arlier in the week I asked how "you" measure success. I heard from Megan, Annie, Nina and Michael. I encourage you to visit their sites and see how they promote their business.

Here's how they measure success:


For me, success is being able to do what I love, what comes naturally to me, and seeing it bring joy and happiness to others. I will always create art, because I don't think I could do anything else. But if I can't share it with others and bring beauty and wonder into their world, I don't feel like I have completed my purpose. Art is meant to be seen, feel, enjoyed, experienced. I more people I am able to share my art with, the more successful I feel.

Megan Stringfellow
Site: www.stringfellowart.net
Blog: stringfellowart.blogspot.com



These days, I have a full time day job that I am not happy with, but am staying at for a while for financial reasons. One good thing about not liking my job is it is forcing me to get proactive in my pursuit of self employment. I also have a toddler at home and feel torn between wanting to be with her, and working on art jobs and building my portfolio. So, I need to measure my success in small increments, if I draw for at least 30 minutes a day during the week, and more on weekends, I am successful because I’ve done something to reach my goal of eventually being able to work for myself.

Annie Patterson
Site: www.anniepatterson.com
Blog: anniepatterson.blogspot.com



I measure success by how much I love what I am doing, but I also think some validation for the work that you are doing goes a long way in making you feel successful. And if you feel successful, well, that's it, you are successful! Validation can come in many forms, from comments on your blog to a bunch of jobs coming in. It can even be a nice note from another person working in your field, who's work you admire.

Nina Seven
Site: www.ninasevenillustrations.com



I believe there are different areas of "Success"...

I feel that I am successful in certain aspects of my life, like my marriage, keeping in touch with family and friends, giving myself some "me" time, etc..

As far as professionally, I feel that I'm successful with actually getting self-promo work completed, successful with continually drawing and creating new pieces. I'm not where I want to be at this point, but with my first 2 mailings (one in October 2006, and one in March 2007), I was able to get 2 jobs. That, in a sense, is successful.

I'm going to continue to work hard, love what I do, love my wife and family with all my heart and soul, and in time (hopefully soon :-) ), become a full time illustrator. Loving my family and making a living from the gift I was blessed with will make me, in my eyes, successful!

Michael Villegas
Site: www.mvillos.com
Blog: mvillos.blogspot.com

tend to get in creative funks. I can't seem to be able to draw anything right, I have a lull in work so I have a little pity party (where I'm the only attendee) and think no one likes my stuff and I'll never be hired again, I second guess my ideas and try to talk myself out of them, etc. My funks have been few and far between recently which is good. When I feel one coming on, I have to stop what I'm doing and take care of it. These are some of the things I do:

- Watch a movie that has lots of eye candy (and I don't mean the actors, I mean the set designs and cinematography). Movies always get me thinking positively again and I usually come up with some new idea when I watch them.

- Go shopping. Since I like junk, there is nothing more relaxing than browsing through an antique store. I'm always asking myself, "what could I make out of that or what could I use that for?"

- Go to a museum. We have a pretty good art museum in Nashville that has decent exhibits from time to time. I tend to like the hands-on kids' section the most though :)

- Start sketching randomly. Sometimes I come up with nothing and get more funky and sometimes things just pour out of me.

If I'm in a funk I know I have to remember that tomorrow, it will all be over. I know I'll wake up fresh the next morning and am ready to go. I always do. Now, sometimes I get in this creative groove where I tend to be running on nothing but adrenaline and I can't get down from my creative high. This week has been like that. I made a decision last week to build up a design studio again and start designing. Now, it won't take the place of my illustration career. No way, I won't let it, but I'm going a different angle with it that should protect me from the things I didn't like about it all before. Limit my client base and say "no" more often. My brain won't stop working on this one. So many possibilities. I've also been getting a lot of work done this week. Project just seem to be completing themselves. Weird!

So, everyone gets in a funk from time to time, you just have to way your own way to get out of it.

I'll be posting everyone's comments on how they measure success on Friday so be sure to send me yours by then.

ow do you measure your success? I struggle with this one. Am I even a success? I used to think I was successful by how much work was in my portfolio, how many clients I had or how full my calendar was. I'm not sure I was right. Success to me is doing what I love, freedom to actually do it and the fact that I'm making ends meet by doing it. Whenever I meet someone I always wonder what they do for a career. I wonder if they feel successful in what they do. I know so many people who don't like their job and would rather complain about it than do something to change it. How can they ever feel successful if they don't value what they have? That's the key. You have to value what you have. I think I have the best job in the world. I can work from anywhere, I can take days off at a time without feeling guilty, I get to stay home with my daughter and watch her experience new things and I can draw a duck and get paid $200 for it. It's great and I know how blessed I am to be able to do it. I appreciate it and am grateful everyday for it.

