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Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age Hardcover – June 6, 2017

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The Wall Street Journal Bestseller!

Bestselling author Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is in fact a competitive advantage.

For centuries, the myth of the starving artist has dominated our culture, seeping into the minds of creative people and stifling their pursuits. But the truth is that the world's most successful artists did not starve.

In fact, they capitalized on the power of their creative strength. In Real Artists Don't Starve, Jeff Goins debunks the myth of the starving artist by unveiling the ideas that created it and replacing them with timeless strategies for thriving, including:

steal from your influences (don't wait for inspiration),
collaborate with others (working alone is a surefire way to starve),
take strategic risks (instead of reckless ones),
make money in order to make more art (it's not selling out), and
apprentice under a master (a "lone genius" can never reach full potential).

Through inspiring anecdotes of successful creatives both past and present, Goins shows that living by these rules is not only doable but it's also a fulfilling way to thrive.

From graphic designers and writers to artists and business professionals, creatives already know that no one is born an artist. Goins' revolutionary rules celebrate the process of becoming an artist, a person who utilizes the imagination in fundamental ways. He reminds creatives that business and art are not mutually exclusive pursuits. In fact, success in business and in life flow from a healthy exercise of creativity.

Expanding upon the groundbreaking work in his previous bestseller The Art of Work, Goins explores the tension every creative person and organization faces in an effort to blend the inspired life with a practical path to success. Being creative isn't a disadvantage for success; rather, it is a powerful tool to be harnessed.

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Editorial Reviews

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"Jeff Goins doesn't just show us how to be more creative. He also reveals a path for turning our art into business and our business into art. Every entrepreneur, writer, and artist should read this book and take notes."
--DANIEL H. PINK, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human

"Jeff Goins has established himself as a fresh and dynamic voice inspiring us to get out of our own way and produce our best work. Real Artists Don't Starve is the work of angels: a book every aspiring writer, artist, and creative must read."
--STEVEN PRESSFIELD, bestselling author of The War of Art

"Anyone trying to make a living from their creative work will find much to steal here."
--AUSTIN KLEON, author of Steal Like an Artist

"Jeff puts to rest the myth of the starving artist. Artists not only deserve to be well rewarded, but there are more opportunities than ever for them to make it happen. This book is not only the blueprint, it's also Jeff's personal artistic manifesto. And now it's mine."
--JAMES ALTUCHER, author and entrepreneur

"Goins dispels the myth that being a creative is some illusive, mysterious dimension reserved for a chosen few. A great book for anyone bogged down by old-fashioned ideas about what it takes to be a thriving artist."
--LISA CONGDON, artist and author of Art Inc

About the Author

Jeff Goins is a writer, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur with a reputation for challenging the status quo. He is the best-selling author of five books including The Art of Work and Real Artists Don't Starve. His award-winning blog Goinswriter.com is visited by millions of people every year, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Psychology Today, Business Insider, Time, and many others. Through his online courses, events, and coaching programs, he helps thousands of creatives succeed every year. A father of two and a guacamole aficionado, Jeff lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins Leadership (June 6, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0718086260
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0718086268
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 0.9 x 8.7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #827,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,544 in Creativity (Books)
- #5,024 in Entrepreneurship (Books)
- #6,591 in Christian Self Help

Customer Reviews:
4.6 1,072 ratings

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Jeff Goins

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Jeff Goins is a writer, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur with a reputation for challenging the status quo. He is the best-selling author of five books including The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve. His award-winning blog Goinswriter.com is visited by millions of people every year, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Psychology Today, Business Insider, Time, and many others. Through his online courses, events, and coaching programs, he helps thousands of creatives succeed every year. A father of two and a guacamole aficionado, Jeff lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

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Suzy Taylor Oakley

More than just a book of stories, RADs is a challenge to be brave

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2017

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I’ve followed Jeff Goins for two or three years and have always found his content to be of high value. I listen to his podcast, read his books and his blog, have taken some of his courses, am a member of a few of of his online groups and just find him to be an all-around great guy.

In other words, I already liked him when I picked up his latest book.

When he published Real Artists Don’t Starve, I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect it to be a can’t-put-down piece of work. It is that, for sure, yet I didn’t rush through it. I savored every story, from Michelangelo to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Twyla Tharp, Ernest Hemingway and Jim Henson to even more contemporary, lesser-known artists whose stories inspired me.

Jeff’s premise is that you can still be a “real artist” — authentic and true to yourself — while making money with your craft or skill.

I didn’t need convincing, but the journey to that conclusion was worth the trip.

Jeff is a master at storytelling, and his research turned up some really quirky, obscure tidbits about some of his subjects that surprised me. The Michelangelo story alone is worth the price of admission.

But RADS is not just a book of stories. It’s a book that inspired and challenged me to be braver in my established art form (writing) and also to branch out and try new things. As a “concrete-sequential” thinker who was already writing a nonfiction book, I joined one of Jeff’s 30-day challenges and started drawing again (something I hadn’t done since I was a kid), dabbled in fiction, tried my hand at calligraphy (and discovered that I love it), and even decided to write a fiction book. I could go on and on with how RADS expanded my thinking and my repertoire of creative pursuits, but please, if you enjoy creating, just buy the book.

