Motivation for Creative People: How to Stay Creative While Gaining Money, Fame, and Reputation

"This is a How To manual at the highest level from a man who has lived the life and has watched and worked intimately with hundreds of others who've done the same. Indispensable reading for anyone in a creative field who is seeking to achieve not just a flash of brilliance but a lifelong career."
Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of The War of Art
"I love my work so much I would do it for free."

Many creative people have uttered these words in a moment of enthusiasm--they express the joy of creative work. But they also hint at some of the pitfalls that lie in wait for creatives . . .

In one sense, creative people have no problem with motivation. We fall in love with our creative work and pursue a career that allows us to do what we love every day.
Psychological research confirms what we know in our hearts: we are at our most creative when we are driven by intrinsic motivation--working for the sheer joy of it, regardless of rewards. Focusing on extrinsic motivation--such as money, fame, or other rewards--can kill your creativity.

If you don't feel excited by the task in front of you, it's impossible to do your best work, no matter what rewards it might bring. You may be determined not to sell out, but selling yourself short can be just as damaging. And when it comes to public recognition, comparisonitis and professional jealousy can consume far too much of your creative energy.

Working for love is all well and good, but if you're a creative professional you can't ignore the rewards: you need money to enjoy your life and to fund your projects. You may not need to be famous, but you do need a good reputation within your professional network. And if you're in a fame-driven industry you need a powerful public profile, whether or not you enjoy the limelight.

There's a precious balance at play--get it wrong, and you could seriously damage your creativity and even your career.

For the past twenty years creative coach Mark McGuinness has helped hundreds of creatives like you to overcome these challenges. A poet and creative entrepreneur, his last book, Resilience: Facing Down Rejection and Criticism on the Road to Success, is an Amazon.com Creativity best seller.

In his latest book, Motivation for Creative People, Mark helps you rise to these challenges and create a fulfilling and rewarding creative career. All the solutions he shares have been tested with real people in real situations, including ways to:

* stay creative and in love with your work--even under pressure
* overcome Resistance to tackling your creative challenges
* reclaim your creative soul if you wander off your true path
* stop selling yourself short--and start reaping the rewards of your creativity
* attract the right kind of audience for your work
* cultivate an outstanding artistic reputation
* avoid destroying your creativity through attachment to money, fame, reputation, and other rewards
* surround yourself with people who support your creative ambitions
* avoid getting stuck in unhealthy comparisonitis or professional jealousy
* balance your inspiration, ambition, desires, and influences in the big picture of your creative career

Motivation for Creative People is the perfect guide to figuring out your different motivations and how they affect your creativity and career.

The book is packed with practical advice and inspiring stories from Mark's own experience, his transformative work with coaching clients, and famous creators and creations--including Stanley Kubrick, Dante, The Smiths, Shakespeare, kabuki drama, and Breaking Bad.

If you are serious about succeeding in your creative career--while staying true to your inspiration--read Motivation for Creative People.

Mark McGuinness is a poet and a coach for creative professionals - artists, creatives, performers, and entrepreneurs. Based in London, UK, he coaches clients and consults for agencies and studios all over the world. His first book, Resilience: Facing Down Rejection and Criticism was an Amazon.com Creativity best seller. He is a columnist at 99U.com and a co-author of the 99U best sellers Manage Your Day-to-Day and Maximize Your Potential. Creative organisations he has worked with include the BBC, Channel 4, HOW Design, Magnum Photos, McCann Erickson, and the Royal College of Art. His work has been featured in Vogue US, The Wall Street Journal, Creative Review, and on the Discovery Health Channel. Mark's poems and reviews are published in leading poetry journals. He writes about poetry at: MarkMcGuinness.com