"Thankfully the Internet has made it easier than ever to bring attention to your art form, if you know how to use it to your advantage."

Co-Published: BeYourArt.com and The North Shoreian Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 7, Practicalities of the Surviving Artist, September 2009. Article written by Christine Stoddard.

The “starving artist” cliché exists for a reason: no matter what kind of artist you are—actor, writer, painter, singer, photographer, dancer, etc.—earning a living is a struggle. Regardless of your talent and experience, which school you attended, or where you took an apprenticeship or internship, you will have to market yourself in order to sell your art. In fact, self-promotion is perhaps the most important way to turn your artistic passion into a full-fledged career. Thankfully the Internet has made it easier than ever to bring attention to your art form, if you know how to use it to your advantage. Read more…

This is an archive of the Writer’s Oasis Chat, which meets on BeYourArt.com and AOL. It invites authors and professionals to speak on various topics in writing. Contact Shirley Flanagan, the Writer’s Oasis Chat Administrator, or join the Writer’s Oasis Topic to be added to the mailing list.

By Janny Butler

In order to produce something of value, you have to have something of value to draw on. But too many of us forget that we have to “fill up our own well” before we can fill anyone else’s. If we’re women with families, this “forgetfulness” gets compounded by our natural tendencies to nurture other people before we take care of ourselves. Therefore, in the interests of keeping our writers’ health insurance premiums low, let’s talk a bit about some pointers for Writer Self-Care. Read more…

Co-Published: BeYourArt.com and The North Shoreian Magazine, The Irish Issue, Volume 2, Issue 2, Practicalities of the Surviving Artist, March 2009. Article written by Derek McCrea.

Pet Portraits by Derek McCrea

As an artist in today’s changing environment it is vital to create a marketing strategy capable of meeting the demands created by tense competition. Different areas to focus on for marketing include: identifying and promoting to your target market, carefully select what you pay for as an artist and compare the advantages and disadvantages before making a decision, seek alternate means of exposure, and explore different options for getting your art “seen” by your target market.

Identify your market and attempt to promote your work through the various media of today, magazines, books, Internet, and traditional galleries. Be careful what you pay for. Lately I have seen a large amount of galleries charging a fee for placement of works. In some galleries this may be productive for the artists, but there are also those galleries who make their profit off of the artists almost solely. Read more…

"Do not...talk...about an unfinished manuscript." Shirley McKee

Written by Shirley McKee

There will be a time when you will have opportunities to meet with editors and agents. The Professional Attitude is more important now than at any other time. A meeting with an editor should begin with eye contact and a firm handshake. If you are proposing a book, be able to summarize the book in one or two sentences, including the genre. They will tell you never to be negative, but what I’m going to say will sound negative. Read more…