Then, embrace your failures. That’ s right. Enjoy them while they last. They are markers of progress on the road to your destined success. An artist faces more rejection in a day than most people will face in their lifetime- I don’ t need to tell you that. I’ m just saying, rejoice in those failures and rejections. Because, when you spend years upon decades gorging humble-pie and chowing down shit-sandwiches, something miraculous happens; something magical for those of us who are in it for the long stretch. You develop this impenetrable membrane called Rhino Hide. Titanium and Teflon based, diamond glazed Rhino Hide. And while this Rhino Hide is growing, something else is happening. The Ego. The Id. The I-Ching. Pride. Self esteem. Is dying. Great! Who needs that surplus baggage anyway? It’ ll only weigh down your talent and writing. And once your new hard-won Rhino Hide is fully rendered, you will stop giving a shit about what people think of you and your work, and in that moment you will find yourself … liberated. Free. Happy. Next thing you know, you take another big ol’ bite of humble pie, and another slice of that shit sandwich, and hell, it don’ t taste too bad after all.
So … liberate yourself. Fuck‘ em. Fuck‘ em all. You’ re a goddamn artiste, goddammit! Fuck what the li’ l common people think. They just don’ t get it. And, whatever you do, WHATEVER you do, avoid at all cost a regular 9-5 job. Do NOT succumb to pressure from peers, friends and family to abandon your dreams and go out there and get a real job. You’ re a writer / artist, you don’ t have time for that shit. Leave that to the li’ l lemmings. Stay strong. Because, you will be amazed at how the fear and desperation will grip you when you’ re at your lowest ebb. Broke. With no prospects. And a serious case of writer’ s block. You will find yourself panicked, and speedreading the classifieds, scrambling for a job, ANY job. If you find yourself doing that, STOP! Take a deep breath. Look at yourself in the mirror. And repeat after me. I am an ARTIST. I am NOT unemployed. I am a writer / director / filmmaker / whatever … between projects. That’ s all.
16 | WGSA MAG July 2013
An artist faces more rejection in a day, than most people will face in their lifetime
Sure, you do need to find some kind of income to sustain you. So … get a part-time job waiting tables. It’ s good quick cash and leaves you with lots of spare time to write. And the humbling experience will be good for you and your work. Stop feeling guilty that you’ re not out there with the rest of the lemmings, working a real job. Don’ t know if you noticed, but that system the little lemmings have been worshipping and feeding all their wasted lives- Capitalism- is failing. The fiscal institutions are crumbling. It’ s all comin’ on down like the walls of Jericho. And soon those little lemmings on the treadmill are going to find themselves … treading air. No more support structures. It’ s already happening in Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Italy, to name a few. Even that long-worshipped guaranteed Valhalla to success, Education, has turned up fruitless … when we got oodles of Law grads and qualified Doctors that can’ t get jobs.
So, if you wake up one morning and find you suddenly have all these nay-sayers around you, telling you to pack it in and get a real job, tell them to go fuck themselves. If they don’ t like it and if they kick you out of their spare room, or off their couch, roll up your sleeping bag, pack your knapsack, and hit the fkn road. Don’ t be afraid. The road is your destiny. The road is life. Life is travel. TONS of new, exciting experiences and material to be found on the road. Just ask Kerouac. You need money? Go knock on any door. Tell them you’ re a struggling writer working as( South Africa’ s only white) domestic worker / gardener- prepared to work for less than minimum wage. If they ask how much, you say,“ Whatever you can afford.” Then you sniff and look at your shuffling shoes. And I guarantee they’ ll pay you more than minimum wage.
If you get hungry? Can’ t find work? Beg. Make a sign that says something about where you’ re at;“ Starving Artist”,“ Struggling Writer”, or( in my case)“ Poor M’ lungu Filmmaker.” Then go and stand at the exit to any KFC, and hold your sign up and your hand out. Watch them read it, chuckle, and take pity on you. And you’ ll be