How do you measure your success? Send me an email (with your URL info) and I'll post your responses (again, by "participating" it increases your search ranking since I'll link to your website!).

he best thing you can do for your career is to get involved online. If you don't have a blog, I would seriously consider starting one. It does several things for you. It helps you network with others in your field. You build relationships with people you can trust and ask for advice. It helps your search engine results. Chances are if you have interesting content, people are going to link to you, therefore your search ranking are going to go way up. It allows you to play more. By this I mean do some just for fun or experimental pieces. The more positive feedback you get, the more confirmation you have that your work is good. I have a folder in my email program listed "FAN MAIL." Every week I get some sort of fan mail. People like my work, my Becoming and Illustrator story has helped them, etc. When I have blah days, I go to that folder and read some emails. It's an instant ego boost. Leave comments on other people's blog. I try and leave 5 comments a day to help encourage others since I like the encouragement. I also urge you to participate in things online. There are many great sites out there. Take a look in the sidebar under "Get active & Participate." If you have a good idea, start a site yourself. I did with Big and Little Art.

Blogs are very easy to set up. I personally use blogger and haven't had any problems. Since I know web design, I customize my page from scratch, but you can easily add in your own banner, change colors and make it your own if you don't understand the back-end.

So, if you are reading this and you don't have a blog, go set one up now. Traffic will be slow at first, but keep on posting!

was sick with a stomach bug yesterday and didn't get to post this on the appropriate day, but thought I'd go ahead and post it today. I make every Monday "Marketing Monday" for myself. I take time that morning to see what I need to do marketing wise. I do this on Mondays for two reasons. Number one, not much seems to be due on Mondays so I have a little time and two, it's a good way to freshen up my web presence so hopefully I'll get another job offer in the week.

Things I do on Monday are:

- Research potential clients to promote to
- Update my online portfolio listings
- Search some illustrators and see what they are doing to promote themselves
- Evaluate my web stats
- Think and dream about my long term goals (by doing this I sometimes come up with new ideas)

I've tended to stick with this method for a couple of years and it really works out for me. I don't have to worry much about finding the time to do all those things since I've designated time every week. It's also nice to know my web portfolios aren't out of date.

came across a great post today from Gail. Being in a creative business can be a waiting game. Sometimes we can get so caught up in waiting we just wait for what we want to happen without doing what we need to make it happen. An idle mind is the devil's playground so keep busy with what you can control.

Concentrate on what you have control over.

This is actually her response to Linda's post.

Good stuff girls!!

o, you've been plugging away at trying to become a successful _______ (fill in the blank with your creative dream) and it feels like you're not getting anywhere. Well, I know the feeling. I sometimes get in a rut where I'm not getting much work and my website stats are low. What do I do? I act like it's the first day of my business. If I feel like I've failed in marketing the last few weeks then I start a new week and work as if it's my first day. I update my website, online portfolios, gather names for mailing lists etc. I forget about all the jobs I didn't get or all the rejections I heard and just start new. Some of my best ideas and work come from those fresh weeks.

rint these quotes and hang them in your work area. When you are feeling discouraged, read them!

Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines.
Brian Tracy

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."
Zig Ziglar

If you can dream it, you can do it.
Walt Disney

All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.
Walt Disney

You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.
Evan Esar

I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God's help I shall succeed.
Vincent van Gogh

You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do.
Henry Ford

Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.
Marcia Wieder

Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars..
Les Brown

Do it now. You become successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.
Unknown

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
Jim Ryun

The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.
Mark Twain

People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.
Dale Carnegie

Creativity takes courage.
Henri Matisse

May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
Psalm 20:4

ejection stinks. We've all had it in one way or another with our work. It can come in several forms. Written letters, email, a phone call or you just get no response at all.

I have yet to write a manuscript for a children's book but I know several people out there who have and submitted it to publishers. It is very rare it gets bought on the first submission, so it must be shopped around. Sometimes for years and years. It's just part of it. I know that can be frustrating and people give up on it or continually rework it until they think it's better before they submit again. In April I heard Jack Canfield (remember him from yesterday?) speak. He is labeled "American's Success Coach" and I'd have to say he's pretty darn good. He is the co-founder/writer of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Everyone knows what those are, there are tons of them. He shared with us that day that the first book was rejection 144 times from publishers, but he kept keeping on and finally found a publisher to take a chance on it. He then shared that he was doing a talk show and a guest was on there that was going to commit suicide. Her mind was made up until she ran across one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books and read a story in there that made her life worth living. He said that if he had given up at 130 rejections and shelved the idea, that person would be dead.

You never know how your work will impact others. It might brighten someone's day, be a part of someone's memory or change their life.

The lesson is, rejection is going to happen. Don't avoid your goal by being afraid to receive it. The worst thing they can say is "NO" and you are no worse of than you were before.

have never liked to read and I think I finally know why. I've been reading the wrong stuff. I've found that I don't like reading for entertainment value, but I do like to read if I'm learning about something. I have a stack of books I'm going though and try to read a little bit everyday. If I read in the evenings, it's hard for me to go to sleep because my mind starts spinning with ideas on how to apply what I've just read to my career. I've become quite addicted to it which surprises me. It gives me fuel for the day.

I first picked up the book The Success Principles byJack Canfield (I'll be mentioning him a lot in this blog). I think everyone should read this book. It just makes sense and it has changed the way I think about things in everyday life and my career. It's a feel good, motivational book that is really just common sense. I had the opportunity to hear Jack speak in April where he went over some key principles in the book. He had some good information about rejection that I'll post about tomorrow.

