Sunday, December 16, 2012

To be or not to be...

I recently received an e-mail from a person, who's thinking about leaving her professional career and starting a business based on a craft that she's been doing as a hobby and that she truly loves. She asked me for some advice. Well, I'm certainly not the best person to give advice to anyone about such an important matter, but since she wasn't the only person who has asked me similar questions this year somehow, I thought I should copy-paste what I wrote to her here on my blog, in case there are others who are trying to make a similar transition in their lives, and want to ask me (!!) my take on the matter. Anyway, it's long, so you needn't to read it if the subject doesn't apply to you.
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Hello,
I truly apologize for getting back to you so slow, - I've gotten quite a number of e-mails from Youtube / blogger folks lately, and have become inundated with replying to them. 

So, how I got into this profession? Humm, to make a long story short, I happened to stumble upon this craft when I was a freshman at a college, and started my apprenticeship at the bindery I now work for. No, I didn't go to "bookbinding school" nor do I own a degree in conservation. My knowledge and skills are obtained by the good ole' traditional way of this trade, - apprenticeship. I'm from a stereotypical rigid Japanese family of bureaucrats which believes "arts are for dreamers and losers", so in my circumstance, there was absolutely no way for me to pursue an actual academical education relating to bookbinding &/or conservation. As I had no intention of becoming a lawyer or doctor or anything that my family wanted me to be, and I refused to be controlled for the sake of their face value any longer, I went hundred percent independent from my family and I took a longer and harder road to get where I am. By doing this, I chose my emotional happiness over materialistic satisfaction that we tend to think of as the essential factor of happiness. This means, I knew that I wouldn't be able to live in a million dollar house and cruise in my own yacht in the future. In exchange, I've gotten a life full of "tangible happiness" in a true sense. I have a roof over my head, and a job I love & respect. What more do I need?

Over the years, I've seen dozens of "want to be a bookbinder" come and go from this bindery. They never made it in a professional field, except for one who's now moved to California, continuing her education as a conservator. Most of those were young, in their early~mid 20's who were in search of a direction of their lives. Or, in the 40's~50's who started to reexamine the true meaning of happiness and began to reflect the lives of their past and dreaded the inevitable future of the mundane. I believe that those who had professional careers for a long time, like yourself, could afford the time/ resouces to establish their new "business of their passion". I think you can live off being a craftswoman if you commit to it 150%, (I've been doing it for the past 16 years without any financial issues.) but I cannot say it will give you as much salary as you've been earning from your current job. The reward, however, is that it will give you an excitement and meaning in your life. It's your choice.

That being said, if you decide to alter your life's path, you certainly have to be more than "excellent" at what you do in order to live comfortably. I'm very sure you are excellent at what you do, but when you start charging for your products, you have to be better than excellent. I just mentioned that most apprentices never made it to live as a professional bookbinder. That's mainly because they all tend to overestimate their abilities so that they became too comfortable with their own mediocrity which they misunderstand as "good enough". They all lack of patience and diligence. As an extreme instance, I remember one of them, who used to be an executive of a company somewhere, decided to leave the high-life and to learn the trade of bookbinding. After just a few months of staying at the bindery, she somehow decided that she was so good at bookbinding (which was far from good in truth... sigh... delusional was what she was..), and because she knew how to run a company, she purchased all those expensive bookbinding equipments that she barely knew how to handle, and started her own bookbindery from her spare garage. Well, needless to say, the "business" failed.

The mentality required in any arts and crafts, in my opinion, is to keep seeking for the perfection, thus to never get satisfied with your work. And if your priority becomes to be money making over your excellence in your trade, you will eventually fail. Please keep this in mind.

Those I know who are in an art/craft related business/profession normally function fine if they are married. When their business is slow, there's always someone who's keeping them afloat financially or emotionally. If you are single, I think you have to work twice much harder to sustain a kind of life you seek.

Well, because I don't own this bindery, I don't need to worry about actually running the business. All I have to do, basically is to bind the darn books! No paper work, no restocking supplies, no dealing with grumpy clients!! So, the situation is a bit different from yours. But looking at what my master has accomplished, you can do it, too!

