The person who most inspires me is Neil Gaiman. He's a writer but he's actually so much more than that.
One of the things I most admire about Neil Gaiman is that he writes ALL THE THINGS. He writes adult books, kids books, screen plays, short stories, poems, spoken word pieces, and graphic novels. He's not bound by a self-imposed (or externally-imposed) set of limitations. He just writes whatever takes his fancy. That's amazing.
Neil Gaiman writes for a living. People give him money and he continues to write more things. It's my dream, that I could write something and people would give me money for it and then I would get to write more things.
Neil is a world-traveler. He experiences new things. He meets interesting people. He finds artists to collaborate with. He's also a father and a husband. None of the things about him are contradictory - he chooses the life that is meaningful to him and the world just keeps chugging along and he keeps being successful on his own terms.
Neil also speaks out about issues that are meaningful to him. He's got a sharp mind and a kind heart. He sees a problem in the world and he names it, he draws attention to it. Gaiman has a rare platform that allows him to be influential and he uses it to put more positivity and awareness into the world. He is a champion for the arts and for artists.
I find Neil Gaiman's art inspiring, I find his work ethic inspiring, I find his life inspiring. He has the kind of life and career that I aspire to. And he seems like a nice guy too.
Check out his Make Good Art commencement speech.
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