“People working in the arts engage in street combat with The Fraud Police on a daily basis…
“When you’re an artist, nobody ever tells you or hits you with the magic wand of legitimacy. You have to hit your own head with your own handmade wand.
“And you feel stupid doing it.
“There’s no ‘correct path' to becoming a real artist. You might think you’ll gain legitimacy by going to university, getting published, getting signed to a record label.
“But it’s all bullshit, and it’s all in your head. You’re an artist when you say you are.
“And you’re a good artist when you make somebody else experience or feel something deep or unexpected.”
For more, check out Amanda's great book The Art of Asking:The Art of Asking: How I learned to stop worrying and let people help