Sincerely,
MHR

15 comments:

  1. I get many of the same questions as listowner of Book_Arts-L and the Book Arts Web and your advice is the same I give people. It is an incredibly rewarding art and craft we practice, but to go it on ones own full-time requires huge amounts of experience/training and the 150% (or more) you mention. This in addition to the tools and materials... Thank you for sharing your thoughts. They are good to hear.

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    1. Hello Peter,
      Yeah, making a living out of crafts in general requires a total commitment. First, you gotta be exceptionally good at it and must keep the standard no matter what. Second, the specialized equipments and tools aren't cheap and aren't easy to come by often. It's a long time process to collect all the tools if you start a business like this from scratch, if not inheriting the family business like a lot of bookbinderies are these days. My master started binding books back in 70's, and started his own bookbindery in the early 90's with basically only a few book presses and a bone folder. It took him almost a decade to "perfect" his bindery in terms of tools and equipments. By the way, he told me he made only $119.00 in the first month. It was mainly his determination and passion and respect for this trade that made his business like none other around here. So we must be absolutely certain about committing ourselves if we decide to get out of a safe nest and open a new chapter in our lives.

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  2. I only recently found this blog and must say that your work is impressive. You are very good at what you do, so naturally many come to you for advice.

    Thank you for this blog. Keep writing and keep showing us your work.

    M

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    1. Thank you for being a regular visitor of my blog, Mr. M!

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  3. I couldn't help but smile when I finished reading this post. It proves what I was certain about but had little evidence of; that the story of the binder behind this blog is equally interesting as her creations.

    I get easily carried away so I'll restrain myself to one more comment regarding the content of the post. It reminded me of what binders often write in the prologues of bookbinding manuals of 19th century or so. Their words where both an exhortation and a dissuasion. Who knows, maybe an ambitious young apprentice will someday be reading MHR's thoughts in the first pages of a book about the craft in the 2100s.

    May you have a great holiday MHR!

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    1. Hello Dimitris,
      Any black sheep in a family has an interesting life story to tell, man.. But like a rhetorical question someone once asked : "If you write a book about yourself, who'd read it !?!", so if I ever write a bookbinding manual, I won't include my life story!

      Well, giving my opinion about such serious subject isn't my forte', but one thing I wanted to make clear was to remind her of what she probably considered - whether her passion for the craft was actually meeting the level of skills required to survive in the professional world. Her field of passion isn't bookbinding, so I couldn't be as precise as I could be if I were in the field. But what I wanted to imply in the e-mail was: we can't be more cautious when it comes to stepping into the unknown, and we need to learn from the mistakes others have made, and most importantly, when we become overly confident about ourselves, that's when we start to decline.

      Well, I just reread what I wrote, and boy, was I such a dissuasive SOB! hahaha! But, sure, there was a feel of exhortation included in it, so let's call it alright! I tend to be more of a pessimist when it comes to a matter like this. I mean, I've seen so many people who have failed or given up over the years, so I can't just say, "Yeah, go for it and have fun!" to anyone who's in a situation like this lady.

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  4. I realized that it is a post of last year,I wish I could find your blog earlier.I had the same situation of changing my caree path befor,and I really want to share with you:)(I found out that you are really a very nice person,so I would not be shy to talk to you:))
    I had a very decent job in local government office before which is considered to be one of the best jobs (I am from China),But I quit my job a year ago,and binding books ever since,almost binding books everyday:) I don't regret quitting the job,though most of the people around me think I might be crazy:) I am so happy with my current binding life,and I could make a living by selling my handmade journals and now even have a workshop of my own. I have no hezitation in choosing my caree path cause I love this craft,I have passion on it.

