JUDITH DICKINSON
asked
Jonathan Maas:
Having read some of your work and spoken of your writing mode - on the bus, I have to ask - 2 degrees, many streams of work but - your music career! Classical, rock, solo, group, orchestra? If you earned a living you can't be bad. I may picture you in a totally different zone.
Jonathan Maas
Thank you for asking Judith!
Yes, I have been fortunate enough to have had a few careers, from lab worker to Peace Corps Volunteer, standup comic to TV Producer, and now tech worker. I write because I love it, and currently my writing time is on my bus commute to and from work, and of course – my beloved lunch hour.
But one thing I have learned, as an artist especially – you have to pick one path at a time. My advice to anyone who wants to do something big is to pick their ONE flagship thing that defines them, and then 1) do it, 2) stick with it as long as they can, 3) and then go from there.
I know so many people that are ‘kind of painters, kind of entrepreneurs, part-time musicians, who want to make an app, and have three ideas for a movie that they want to write.’
That used to be me, and spreading yourself out like this is a great way to ensure that nothing ever quite gets done.
Have varied interests, but be sure to pick your one thing that ‘you do all the way.’ You can stop doing that if it is not working for you of course, but then be sure to eventually move on to another ‘one thing’ that you do.
I just read a great book, Bird Box by Josh Malerman:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
He is also in a band, The High Strung, that is pretty good. But looking at his past, The High Strung has released 10 albums. He has his flagship thing, which is music, and has earned the right to make an incredible book on the side.
So that's it, my one thing is writing books. The music career is awhile ago haha.
But it was a lot of fun - just straight rock and roll, and it enables me to be a more appreciative fan today.
Yes, I have been fortunate enough to have had a few careers, from lab worker to Peace Corps Volunteer, standup comic to TV Producer, and now tech worker. I write because I love it, and currently my writing time is on my bus commute to and from work, and of course – my beloved lunch hour.
But one thing I have learned, as an artist especially – you have to pick one path at a time. My advice to anyone who wants to do something big is to pick their ONE flagship thing that defines them, and then 1) do it, 2) stick with it as long as they can, 3) and then go from there.
I know so many people that are ‘kind of painters, kind of entrepreneurs, part-time musicians, who want to make an app, and have three ideas for a movie that they want to write.’
That used to be me, and spreading yourself out like this is a great way to ensure that nothing ever quite gets done.
Have varied interests, but be sure to pick your one thing that ‘you do all the way.’ You can stop doing that if it is not working for you of course, but then be sure to eventually move on to another ‘one thing’ that you do.
I just read a great book, Bird Box by Josh Malerman:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
He is also in a band, The High Strung, that is pretty good. But looking at his past, The High Strung has released 10 albums. He has his flagship thing, which is music, and has earned the right to make an incredible book on the side.
So that's it, my one thing is writing books. The music career is awhile ago haha.
But it was a lot of fun - just straight rock and roll, and it enables me to be a more appreciative fan today.
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