The Creative Home Business: You've Gotta Love It

When times grew tough several years ago, I noticed that books about starting a home-based business went flying off the shelves. They included books on writing. Titles like How to Earn a Six-Figure Income Writing Greeting Card Poetry generally circulate well but during times of high unemployment they're especially hot.

At times I really felt for the people checking these books out. Some borrowers exuded such a strong mix of hope and desperation that they seemed to be surrounded by a visible aura. I'd heard of "hope in a jar;" these books seemed to be "hope between two covers."

I read many of the books as a reviewer for a writers' club newsletter. The actual business strategy advice ranged from extremely helpful to "I'm glad I didn't buy this." What a startling number of them failed to mention is the idea that a business in the creative arts (maybe in any field) works best if you'd love what you're doing even if you weren't getting paid for it.

If you don't love it you won't be able to spend ten-hour days (that's the average working day for the owner of a full-time startup) doing it. You won't be able to convinced prospective users or buyers that they need your services. You'll turn out mediocre work. Eventually you'll be bored.

Making a little extra money on the side by freelancing or selling your crafts at fairs is one thing; trying to earn a full-time living running a business in creative services is another. Working from home doing what you choose to do sounds easier than it is. I enjoy working with kids but during the years when I ran a daycare service for children at home, I worked days that were much longer than any of the school jobs I'd held. Even being as frugal as I was, my net earnings were so low I was embarrassed to report them on the tax forms. Child care is one of those businesses that makes no sense unless the care provider loves doing it.

I believe that working in any of the arts, even "applied" ones such as graphic design or copy writing, run on the same principle. If you're down to your last dollar and need money now, they're a risky choice.

But if you're already doing something you love and are willing to start small while holding onto your day job, your chance of eventually being able to leave that job are better than average. Every full-time freelancer or artist I've ever met has started out by doing what she does not for money but for love.