When it comes to writing fiction (and really, writing in general), Neil Gaiman is a heavyweight.
He’s written everything from novels and short stories to screenplays and comic books.
The man knows how to spin a yarn.
As he says in a commencement speech to graduates of University of the Arts in Philadelphia, “more and more of today’s work is freelance.”
Then he spends the rest of the speech talking about how he made it as a freelance artist - though his words apply to anyone who gigs for a living.
If, like me, you are constantly wondering how you can improve, be better and become remarkable - just watch the video.
It might change your life, as it has changed mine and countless others.
Here's the most important lesson he wished he knew starting out as a writer and a freelancer.
He says that freelancers who continue to work do so because of three reasons.
One, they’re good at what they do.
Two, they’re easy to get along with.
Three, they get their work done on time.
Now, here's the punch line.
You don’t need to succeed at all three.
Any two are good enough.
And that is a simple formula for a successful freelance job.
Use it to remind yourself of where on your creative journey you are.
Neil is typing now:
"I will pass on some secret freelancer knowledge. Secret knowledge is always good. And it is useful for anyone who ever plans to create art for other people, to enter a freelance world of any kind. I learned it in comics, but it applies to other fields too. And it's this: People keep working, in a freelance world, and more and more of today's world is freelance, because their work is good, and because they are easy to get along with, and because they deliver the work on time. And you don't even need all three. Two out of three is fine. People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good and you deliver it on time. They'll forgive the lateness of the work if it's good, and if they like you. And you don't have to be as good as the others if you're on time and it's always a pleasure to hear from you."
I turn to this advice more than any other.
On days when my work feels subpar, I focus on what I can control: being pleasant and being on time.
I make it my business to always be on time and as pleasant as possible to work with.
If I’ve got those, I’ll probably be okay, I tell myself.
P.S. Like what you’re reading here? Well, you have three choices really.
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3. When you are ready to level up, hire me.
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