"What Do You Do?"

Alice in Wonderland Art Jam

I've been thinking a lot about how I answer the question, "What do you do?"  Even though overall I like my "nine to five," as they say, I don't consider it self-defining by any means.  What, then, compels me to answer that question by filling in the blank with this job?  What keeps me from proclaiming myself a writer or an artist, and instead makes me define myself by what I do to pay the bills?

Alice in Wonderland Art Jam

I've come to the conclusion that I can't fairly call myself a writer or an artist until I start becoming those things more--that is, until I actively spend more time producing art than I spend at my nine to five.



That's one of the reasons I started this blog.  It has helped me become more prolific, and made me feel like part of the art world again.  Now when people ask me what I do, I can honestly say I'm a writer and an artist.  I may not be a published author or a famous artist, but I'm closer to both of those things than I was even two weeks ago.

As seen in Pentacle magazine

So I guess that's really how I can answer the question.  What do I do?  I add to my body of writing and artwork to bring me closer, one step at a time, to success.  Not because I'm paid to do it, but because it's who I am.