"Every Yes Is Time Taken Away" — Sarah Walsh on Burnout, Zines & Betraying Yourself

Sarah Walsh has been a working artist since 2001 — Hallmark Cards, over 20 picture books, a fully illustrated Matilda — and she still says the hardest part isn't the client work. It's protecting the work that's actually yours. "Not working on projects that mean the world to you, over time it's sort of a betrayal of yourself. Every yes is time taken away from what you should be doing."In this episode, Sarah shares:✨ Why every "yes" to the wrong project is a betrayal of yourself✨ "If you don't take a break, you're gonna break"✨ The banana theory of over-researching your next move✨ Why it's more risky to be safe than to leap✨ Leaving a 13-year job at Hallmark after signing with agent Lilla Rogers✨ How a horse meme and a bad night on the floor became a graphic novel✨ Building your own external deadlines to finish personal work✨ Why she skipped the pitch and just printed the zine herself✨ Landing a literary agent from a self-published zine✨ Zines, gatekeeping, and why a pen and a photocopy is enough✨ Running Tigersheep Friends with her partner Colin✨ Buying a Riso printer, naming her Aunt Ruby, and going all-in✨ Wholesale, Patreon, and building a business that forces you to make✨ Where the name Tigersheep Friends actually came from✨ Why what you loved as a kid is the best part of youIf you've ever taken on too much, waited for permission, or shelved the project you actually care about, this one's for you.About Sarah Walsh: Sarah Walsh is a maker of books and illustrated goods based in Kansas City. She has illustrated over 20 picture books and worked with Simon & Schuster, PBS, Penguin Random House, Chronicle, Blue Q, The Guardian and Crate & Barrel, including a fully illustrated edition of Roald Dahl's Matilda. She runs the small-batch illustration shop Tigersheep Friends with her partner and fellow illustrator Colin Walsh, and a monthly Riso print club and SLOMO drawing club through Patreon.🎨 See her work at https://www.sarahwalshmakesthings.com/🐯 Shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TigersheepfriendsThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Cold Open: Every Yes Is Time Taken Away1:11 Working Artist Since 20013:23 Thirteen Years at Hallmark Cards4:26 Lilla Rogers and Quitting the Cushy Job5:24 How Storytelling Became the Thread9:04 Getting Into Books9:58 Love the Bricks You're Building With11:15 Cracking the Author-Illustrator Voice12:01 Zines, No Rules, and No Gatekeeping16:21 "I Don't Balance" — The Honest Answer17:25 Burnout and the Rusted Old Jalopy21:09 If You Don't Take a Break, You're Gonna Break22:25 Leaving Corporate and Facing Clients23:21 We're Trained Not to Trust Our Intuition23:51 The Banana Theory of Over-Researching25:41 It's More Risky to Be Safe27:35 Burned Out and Lost in the Sauce28:26 The Horse Meme That Became a Book30:45 Skipping the Pitch: "I Just Want to Make It"31:35 Building Your Own Deadlines — and Getting an Agent34:44 What You Loved as a Kid Is the Best Part of You37:44 Where "Tigersheep Friends" Came From42:10 Running the Shop and the Risograph Leap44:06 Meet Aunt Ruby, the Riso Printer45:26 Faire, Wholesale, Patreon and the Mail Club49:31 Business Minute: Five Things You Need to Know52:25 Rapid Five56:39 Wrap-Up