Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age

by Jeff Goins

In 1983, Lewis Hyde published a book called The Gift, which has since become a modern classic and underground bestseller among creatives. The book explains why many modern artists struggle to make a living off their work: art is a gift, and since we now live in a market economy, there is going to be a disconnect. In the market, people don’t pay for gifts; they pay for commodities. So you must find a way to get paid for the art. There are three ways to do this. First is that path of the commercial artist in which you sell your art directly to the market. “It’s a wonderful day when an artist can do their work and make money off of it,” Hyde told me. This is not impossible, but it is far from the norm. Second is the traditional patronage model where a wealthy benefactor is willing to pay for your livelihood as you do your work. Again, this is a rare occasion and not something to count on. Third is the path of self-patronage in which you find a way to support the work yourself. “The most common solution to the disconnect between art and commerce,” Hyde explained, “is to get a second job. And for most artists, the second job is teaching your own art.” There is, of course, a fourth solution in which the artist chooses poverty and creates from a place of struggle and strife. But this is the least favorable option and far from the wisest. “I have no interest in starving artists,” Hyde told me. “I think artists should be well fed. I think artists should be as well paid as doctors a...