    Sorry to tell you so much:)
    We don't have binding workshops in China cause we don't have the traditional at all.I started learning binding skills 5 years ago through the internet,books.I feel really grateful to meet bookbinders on the internet ,they gave me inspirations,and I am always get moved by their passion the binding.(other crafter on other fields inspired me too)
    I feel so fortunate to read your posts:) Thank you a lot for fulfill my days.
    I wish you could understand my poor English.

    huhu

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    1. WOW!! What a brave thing you've done!! I know exactly how working for any governmental services is considered one of the best and respected and honored in Asia. (It's the same situation in my native country, Japan.) You must have studied super hard to get the position... Yet, you gave up all the hard work, honer and good stable salary in exchange to bind books! Wow! I salute you, Huhu!

      But, I also know how the bureaucratic works are like, first hand. I don't need to get into too much details, but both my parents were governmental employees (to say loosely.) And I know how their lives had been and have turned out to be now as a result. I didn't want any of that for my only life. So, while I totally understand how astonished people around you must have felt about your decision, I also understand why you had to alter your life. I'm so happy to hear that you are happy, Huhu. I really am.

      And just so you know that I am glad to have chosen the path I chose 16 years ago to get into this profession. No regrets.

      Best Regards,
      MHR

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  5. Hi,MHR
    Thank you for your encouragement!(It is funny of me to check this post again to see whether you reply me ,hehe:))
    I am really happy with my current life and my parents now support me!(The opposed me strongly at first,my Mom told me just several days ago that she cried everyday during the first days of my decison)
    I know I should work really hard to be a real bookbinder,but I have the confidence to realized my dream:)

    huhu

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    1. ohhh, you made your mom cry. :-( Understandable though.. But only thing your parents want for you is your happiness, so I'm glad to hear that they are supporting your dream now. You have great parents. Lucky you! (My mom went totally CRAZY when she found out about my decision, and got even hospitalized for it... I'm a horrible, horrible daughter, but hey, this is my life! My parents, to this day, have never acknowledged my decision, by the way. Unlucky me!)

      Well, let me know if you ever get a chance to visit the United States. You can drop by our bindery any time. I'd be happy to show you whatever you want to know about bookbinding. :-)

      MHR

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  6. Hi,MHR
    It is really really so kind of you:) I will let you know when I plan to travel to the United States.(Actually ,I just couldn't wait to plan a trip to the USA,hehe)
    To be honest,this is not the first time I made my mom cry:( I am a bad daughter ,the first time is I married my husband who has no money,no job (I think you could imagine the situation at that time,in my country,money and decent job is regarded as good and successful,how sad it is.And my father is a public school teacher ,he felt ashamed of my marriage,he even refused to talk to me for half a year) How bad I am!They love me so much that they forgive me at the end.I hope your parents could understand you better after so many years!They must love you too,they just have high self-esteem.

    I wish you will be happy everyday:)
    Could I write E-mail to you if I have questions on bookbinding?I basically learn everything about bookbinding on my own,and couldn't find any tools and informations in my country,it is difficult sometimes...

    huhu:)

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    1. Sure, you can e-mail me. If your question is something really basic, I think it can be explained easily via e-mail. Asia has its own traditional trade of bookbinding style, but if you are to do the European tradition in China, I can see the difficulty of learning it correctly and getting the right equipment and supplies there.

      We do occasionally accept interns from foreign countries for a short period of time here. As log as you are from China and do not reside in the United States, I think my master won't mind having you here to learn for a limited time at all! :-)

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    2. Hi,MHR
      You are so kind,I really feel grateful:)
      I have sent an E-mail to you,please check it!
      bookbinderschronicle@gmail.com is it the right adress?

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  7. Hi,MHR
    I have sent you a reply via E-mail with the explanation of my IP adress.please check it,there is a misunderstanding.

    huhu

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  8. I love your blog! Is any chance I can have a skype lesson with you? I'm a book collector (If I may say so), and recently I've started to do small repair and conservation just to keep my collection in shape (I promise I'll use my new knowledge only to do small fixes and and nothing complicated:)

    Btw, this is my 1st experience http://goo.gl/Mh7Bg4 and this is my cat with John Locke http://goo.gl/a5Ml6b :)

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