Make Good Art

The book, Make Good Art, shares Neil Gaiman's (author of Coraline and a string of other books) stirring speech to the graduates of Philadelphia's University of the Arts class of 2012.

Neil has led an interesting life and he provides a bit about his career experiences, advice he wish he had followed, the importance of making mistakes, as well as "secret knowledge."

No matter what your age, his speech provides good reminders.  

One that I particularly took to heart was on enjoying success at the moment it is happening.  As he states,

"I worried about the next deadline, the next idea, the next story.  There wasn't a moment for the next fourteen or fifteen years that I wasn't writing something in my head or wondering about it.

And I didn't stop and look around and go, this is really fun.  

I wish I'd enjoyed it more. 

It's been an amazing ride.

But there were parts of the ride I missed, because I was too worried about things going wrong, about what came next, to enjoy the bit I was on.

That was the hardest lesson for me, I think: to let go and enjoy the ride, because the ride takes you to some remarkable and unexpected places."

Want to watch Neil as he shares his wisdom in person? Click here.

                                ***
Author and artist, Kathryn V. White's most recent book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.  Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com