Almost every writer, painter and composer I know would prefer spending their time creating their art instead of going out and selling it.
But, unless they want drawers full of unread scripts, closets overflowing with unseen paintings or hard drives loaded with unheard music, out into the world of finding customers they must go.
Soliciting, selling, and promoting is often WAY outside the comfort zone of many artists. But, if they want to find customers to buy their art, frequent and consistent journeys out into the world of discomfort are required.
Being a media composer is especially challenging since most of the business involves getting commissions to create new works, not just selling what they have already created.
“Hey, trust me and hire me to create something currently unhearable to underscore your (probably fairly expensive) project.”
Not an easy task.
I just found these images of a fantasy illustrator. I admire him in the first photo applying his art.
In some ways I admire him even more in the second photo as he puts himself out there selling his art.
It is probably not comfortable to risk the financial investment of traveling to a show, renting a booth nor sitting there hour after hour being ignored by most while staying open and vulnerable to engaging with a relative handful of potential customers.
In many ways, he is more courageous putting himself out there selling his art than painting in the isolation of his studio without the risks of rejection or the discomfort of commerce.
