Can Creative People Make a Living Doing What They Love? {+Updates!}

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I have never had the desire to work at a "normal" career. While others my age were applying for jobs at sixteen, I was at home writing a book that I didn't make money from until three years later. 

I spoke with my mom about this the other day--how I don't think I would ever want a job that is unrelated to any of my passions. 

She told me she has always been the same way. 

Why sacrifice what you love in order to find a more "stable" job, especially when there are countless ways you can make money in your area of expertise?

Sure, it may be frightening when you try to make a living off of your creative field. But I don't think it's impossible.

In fact, my mom hasn't had a job unrelated to her passion since she was a teenager working at Burger King. 

Since then, she has made a living by making and selling cabbage patch dolls; painting the cuffs of socks (in the 90s); being an art director at a screen printing company; faux finishing and painting murals for homes, schools, and restaurants; teaching art lessons to kids; holding art camps; and is now beginning a new business in creating art kits for kids.

  Of course, I'm not saying that some people may have to work at a job unrelated to their art. At least for a season. 

But I believe that God has given each of us a gift, and it is our job to discover what that is and how to incorporate that into our career. 

I've never quite understood the concept behind working at a job you don't enjoy, just so you can have money, just so you can live survive ... and just so you can work at a job that you don't enjoy. 

Don't you think we were called to a greater purpose than to simply get by in life?

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Yes, it is risky to not have a stable income. 
But if you are creative, then use your creativity by figuring out how to make a living by doing what you love.

Who knows? You could become even better off financially if you do pursue your creative field than you would have in another. 

Sure, trying to make a living by doing what I love is a risk.  Yet it's a risk I'm willing to take. 

The creative life is exciting.

The possibilities of the ideas you could come up with are endless! You might even surprise yourself at the art you will produce.

Nothing compares to that feeling of brainstorming a new idea--whether it's for a new book, a business, an article, etc. And giving birth to it, watching it grow and take on a life of its own, is priceless.      The creative life is spontaneous. 

The beauty of art is that it isn't limited to a certain structure. Five years from now you could be in a completely different avenue in your career than you are today. 

New projects will come. An idea may spark in the most unlikeliest moments. Your career could bring you to mountaintops you didn't think were possible. That's what's so exciting about the creative life: it is constantly full of surprises. 

There is never a dull moment.  In the creative life, you always have something to look forward to--whether it is the birth of a new idea, anticipation of the future, watching a project take off, or hearing what others have said about your art. 

If you pursue a career in the arts, there will always be something to look forward to. 

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When Steve Jobs dropped out of college to begin Apple Inc., the odds were definitely not in his favor. 

But even when he could not find someone who would fund his company, he didn't give up. Jobs was determined to go against the standard way of living by pursuing his passion. 

If it hadn't been for that--as well as his creativity, passion, and perseverance--Apple Inc. would have have never been born.

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So don't ignore your desire to create by searching for a job that has nothing to do with your passions. 

Besides, why settle when you can instead get paid doing what you love?

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Speaking of careers in the arts . . . 

I have a few updates I want to share with you guys!

• First of all, I've decided to start my very first online store. Zazzle is a site that allows you to create your own designs, upload them to various products, and sell them to customers. My products are for the book-lovers, coffee-lovers, and Jesus-lovers--hence the name Life, Literature, and Lattes. Click here to start shopping! 
• My mom and I are also gearing towards opening a shop on Etsy, in which we will sell hand-crafted journals. =) 
• I have my first speaking "gigs" next week--one at a homeschool group, and the other at the school that I graduated from. (Prayers are greatly appreciated!)
• Also . . . I have some really exciting news! Unfortunately, I can't share it with you until it is "officially" official. So I'll keep my mouth shut until then. But make sure to stay tuned on my blog, and sign up for my newsletter (located on the sidebar) so you don't miss any special announcements! =) 

(See? There is never a dull moment when you have a career in the arts. ;) )

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Do you think creative people can build a career around doing what they enjoy? Have you found success in doing this?