Identity + rejection: when your illustration work *is* you 🥲

This week we're dragging ourselves away from our hypothetical gardens and custom urn businesses (lol) to have a proper sofa-chat about the big question: what would you do if you weren't an illustrator?Specifically: Is your identity too wrapped up in your work? What happens when things go quiet on the work front?COMMUNITY IS MAGIC. That is all. Happy listening.p.s. Salty Dog & Pals (Helen & Katie's new picture book) is now available to pre-order and will be in shops from May. To say thank you, all pre-orders get access to a picture book MASTERCLASS. You can sign up for your free picture book masterclass here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/salty-dog-and-pals-the-storm-other-storiesIt's instant access, so no need to wait.(And if you've already pre-ordered, thank you!)Rough timestamps for our timestamp-fans:00:00 – What would you do if you weren't an illustrator? 01:00 – Tania's custom urn business plan (trademark pending) 03:00 – Katie's nanny agency pivot 05:00 – The famine panic spiral ("day three with no enquiries: my life is over") 06:00 – Identity and rejection: when your work IS you 08:00 – Service illustration vs the author-illustrator beast 10:00 – Picture book advances, royalties + why multiple income streams matter 12:00 – Artist dates and keeping your ideas fed 15:00 – The real deal: what makes author-illustration different 16:00 – Katie & Helen's picture book Salty Dog & Pals (!!!) + the Walker Books Irish jig 18:00 – Live illustration: when the job you loved becomes just a job 20:00 – Community as salvation 22:00 – Good Ship origin story + the Christmas fair era 24:00 – Isolation is corrosive (and what to do about it) 25:00 – Finding your people: local groups, Instagram communities + Pencils on ToastCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