FREE ADVICE: General Etiquette

"Art" doesn't immediately translate to "career," and because of this, there is often a disconnect between professional artists and the general public.

I get it.  I do. 

Music, writing, scultpure, paper-cutting, photography, and other fine arts are, for most people, a hobby.  It's a common thought process, and I get it.  I get it,  but when talking with a person who pays a mortgage from a fine arts vocation, here is some basic etiquette.

DON'T invite a musician or a photographer to a party and add "bring your camera/guitar--it'll be fun!"  It might be fun for you, but it probably will be an extension of a work day for the artist.  You would never invite an accountant or a surgeon to a gathering and say "bring your calculator" or "bring your tools!"

DON'T ask a writer to write your life story for free, offering to split any future book proceeds.  What you are asking is for months of work, research, and publication attempts--all with no guarantee of payment. Likewise, don't press your material into the hands of a writer, asking for help, feedback, editing, or "just for you to read."  If the project is important to you, offer to pay for it.

DON'T offer to pay by "passing the hat" or in food.  Until the mortgage company accepts those terms, it's difficult for an artist to accept them.  (Only slightly better is  "We can't pay you, but the exposure will be fantastic!" More often than not, it won't be  fantastic.)

DO recognize that artists have chosen a career path that is based upon their skills and improved by practice, much like any other profession.  And like any other profession, it is work.  It is a business with long hours, marketing plans, financial projections, branding, and developing a customer base.