Paying for Perspective: Is It Worth It?

Yes!

Whatever your artistic endeavor is, you’re probably already too close to the project to have any perspective. It’s natural: The more you read something, look at something, hear something, think about something, and dream about something, the less you’re able to see its potential for change. That something—whether it’s a novel, screenplay, painting, film, illustration, or song—becomes inevitable and immovable. In other words, stuck.

Your art is your business, and when smart businesspeople need a fresh perspective, they pay for one. They hire consultants and other experts to come in, evaluate the current processes, and make suggestions for improvements. The success of their business is their bottom line, and your bottom line is the way the world reacts to your art. Adopt that attitude, because a passionate but objective expert will be able to tell you:

• Where there are holes in the project that you’ve missed but others will see as road blocks to understanding you
• How to strengthen areas that are inspiring and when to cut those that aren’t
• Whether to approach the work from a new angle—and which one

Don’t be fooled. Each of these three areas is incredibly complex and so difficult to work with on your own. But exploring them can take your art to a level you haven’t yet dreamed up. So be a savvy businessperson and invest in some new perspective; anything else is just short-sighted.

Related posts:

1. Attitude…
2. Corey’s Story Adventure—The Writer’s Perspective, Part 3 by Katie Gutierrez Painter
3. Corey’s Book: From the Writer’s Perspective
4. Why You Should Find the Courage to Fuse Art and Business