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Meg Waite Clayton

Author of the international bestsellers The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and 6 other novels

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March 12, 2013 By Meg Waite Clayton

Neil Gaiman on Making Good Art

If you want to be a writer, or any kind of artist, drop everything and listen to this now. And not just for Neil Gaiman’s lovely British accent, or his delightful humor. This is how it’s done.

You haven’t clicked yet? OK, a few choice bits to persuade you to commit the ten minutes or so it will take:

  • The rules on what is possible and impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them. And you can.
  •  If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something. And the mistakes in themselves can be useful.
  •  In my case I did something which these days would be easy to check, and would get me into trouble, and when I started out, in those pre-internet days, seemed like a sensible career strategy: when I was asked by editors who I’d worked for, I lied.
  • When things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art.
  • The old rules are crumbling and nobody knows what the new rules are. So make up your own rules.

But really, you need to listen. To the whole thing. You need to hear about how he got his typewriter, and what happened to his first book. And what to do when faced with failure, or with success. Really. Do this now. 
Why are you still reading?
OK, spoiler alert: this is how it ends:

And now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make good art.

Seriously, why are you still reading?
Link to original Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts Class of 2012 from The University of the Arts (Phl), just in case. Thanks to the University for asking Gaiman to speak at their commencement, and to Galleycat for sharing the video. – Meg

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Meg Waite Clayton


Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of eight novels, including the Good Morning America Buzz pick and New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS, the National Jewish Book Award finalist THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON, the Langum-Prize honored THE RACE FOR PARIS, and THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Essential Best Friend Novels of all time. Her novels have been published in 23 languages. She has also written more than 100 pieces for major newspapers, magazines, and public radio, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. megwaiteclayton.com

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