ignore everybody

I started a very interesting book (and then couldn't renew it from the library b/c someone else placed it on hold) called Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, by Hugh MacLeod (blog here).

I don't agree with the title, because I am beginning to think that Christian art should be about and for community, but I really like how he urges artists to stay non-commercial.  I totally bought in to the idea that in order to be successful I had to get published, and THEREFORE, I should only write marketable things.  I'm throwing that out the window and it feels nice! 

A few tidbits:

4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
Nobody suddenly discovers anything. Things are made slowly and in pain.

5. You are responsible for your own experience.
Nobody can tell you if what you’re doing is good, meaningful or worthwhile. The more compelling the path, the more lonely it is.

I was really impressed by his discussion of pillars, which are props that bad artists hide behind:

"Pillars do not help; they hinder. The more mighty the pillar, the more you end up relying on it psychologically, the more it gets in your way.

 

Successful people, artists and non-artists alike, are very good at spotting pillars. They’re very good at doing without them. Even more importantly, once they’ve spotted a pillar, they’re very good at quickly getting rid of it.

 

Good pillar management is one of the most valuable talents you can have on the planet. If you have it, I envy you. If you don’t, I pity you.

 

Sure, nobody’s perfect. We all have our pillars. We seem to need them. You are never going to live a pillar-free existence. Neither am I.

 

All we can do is keep asking the question, “Is this a pillar” about every aspect of our business, our craft, our reason for being alive etc and go from there. The more we ask, the better we get at spotting pillars, the more quickly the pillars vanish.

 

Ask. Keep asking. And then ask again. Stop asking and you’re dead."

Doesn't that sound like he is describing idolatry?  Describing it very wisely and well!