Today I’m talking with Lisa Congdon about the creative process as a visual artist, the myth of overnight success, getting over self-doubt about our work, and the importance of multiple streams of income for anyone wanting to be a full-time creative.
In the intro, I talk about my trip to Spain (photos here) and lessons learned from Picasso’s body of work and the agricultural seasonality of the Alpujarras region and how this can influence our own creative journey.
In publishing news, I mention Wattpad Studios and Amazon Video Direct; the recent SPP show on applied intelligence, Intellogo and Trajectory; IPR License and Frankfurt Book Fair, and Kobo’s launch in Turkey.
The corporate sponsorship for this show pays for hosting and transcription. This podcast episode is sponsored by 99 Designs, where you can get all kinds of designs for your author business including book covers, merchandising, branding and business cards, illustrations and artwork and much more. You can get a Powerpack upgrade which gives your project more chance of getting noticed by going to: 99Designs.com/joanna
Lisa Congdon is a fine artist, illustrator and creative entrepreneur. She’s also the author of a number of books including Art Inc: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career As An Artist.
You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or watch the video here, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

* The myth of the ‘overnight success’ and Lisa’s journey from absolute beginner to full-time artist.

* How to deal with imposter syndrome.

* The bravery required to put our art out into the world.

* Where the drive to create more comes from.

* How to choose what to create next and dealing with feeling uninspired.

* The similarities and differences between Lisa’s visual creative work and writing books.

* What the ‘editing’ process is like for a visual artist.

* On the variety of different income streams in Lisa’s creative business.

* Balancing running the business with creative output, and embracing marketing.

* What creates long-term success in creative businesses.

* Lisa’s latest book is The Joy of Swimming, which she wrote and illustrated based on her own passion for swimming.

You can find Lisa’s art and books at www.LisaCongdon.com.

Transcript of Interview with Lisa Congdon