Now that the new tax bill has been passed, creatives have to really look at how they can survive financially, because itemizing deductions is basically obsolete. Coincidentially, I remembered this excellent article by Molly Crabapple that outlines her rules for creative success. Molly Crabapple is an artist who I met over ten years ago in Brooklyn. She is someone that knows her worth, and doesn’t romanticize the idea of being a struggling artist. Molly wrote this excellent post for Boing Boing, and I keep referring creatives to it. Now that I am blogging about it, I know I will always have it.

This is her second rule, but it is number one in my book:

2. Companies are not loyal to you. Please never believe a company has your back. They are amoral by design and will discard you at a moment’s notice. Negotiate aggressively, ask other freelancers what they’re getting paid, and don’t buy into the financial negging of some suit.