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If you were to believe the romantic representation in the media, you might think that embarking in a creative career – full-time or as a side hustle – can be liberating and empowering.
While there is no denying that your creative passion can isolate you from your community. Being creative, it’s ultimately using your soul as a product on the market. Needless to say, it can be a solitary and challenging experience that forces you to question your sense of self-worth when you’re rejected.
However, your creative passion can’t exist in isolation. You need to build a supportive network to promote your creations and your brand safely.
Find cheerleaders who believe in you
Whether you’re a blogger, a writer, a musician, or even a comedian, you have to accept that you are not going to be successful on your first day. Not on your second day either. It takes time to get noticed and build an audience. That’s where you need a cheerleader, someone who believes in you and supports your efforts, even when you are not sure you are worth it. Cheerleaders encourage you to tackle your dreams and stick with them, even during your darkest hours.
Find a way to approach same-minded people
Once you’ve gained the confidence to pursue your creative work and complete it, you need to move to the next step. You have to show it to people who understand the creative industry. While your family and friends can be a supportive group, you need professionals who can advise, recommend and correct when and where it is relevant.
For instance, if you want to launch your musical career, you need to find a place where you can submit music for review and connect with manager, supervisors, and publishers. Similarly, if you have finished writing your manuscript, you need a pair of fresh and objective eyes to read it. Beta readers groups offer helpful insights. They also serve as market trials, letting you gauge how your novel will be received.
Everyone is learning all the time
Creativity comes from the soul. But it doesn’t mean that you don’t need skills. On the one hand, you need to listen to your thoughts and emotions. But transforming what you feel and imagine into a creative work requires practice and know-how. For instance, if you’re struggling with composing a specific piece, maybe you can gain in joining a music class to brush up your skills?
The same principle applies to writers, actors, dancers, and other artists. Joining a class can provide you with new opportunities as you get to meet new students and engage with experienced professors. You might even enjoy their ideas and their experience in your creative industry to find a launch platform.
It’s not a battle
Last, but not least, the creative market is filled with people who share your ideas or your skills. Don’t feel threatened by their presence. On the contrary, connect with creative minds you identify with. You can co-exist within the same space without needing to compete.
If you want to build a presence in the creative industry, you need a lot more than a decent portfolio. You need a network of people who can support you, represent you, teach you, and exchange ideas with you. You can’t stay a solitary creative mind in the long term.
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