broken up with full-page and double-page illustrations. A close-up of Tariq’s own visual representations of his time-management challenges and a double-page survival guide to working at home with kids were both highlights for me.

Whilst Tariq’s daughter Natasha is suitably delightful and Chris, the corporate executive, is an amusing anti-creative, my favourite character is Malcolm, Tariq’s creative muse, a floating-fireball companion and thought-bubble alternative who is always on hand to remind Tariq to return to creative pursuits amid every parenting demand.

In these examples, and others, Chandler’s own abundant creativity and imagination is seen.
This compact book could easily be misconstrued as a quick read, taking less than 30 minutes to complete, but in reality much, much longer is needed to absorb and appreciate the wonderful and considerable artistic endeavour that has gone into it.

Whilst creative parents everywhere will relate to this beautifully-presented story, this isn’t a book just for them or indeed just for parents. It’s a heart-warming and remarkably-gripping tale of triumph over adversity.

[Cherish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great and interesting read. I found it intruiging to read about Tariq's life and how it evolves throughout the book.

The various tips and pointers on how to improve your creativity when you have a family I believe were very useful. I hope to use them in the future.

Another thing that I found hilarious was Tariq's muse Malcom. He made laugh a lot. Loooool!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Related to it as an artist, not so much as a parent (because I'm not one). Though the parts about balancing your work and parenting were insightful (and a bit discouraging if I'm being honest), especially since at some point in the far off distant future that might probably be me.

Remove those parts (even though I know they're the point of the book) and it's a good look at the life of a freelancer. Just because you don't have kids of your own doesn't mean you won't have to deal with people (or their kids) who demand your attention because "You're not really working." Often times the muses have to be put on hold just because, to some people, not going out to a place of work means availability and this makes a great point of that.


I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.