Troubleshooting Your Freelance Illustration Career

“Art is a system. I think as you mature, it’s natural that if you start to pay attention to business, you’ll start to approach that systematically as well.”

– Sean Hodge

Conducting creative business on the Internet is a relentless test of endurance.

The fight for attention in this crowded, noisy market is exhausting and often discouraging.

Should you Tweet or Tumblr? Send an email newsletter or old school postcards?

Do you even care?

Most artists I know would rather spend their limited time and energy perfecting their craft, not gesticulating for gigs…

In this interview, freelance expert Sean Hodge, editor for Freelance Switch and Tuts+ Business, shares some practical perspective to simplify your self-promotion and evolve your freelance illustration career…

Listen To The Interview:

[ download the mp3 ]

Read the transcript for this episode here.

“When you build a business, you’re building one component at a time. You don’t have to be everywhere on day one… Just get good at this one component, then move on to the next phase of your business… Like little Lego blocks, build up this house over time.”

– Sean Hodge

Episode Highlights

How to build a reputation through consistency, relevancy, and genuine, professional relationships.
Where to focus your social media efforts.
Tips on freelance illustration pricing.
Should you accept royalties as payment?

” The point is to make real relationships. Reach out to people (whether you’re best-friendsies or it’s just a professional relationship) The more of those you have, that’s just killer! Those are the things that really drive your career forward, and it just makes everything more fun.”

– Sean Hodge