3 people found this helpful

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Patrick Sherriff

Good business and good art can co-exist

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2017

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The aim of this book is to dispel the myth that real artists have to suffer for their art, to starve and emerge ennobled by the experience with some damn fine, pure art that will serve as a beautiful headstone to put on their early grave. Goins paints a compelling picture that through the ages the most successful artists - from Michelangelo to Elvis - haven't starved (obviously by definition - they were successful) and he identifies 12 principles the starving artist doesn't employ, that the thriving artist does.

The 12 points, which he lists in the introduction, are:

1. The starving artist believes you must be born an artist. The thriving artist knows you must become one.
2. The starving artist strives to be original. The thriving artist steals from his influences.
3. The starving artist believes he has enough talent. The thriving artist apprentices under a master.
4. The starving artist is stubborn about everything. The thriving artist is stubborn about the right things.
5. The starving artist waits to be noticed. The thriving artist cultivates patrons.
6. The starving artist believes he can be creative anywhere. The thriving artist goes where creative work is already happening.
7. The starving artist always works alone. The thriving artist collaborates with others.
8. The starving artist does his work in private. The thriving artist practices in public.
9. The starving artist works for free. The thriving artist always works for something.
10. The starving artist sells out too soon. The thriving artist owns his own work.
11. The starving artist masters one craft. The thriving artist masters many.
12. The starving artist despises the need for money. The thriving artist makes money to make art.

Each point then becomes a chapter that Goins fills with anecdotes to prove his case with Michelangelo as the archetype of the thriving artist. My only criticism of the book is you could say Goins is guilty of cherry picking examples to suit his argument, none of us are Michelangelo after all, but that would be missing the point, which is that good art and commerce co-exist and always have. The principles and examples he develops are good, and after finishing the book today, I can say it maps out a course worth following for any creative type who wants to do good work, as I hope to do, well into a ripe old age.

53 people found this helpful

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Larry Siegel

Too late for Me

Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2023

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The book details why I failed with Art Projects ...
> No master or art critic to apprentice or review me
> High school art courses forgotten
> No detailed plans, objectives or what customers wanted
> Lack of time, money and tools to do the best work
> No funding while training, learning and losing money
> Couldn't decide to be a craftman or an artist
> Passion weakens after failures and destitution
Book would have been helpful 55 years ago in my twenties, to bad for me?

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Dog Abernathy

I'd rather thrive, thank you very much!

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2017

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I pre-ordered this book and it was delivered to me on the day of its release. It sounded interesting, and I was eager to start reading...

I devoured this book. As an aspiring artist, I had noticed several of the trends attributed to "starving artists." While I didn't like them, I thought that that was simply the way things were. A few others had bucked the trends, but me? Never! Now, this book has me seriously rethinking my entire approach to art. I'd like to make a living off of what I produce, and this book clearly delineates many of the pitfalls of the "starving artist" mentality that are perfectly avoidable. Admittedly, the chapter on stealing made me cringe a little, since I didn't like how the concept was phrased. It still applies, however, and approaching the issue with humility makes me realize that I'm going to borrow from other influences regardless of what it is called. Might as well call it stealing and learn the lessons the book has to teach.

A lot of this book is going to grate on the nerves of people who are firmly rooted in the starving artist mentality. But frankly, I'd rather be a thriving artist, and this book promises to be an excellent start to that process. It is definitely worth a read if it sounds interesting to you in the least.

2 people found this helpful

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Paolo

Good reading!

Reviewed in Spain on August 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

Is nice to see everything well explained. Pretty motivational book, would have loved to have more techniques, but still inspiring.

Rochelle Del Borrello

Great Read

Reviewed in Italy on June 16, 2019

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Any person who wants to be creative should read this book. Totally inspirational! I'd recommend this book to everyone as it gives us new insights into the world of art and creativity

CALVIN BLACK

Smashing Myths and Inspiring Creative Work

Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2017

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Jeff Goins writes with an inspiring tone that will pull you up by the bootstraps and help you to see that your work matters. He uses detailed research and fascinating stories to weave together a tremendously encouraging book. The myth of the starving artist is so common to us that we have stopped questioning its validity. In Real Artists Don't Starve, Jeff smashes the myth and gives example after example of artists who left the promises of success to pursue their art and still were rewarded.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is pursuing their passion in art, writing, photography or any other creative outlet. There are creative and proven ways to make art and be rewarded for it. Jeff is a great writer but he is also a proven entrepreneur who understands what it means to craft a life that provides for your family and allow you avenues to do work that matters.

2 people found this helpful

Doreen

Super!!!

Reviewed in Germany on May 27, 2019

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Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit der schnellen Lieferung und das Buch ist besser als erwartet!

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Rubina Gomes

Must read for all artists!!!

Reviewed in India on June 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

Deciding to take the step and turn your life towards the creative life is tough one. I'm experiencing it first-hand. But if you are able to keep your head in the right place, the one in which your are able to the best version of yourself, creative living can be the best way of living. And this book helps you do exactly that. Debunking the myths one at a time, about mind-set, market and money, this book makes you realize that one can definitely make a living out of being an artist. While reading this book, different ideas were popping up in my head about how I, as an artist, be continuously creating art with my belly and wallet full. Also reading the various anecdotes made things clearer and helped me see ways I can to the same in my life. Some were even a punch in my gut, for being a fool for so long. This book is eye-opening in so many ways and it is of course a must read for every artist.

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