Should Artists Do Free Work?

Today we're talking about people who think making art is only for the special few, who think you need double decker doctorates or generational talent if you want to create. We're talking about why they're WRONG! You can find links to buy Amie's books (which she'll never have done enough research for to satisfy some people) here --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Honestly guys, I have no idea what we said in this one. We recorded it over three weeks ago! Hope it's good... Let me know! We have a summer sale on for the next week! 50% off all our courses. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Q and A episode today people! We're answering YOUR questions: Do we want kids? Is Fan Fiction a good way to practice writing? What do we do when we fall of out love with our art? And more! We will be in an aeroplane in the sky when this goes out so hopefully it works! You can join our San Francisco workshop digitally via A Writing Room! The session will be recorded so you can watch the replay too! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

We're in a little bit of slump at the moment. How do we deal with it? It's normal to not always feel motivated and enthusiastic with your work. We share what we've been struggling with lately, common reasons creatives get into slumps, imposter syndrome/the pain of leveling up and feeling like you aren't fully ready for that next level. We also give you an update on our MUSCLES! Did you want to come to come to one of Amie's live workshops but don't live in California? Our hosts, A Writing Room, are offering a livestream of the San Francisco event on June 1st! Replay included. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Today we're responding to a series of articles that have gone viral over the last couple of weeks. They're all about the publishing industry, and whether or not it's dying out. Included: how big is the market for books? Is it growing or shrinking? Are publishers profitable? Is it even worth writing books anymore? What about indie books, self-publishing, e-books, and audio? What do publishers get right and what do they get wrong. James says the C word twice and apologises to all the Americans for being Australian. Main sources: No One Buys Books by Elle Griffin People Buy Books, Publishing Is Thriving, and Substack Will Never Replace Books, by Brooke Warner which also links to several other great pieces. The one we used most heavily was: Yes, People Do Buy Books, by Lincolm Michel --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Failure is non negotiable. So how can learn and grow from our failures? We share some of our failures, what they taught us, how we dealt with them at the time, and what we think of them now. Included: dealing with rejection from gatekeepers, why failure should excite us, letting ourselves be upset, and more! There are still tickets to both of our US workshops! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Another spice one provoked by some online discourse. Is it wrong to make money from our art? Does making art with the intention to sell it sully it? It's a strong no from us. Listen to learn why! Don't forget we have two workshops in California coming up. LA on the 25th of May San Francisco on the 1st of June Both are going to be 5 hours long (including a lunch break), with teaching, QandA, journaling, and a chance to mingle with other artists. Cheapest tickets start at $50. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Back to our favourite punching bag: Perfectionism. We talk about how perfectionism leads to stagnancy, stunts your growth as a creative, and ultimately leads to worse art. LA and San Francisco artists (or anyone who wants to travel there!), we are coming to your city! LA workshop: 25th of March San Fran workshop: 1st of June Pricing is on a sliding scale to accomodate different budgets. Learn more here --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

Join us on a walk and talk as we play a little game of Would You Rather, artist edition! We would love for you to check out Amie's fiction. Her witchy tudor novel, Regrettably, I Am About to Cause Trouble, and her Sexy medieval romp, The Rules Upheld by No One are available in audio, e-book, and print on most major platforms. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message

This is one of our favourite ever conversations! Emma Couette, six novels in the last five years. All while holding down a full time job. We talk about how she juggles a 9-5 job with this sort of release schedule, doing her own promo, fighting for her novels, finding good people to give feedback, making difficult choices about how to allocate resources to creative projects, and much more! We learned so much about the Indie publishing space and came away with heaps of things we want to action. We reached out to Emma and asked her on the podcast because we are blown away by how she fights for her writing. How diligent she is. How much care she puts into her promotion and her social presence (@emmacouetteauthor). Here are links to Emma's novels, please support her: Silent Night purchase link: https://www.books2read.com/guildtrilogybookone Summer's Revenge purchase link: https://www.books2read.com/summersrevenge Winter's Wrath purchase link: https://www.books2read.com/winterswrath Emma's website: ⁠https://www.emmacouetteauthor.com⁠ Emma is @emmacouetteauthor on Insta, Tiktok, and Threads. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amie-mcnee/message