Very true, having a non-illustrator job is a superpower and it often means more freedom.
The whole idea of aiming for the full time illustrator badge smells too much like comparing myself to others. There is no one way to do this and no one is living my journey apart from me. We get to choose what works for us and we get to change our mind as we go along.
Yes! Our aim should be to create something we care about. It doesn’t matter how you support and achieve the goal (as long as it’s ethical and legal). Thank you for your thought, Martyna x
There’s so much romanticism around working as an illustrator, and the reality is very different for most of us. I especially hate the phrase “living off royalties” so few people are able to do that! (My royalties are pennies). Thank you for this post Momoko! I look forward to more of your thinking out loud!
Thank you for reading, Nanette. I don’t want to say I’m jaded but I feel I’ve become more realistic after seven years in this industry. Expect more babbling to come 😂
Love the honesty of this post, Momoko. And thank you for recommending my Substack.
You're totally right that 'part-time' or 'full-time' is simply a practical choice, and I think it's very sensible - no, wise - to have a reliable income from a day job to relieve the pressure of having to generate income from illustration/writing. I just got to the point where I loathed my other job, and felt that I needed to properly commit to writing if I was ever going to make a career of it. But I am one of the very fortunate ones - I can afford to weather the storms of income uncertainty because I have a cushion of savings from early inheritance, and a small, manageable mortgage. I'm acutely aware of how lucky that makes me. I wouldn't have taken the plunge into full-time writing without that cushion, or had I already had a family to support at the time.
And you're certainly prolific, and successful. It's just that 'success' in our industry doesn't equate to/isn't rewarded in the typical way it is in other industries. More experience and expertise and success isn't guaranteed to lead to more income. There's no correlation between the two (except at the start perhaps, when low experience = low income). I was having this exact conversation with some illustrator friends yesterday, who all made the points you have: going full-time means working so much that burnout is inevitable, or compromising on 'artistic integrity' or taking jobs one really doesn't care for. Or it's enabled by being supported by a partner or family.
And those who are able to depend on royalties every year to boost their income to the level they're able to live off writing/illustrating alone are few and far between. Luck and timing play too big a part in that: I think they're the main determiners of whether or not a book is a runaway success in terms of bringing in reliable royalties.
We had a good old moan about our frustrations with the industry yesterday, yet none of us want to do anything else. What a weird situation and industry to be in! 😂
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts and your kind words. I have no intention to scare or disillusion other authors/illustrators, especially aspiring ones. But I think this kind of honest conversations are much more needed. Like Nanette says, theres too much romanticism around being a writer or illustrator. That’s why I like your Authorly Honest. And don’t we all love a good old moan? 😂
Likewise! And I'd always encourage anyone to give it a go if they're passionate enough about it. But I also think it's helpful for them to know the reality in order to make an informed decision about whether to jump on the financial and emotional rollercoaster...
DEFINITELY too much romanticism around being a writer or illustrator!
Thanks for sharing this Momo! My younger self could have been spared a lot of heartache if I had read this post 10 years ago! I went through this a TON earlier in my career - thought I had "made it" with a couple big projects, got a big head, and then couldn't pay the bills and felt like I had failed as an illustrator. I finally got over myself and took a part time job at a children's bookstore, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It took the pressure off my illustration work, brought structure to my life, my mental health went way up, and I feel like the work I made during that time was better and more enjoyable/freeing than any other time in my career. Only way I've been able to go full-time now is because I'm married and my husband has a semi-well-paying job - and even with that we're having a hard time paying for childcare & all our other bills. I may have to take a part-time job again in the near future, and I have learned that decision is never one that I should beat myself up for.
Thank you for reading, Erin! I think there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to be an illustrator. Whatever floats your boat, isn’t it? Once you get over the misplaced pride in being a full-time illustrator, it frees you, doesn’t it? Whatever that gives you the time, energy and security you need to create whatever you want to create is the right way. I wish people would talk about this more often and especially to new/aspiring artists.
I totally agree! Wish I could scream it for all the little budding artists to hear. Though sometimes I think part of me wouldn’t have listened until I actually experienced it for myself. And there’s a thin line between wanting to be prepared and trampling a sense of optimism (as many people in the comments have been discussing) so I feel like it has to be a conversation that’s handled with tact and gentleness and love (which I think you’ve done well here).
