People who know what they are doing know the rules, and know what is possible and impossible. When you start out on a career in the arts you have no idea what you are doing. 8 Lessons from Neil Gaiman that have helped my writing career 1. The entire speech is golden, but these quotes are the ones I reach for the most. When I convinced my parents that writing was worth pursuing, I reached for my copy of the transcript, covered in highlights and underlines, and read it to them.Īt this point, I know the speech almost by heart, and whenever I need advice, these words return to me.

As that journey began, I found myself reading or watching the speech whenever I needed inspiration. At that moment, I decided to pursue writing, a passion I’ve had ever since I was a child. I took out a highlighter and read it again. I was handed the transcript by a friend, back when I didn’t know who Neil Gaiman was. The transcript has been published as a book and the YouTube video has garnered millions of views. His recorded speech has inspired artists beyond that graduating class. The old rules of creating and distributing Art are crumbling, creating change that is exhilarating and terrifying.On May 17, 2012, Neil Gaiman rose to speak at the commencement ceremony for The University of the Arts. Let go and enjoy the ride by taking the time to enjoy moments of success without worrying about sustaining it.ġ2. You keep working in a freelance world because you deliver two of the following three things: (a) the work is good (b) you are easy to get along with (c) you deliver the work on time.ġ1. Ultimately, though, you must make your own Art.ġ0. At first, when you are learning, it is normal to copy others. Beware of becoming a professional email responder.ĩ. The problems of success are a big as the problems of failure.ħ. Do work you are proud of (never for the money).Ħ.

Accept that you will have hundreds of failures for each success.ĥ. You are alright as long as you are walking toward the mountain. When deciding whether to do something, judge whether it takes you toward or away from the mountain.Ĥ.

If you have an idea of what you want to make / were put here to do, then just do it. Imagine that what you want to do/be is a distant mountain. It is easier to do something impossible when you don’t know what is possible.ģ. When you start out in a career in the Arts, accept that you do not and should not know what you are doing.

Here are the key points from author Neil Gaiman's 2012 commencement address at the University of the Arts:Ģ.

Neil gaiman speech make good art