I've also been listing to audiobooks while I work. For these I've been sticking with biographies of people who lived or are living their dream. Paula Deenwas a good one and I just finished up the 33 hour biography of Walt Disney and I encourage everyone wanting to go into a creative field to read or listen to it. It was really neat to see some of the things he did and be like, "Hey, I think like that!"

his is geared more toward college students but it could help you if you are trying to break into your chosen field.

Work while you're in school. Let me rephrase that, work "in your chosen profession" while you're in school. My first one and a half years in school I continued my part-time job from high school. I worked at the Hallmark store in out local mall. I loved it. I was surrounded by experienced illustrators everyday (i.e. printed greeting cards and giftware).

Today one of my most sought after clients is Hallmark, even-though they hardly ever hire outside illustrators and I'll never move to Kansas City, I still have hope that they'll call me up one day.

My last three years in school I started my design business (6 months of that time was still at the Hallmark store - I liked a steady pay check). I was freelancing it, and I was freelancing it big time. With all the school projects, I had little time for client work, but when I graduated I had 3 years of "working" design experience when my classmates had none. So when job hunting came around, cha-ching, I had "experience."

I've had many graphic design student ask me, "When I graduate, should I go get a job or freelance right out of the gate?" My response is do both because there will probably come a time where you feel the need to go out on your own. Who wouldn't want to work in their pajamas all day? I had a professor that urged our class to find a full time job so we could mess up on someone else's dime. That's really good advice. If there was a typo that was printed or a lo-res image that was reproduced, the reprint cost doesn't come out of your pocket like it might if you freelanced. When you do mess up, you will learn what to check and double check and save your butt when you do go out on your own.

While you are working full time for someone else, start doing your freelance business on the side. This will build your client list and portfolio so you can eventually go out on your own. It can also be an outlet to become creatively fulfilled. When I started my full time design job out of school I took 6 months off from freelancing. I made enough money and I could use the break. Well after 6 months I was ready to start freelancing again. I needed the creative fulfillment I wasn't getting at my other job.

There are many places you can gain "experience" for your resume. Find a company that is doing what you want to do and see if they need and assistant, intern, or whatever, just get in there, or start lining up some freelance work and get cracking. If you are still learning what you need to know to get the aforementioned jobs, here are some ideas for places you can find work:

Graphic Designer = pretty much any job you could fit into. Think about what area you want to go into. Package design - grocery store, editorial design - bookstore, etc. Find your niche.

Interior Designer = furniture store, fabric/craft store, home improvement store

Fashion Designer = fabric/craft, clothing store (the type that carries the type of clothes you want to design)

Illustrator = greeting card store, bookstore (children's book department), art supply store

Photographer = camera/photo store

Crafter = fabric/craft store

Writer = Bookstore, library, copywriter intern

Film Maker = video store

Architect = builder, home improvement store

And so on and so on...

*Your job is to not just to be a sales associate, but to be inspired every day you work. Learn how things are made and designed. Learn from your co-workers and customers. And remember, you will probably receive an employee discount so stock up on things you will need for your business!

If you feel you are stuck in a job where you can't necessarily afford to give up for another, think about how you can apply your interests to that job.

he best things you can do for your creative career is join a group of others who have your same dream. If you can't find one, start one and do it now. With the web as great as it is, it easy to set one up and find others. About 8 months into my process of being able to work from home I was invited to join a critique group. It was a small group of other children's illustrators and writers who shared their thoughts and work via an email group from Yahoo. I learned a lot from that group and when the time came for me to move on, I started up another group inviting a few illustrators to join me. We set up a private message board which seemed to work out much better than the email group previous. My hosting company had a message board I could host on my server so it was really easy. It is totally private so you are free to talk. We share things from our personal like and career life. We have our own website for promotion and we combined our mailing lists and send out postcards quarterly, each splitting the cost of the printing and mailing.

To set up a group, remember to keep it small. You want it to be intimate and you probably want each person to have different styles just so no one feels as if they are competing with the other. Find some people who you would like to be in a group with (google illustrators, photographers, designers, etc) and look at their sites. Read their bio and look at their work. Do they have a blog? That might help you see a little of their personality and see if you think you will mesh with them. When you have your group together, let them know that you all will have a trial period to see if you all can converse and get along with each other. Let them know they are not locked into this group. Sometimes people don't mesh and that's ok.

've gotten a lot of emails asking me how to find people to promote to. I always recommend they get the latest Graphic Designer & Artist Market and Children's Writers and illustrator's Market books. They have a ton of information in there as well as name and addresses of potential clients. Another thing I do is google searches. I use phrases like “illustrator submissions” or “looking for an illustrator” (you would obviously use search terms for your creative profession). I also look at the client list from other illustrators. To save yourself some postage, be sure and research the companies you are going to promote to. They may have specific guidelines for what they are looking for or their products may not fit your style. Don't just send your promotions blindly, know who you are sending to.