Great post Momoko and it's something I think about a lot. And the conclusion I always come to is that there should be a government subsidy for picture book makers as we are doing something that is shaping the minds of the next generation, building empathy and understanding in a way that it a very solid investment for the future of the world. A dream I know but I seriously think it's a valid argument. Otherwise the current system and tiny payments exclude many many talented creators who we will never get to hear from.
Totally agree with you, Jane! All these conundrum and heartache of trying to make a living as an illustrator comes down to the reality which illustration (particularly in publishing) doesn’t pay. Illustration in advertising pays very well though because there’s money in the industry. Sometimes thousands £ for an illustration. It’s ridiculous. But that’s capitalism. The government should invest in industries that nurture soft power, not the ones that just make money, because soft power is the key to a successful society and country. We should advocate the subsidy idea.
Thanks for writing a very real and honest piece about the realities of working as a picture book maker. As Nanette said, there is so much romanticism about this profession and yet more and more people want to become pb illustrators/ authors. And new courses pop up offering how to get into publishing/illustrating books, when the reality is the majority will fall by the wayside because unfortunately is it is not financially viable for the majority. I'm finally receiving decent advances and deals for my books but couldn't live off them! I have a supportive husband who pays the bills!
I agree. Picture book making is lovely and rewarding for sure. But these courses should teach, or at least warn, what would happen / what to expect after they get into the business too. Thank you for sharing your thought!
Thanks for this post, Momoko! I can really relate to it, especially to the cat costing a fortune and the broken washing machine 🥴. I've always dreamed of being a full-time illustrator, but I'm no longer sure that that's what I want. My creativity is really important to me and I don't want to be in a position where I have to take on projects that I don't feel good about. So part-time it is!
Irregular, very self-indulgent posts are one of my favourite things to read on Substack. As someone who has recently reignighted their creative practice, alongside a day job, I found this a very encouraging read. Thank you for sharing!
Very true, having a non-illustrator job is a superpower and it often means more freedom.
The whole idea of aiming for the full time illustrator badge smells too much like comparing myself to others. There is no one way to do this and no one is living my journey apart from me. We get to choose what works for us and we get to change our mind as we go along.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! X
Yes! Our aim should be to create something we care about. It doesn’t matter how you support and achieve the goal (as long as it’s ethical and legal). Thank you for your thought, Martyna x
There’s so much romanticism around working as an illustrator, and the reality is very different for most of us. I especially hate the phrase “living off royalties” so few people are able to do that! (My royalties are pennies). Thank you for this post Momoko! I look forward to more of your thinking out loud!
Thank you for reading, Nanette. I don’t want to say I’m jaded but I feel I’ve become more realistic after seven years in this industry. Expect more babbling to come 😂
Love the honesty of this post, Momoko. And thank you for recommending my Substack.
You're totally right that 'part-time' or 'full-time' is simply a practical choice, and I think it's very sensible - no, wise - to have a reliable income from a day job to relieve the pressure of having to generate income from illustration/writing. I just got to the point where I loathed my other job, and felt that I needed to properly commit to writing if I was ever going to make a career of it. But I am one of the very fortunate ones - I can afford to weather the storms of income uncertainty because I have a cushion of savings from early inheritance, and a small, manageable mortgage. I'm acutely aware of how lucky that makes me. I wouldn't have taken the plunge into full-time writing without that cushion, or had I already had a family to support at the time.
And you're certainly prolific, and successful. It's just that 'success' in our industry doesn't equate to/isn't rewarded in the typical way it is in other industries. More experience and expertise and success isn't guaranteed to lead to more income. There's no correlation between the two (except at the start perhaps, when low experience = low income). I was having this exact conversation with some illustrator friends yesterday, who all made the points you have: going full-time means working so much that burnout is inevitable, or compromising on 'artistic integrity' or taking jobs one really doesn't care for. Or it's enabled by being supported by a partner or family.
And those who are able to depend on royalties every year to boost their income to the level they're able to live off writing/illustrating alone are few and far between. Luck and timing play too big a part in that: I think they're the main determiners of whether or not a book is a runaway success in terms of bringing in reliable royalties.
