Comments on: Doing that one thing

By: Mark Gartland

Mark Gartland — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:01:28 +0000

Well said Om. The curse/calling of creativity is a human obsession. I myself have gone boom and bust pursuing my own vision. But in the end, the process (not the profit) is what brings the most joy to existence.

By: Arne Kaufmann

Arne Kaufmann — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:00:31 +0000

There is that question I heard come up a few times now at different places. «Do you want to write badly enough, to take a job as waiter and write over night? Or would you only do it if you are employed by The New York Times?» I admire everyone who follows, or better hunts their dreams down and being happy in his life.

By: Bob Stepno

Bob Stepno — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 23:16:14 +0000

I don’t think I’d recommend House MD while recuperating — too much temptation to hypochondria. But thanks for your thoughts on “that one thing” and the changing economics of “The Writing Life”… and thanks for good links to others thoughts. Be well.

By: Daniel Kornev

Daniel Kornev — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:05:27 +0000

Because unlike the interest(s), that one thing is a something you think about everyday. You go to sleep with thinking about it. You wake up with thinking about it. It is like obsession. Like some form of craziness. Creativity is a gift, but it is also a curse.
You can’t stop. Maybe pause, but it always returns back to you.

By: Brett Nordquist

Brett Nordquist — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:22:04 +0000

Om, I love your perspective from working in the industry for so many years. I come away impressed at your honesty and a bit discouraged that it’s so difficult to make a living writing. Then again, I don’t possess the skills to play baseball, paint or make movies for a living either.

I too wake up thinking about topics to write about and certainly stay up much too late jotting down those thoughts that just won’t be put back in the box.

Keep writing and we’ll keep reading.

By: arjun moorthy

arjun moorthy — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:36:47 +0000

Nicely written Om. I’ve been a fan of yours since the Business 2.0 days. A couple ideas that may be relevant:

1. there is an old article that suggests that if an artist can get 1000 true fans they can earn $100k/yr and live alright. Could this be a hint for how freelancers might survive? (http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php)

2. The internet, via search engines, makes it possible for a freelancer to be found even before richer media outlets. This is true if they practice Inbound Marketing techniques (SEO) and specialize (i.e. choose keywords they can win on for their esoteric niche). Indeed, such specialization is the key to finding those 1000 fans that also share this esoteric interest and are willing to pay for the best written content on it.

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:44:03 +0000

@CKHicks…. How about starting your own blog? Even if 1 more person reads your words, why not. Better than losing those notes. My 2c. Keep trying….

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:42:24 +0000

Hi @benmerritt

Thanks for your comment. I couldn’t agree with you more and also at the same time point out that we are experiencing what the travel agents and stock brokers saw in late 1990s. The downside of digital is also its upside. More competition, fewer dollars being spent. It is clearly challenging.

The only thing I would disagree with you is that folks who are going to be around are going to be aces of their game.

By: benmerritt

benmerritt — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:14:17 +0000

I think journalist, the really good ones, loved the craft, and were paid well. Right now the ‘paid well” aspect, for whatever reason, is missing, and I think that has a way of fewer kids wanting to be journalist, and the profession being marginalized. Also it creates a void where media outlets have to worry about how to make money like never before, and that is a stress that undermines the craft. In the old days money poured in from advertising, there was ‘church and state” set up between editorial and advertising, journalists were paid well, and could do great reporting, it was a highly sought after profession. Now the very economics of the business has changed, great, throught-ful journalism is being marginalized. Less smart kids want to enter the field. So while there are a lot of pluses in this new world, there are also a lot of minuses. And I think hanging in the balance is the art of good writing, objectivity, gum-shoe reporting, keeping companies and organizations accountable, and fewer and fewer really great, thought provoking stories.

By: Terry Heaton

Terry Heaton — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:57:19 +0000

Excellent, Om, and I know well the feelings expressed here having just written about it this week myself. http://thepomoblog.com/index.php/the-artists-lament/ I do feel that the concept of “freelance” is about to be validated in a whole new way, while the ecosystem that used to be in place crumbles entirely. Working for yourself, especially as an artist, is the way it’s meant to be, for expression that is limited by external restraints feeds only the stomach, while artists’ need is the soul. What we haven’t yet discovered is an adequate quid pro quo for the free use of our creations. I have faith that we’ll figure it out. Meanwhile, all I know is that the nurture and growth of one’s personal brand is job one.