Neil Gaiman: Your Audible Words Finally Spoke to Me

I came across this great quote and video tonight from the Freelancers Union Facebook page. I'm shocked at how much this three month old video relates to me now... like RIGHT NOW. I saw Neil Gaiman at a Sigma Tau Delta (honors English society) convention in Saint Louis in 2009 -- yes I was the English Club President my senior year of college *cough* nerd -- and he was interviewed by one of my professors. 

Mr. Gaiman seemed witty and was somewhat amusing, but I wasn't really impressed with his stage appearance. He was funny at times, and had some good words about his career, but nothing about his time in the interview was outstanding. But don't get me wrong. I think he is a great author. I love "The Graveyard Book" and "Coraline" and "The Anansi Boys" but when I watched this video tonight I could not get over his relation to my life in its current status. He actually spoke to me this time.

Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts Class of 2012 from
The University of the Arts (Phl) on Vimeo.

I've never listened to any Neil Gaiman audiobooks or heard him speak in this manner at the St. Louis conference so I was shocked at the motivation and the way in which he spoke. He writes very well of course, but these words really rang true for me.

There's been so many freelance opportunities in my lap it seems overwhelming, but amazing at the same time. I have four current clients that I am happy to work for but there's always more knocking on the door. In the video, Mr. Gaiman states that you have to learn to say no (and also that it's not about money) but I find myself having trouble doing so. I want to work so much and so bad that in a sick, self-annihilating way I love it. Budgeting my time is what I have to work on, and definitely waking up earlier. Most importantly I have to sit and think about the future of my career as it's moving faster than I expected. Which is good... and bad? We'll see.

Another noteworthy thing Mr. Gaiman said relating to my "now" is:

“A freelance life, a life in the arts, is sometimes like putting messages in bottles on a desert island and hoping that someone will find one of your bottles and open it and read it and put something in a bottle that will wash its way back to you: appreciation or a commission or money or love. And you have to accept that you will put out hundreds of things for every bottle that winds up coming back.”

Bring on the bottles. I can learn to juggle more. :)