We had a good old moan about our frustrations with the industry yesterday, yet none of us want to do anything else. What a weird situation and industry to be in! 😂
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts and your kind words. I have no intention to scare or disillusion other authors/illustrators, especially aspiring ones. But I think this kind of honest conversations are much more needed. Like Nanette says, theres too much romanticism around being a writer or illustrator. That’s why I like your Authorly Honest. And don’t we all love a good old moan? 😂
Likewise! And I'd always encourage anyone to give it a go if they're passionate enough about it. But I also think it's helpful for them to know the reality in order to make an informed decision about whether to jump on the financial and emotional rollercoaster...
DEFINITELY too much romanticism around being a writer or illustrator!
Thanks for sharing this Momo! My younger self could have been spared a lot of heartache if I had read this post 10 years ago! I went through this a TON earlier in my career - thought I had "made it" with a couple big projects, got a big head, and then couldn't pay the bills and felt like I had failed as an illustrator. I finally got over myself and took a part time job at a children's bookstore, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It took the pressure off my illustration work, brought structure to my life, my mental health went way up, and I feel like the work I made during that time was better and more enjoyable/freeing than any other time in my career. Only way I've been able to go full-time now is because I'm married and my husband has a semi-well-paying job - and even with that we're having a hard time paying for childcare & all our other bills. I may have to take a part-time job again in the near future, and I have learned that decision is never one that I should beat myself up for.
Thank you for reading, Erin! I think there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to be an illustrator. Whatever floats your boat, isn’t it? Once you get over the misplaced pride in being a full-time illustrator, it frees you, doesn’t it? Whatever that gives you the time, energy and security you need to create whatever you want to create is the right way. I wish people would talk about this more often and especially to new/aspiring artists.
I totally agree! Wish I could scream it for all the little budding artists to hear. Though sometimes I think part of me wouldn’t have listened until I actually experienced it for myself. And there’s a thin line between wanting to be prepared and trampling a sense of optimism (as many people in the comments have been discussing) so I feel like it has to be a conversation that’s handled with tact and gentleness and love (which I think you’ve done well here).
Great post Momoko and it's something I think about a lot. And the conclusion I always come to is that there should be a government subsidy for picture book makers as we are doing something that is shaping the minds of the next generation, building empathy and understanding in a way that it a very solid investment for the future of the world. A dream I know but I seriously think it's a valid argument. Otherwise the current system and tiny payments exclude many many talented creators who we will never get to hear from.
Totally agree with you, Jane! All these conundrum and heartache of trying to make a living as an illustrator comes down to the reality which illustration (particularly in publishing) doesn’t pay. Illustration in advertising pays very well though because there’s money in the industry. Sometimes thousands £ for an illustration. It’s ridiculous. But that’s capitalism. The government should invest in industries that nurture soft power, not the ones that just make money, because soft power is the key to a successful society and country. We should advocate the subsidy idea.
We definitely should! With the exception of a tiny handful of best-sellers, children's books are not commercially viable - yet their value is immense!
Hard agree
Thanks for writing a very real and honest piece about the realities of working as a picture book maker. As Nanette said, there is so much romanticism about this profession and yet more and more people want to become pb illustrators/ authors. And new courses pop up offering how to get into publishing/illustrating books, when the reality is the majority will fall by the wayside because unfortunately is it is not financially viable for the majority. I'm finally receiving decent advances and deals for my books but couldn't live off them! I have a supportive husband who pays the bills!
I agree. Picture book making is lovely and rewarding for sure. But these courses should teach, or at least warn, what would happen / what to expect after they get into the business too. Thank you for sharing your thought!
Thanks for this post, Momoko! I can really relate to it, especially to the cat costing a fortune and the broken washing machine 🥴. I've always dreamed of being a full-time illustrator, but I'm no longer sure that that's what I want. My creativity is really important to me and I don't want to be in a position where I have to take on projects that I don't feel good about. So part-time it is!
Hope your kitty is going well. Yes! Whatever good for you is the right way.
Thanks! She's okay for the moment, but she'll probably be needing another surgery next year.
Irregular, very self-indulgent posts are one of my favourite things to read on Substack. As someone who has recently reignighted their creative practice, alongside a day job, I found this a very encouraging read. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading! And good luck with your reignighted creative journey. Keep the fire going🔥