We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bob Eckstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bob below.
Bob, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
I have never had, what one would call, a regular job except for last year when things for my wife and I were difficult. That job was Art Director at a publishing house. That ended and it was a relief and I’ll leave it at that as there is no lesson there. But I began as a freelancer and also teaching art. I learned slowly, and the hard way, that very few can survive solely in the arts doing only want they want to do. One has the cobble together different avenues of income and for me it included writing, publishing books, speaking engagements and just about any crazy job involving producing artwork from signs, to T-shirts, the logos, to making someone’s birthday card. I worked for some of the most wonderful people and I worked for those I found objectionable. There are many lessons to share and it takes me over an hour in my talks to share most, but one off the top of my head is; find your people. Find people no share your desire, your passion for the work you love, surround yourself with people you can learn from and grow with. Quite honestly, I am the best in the world at surrounding myself with the most talented people in the world and I started way to late, spending my early years with the wrong crowd. I wasted a chunk of my life. I wish I knew then what I know now and didn’t waste so much time with those who are in the same place now as when I meet them.
Bob, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a New York Times bestseller (Footnotes From the World’s Greatest Bookstores), an award-winning writer and illustrator, New Yorker cartoonist and world’s leading snowman expert (author of The Illustrated History of the Snowman). I have written thousands of pieces worldwide from magazines ranging from Playboy to MAD magazine. I am also a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest magazine and teach writing and drawing at New York University and as well as hosts a popular podcast called The Cartoon Pad. I have created logos, T-shirts, magazine covers, and cartoons seen world-wide. I have appeared in over a 150 TV, radio shows and podcasts.
My brand includes humor and memorable clever visual solutions. I guess my number goal is to make people laugh. I explain my thinking and how I come up with ideas in a free newsletter called The Bob. It includes opinions and advice that have helped me from the greatest comic minds in the world.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
The key for social media is to partner. Appear in other venues, befriend people, get involve. It is near impossible to be successful today by yourself unless you are very lucky.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I still submit cartoons and humor to the very few magazines still surviving even after most all publications have long gone bankrupt from MAD to Playboy magazine. It’s near impossible but I continue to create comics and comedy pieces, anyway. I refuse to accept the fact that it’s over.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bobeckstein.com
- Instagram: Bob_eckstein
- Facebook: Bob Eckstein
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/
in/bob-eckstein-a20756111 - Twitter: BobEckstein
Image Credits
Bob Eckstein