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Real Artists Have Day Jobs: (And Other Awesome Things They Don't Teach You in School) Paperback – April 26, 2016

by Sara Benincasa (Author)

33 customer reviews

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For readers of Lena Dunham, Mindy Kaling, and #Girlboss, a hilarious—yet heartfelt—guide to growing up and taking your place in the world by the popular comedian and author of the highly praised Agorafabulous!

While the practical aspects of new adulthood can be nerve-wracking—dating, job-hunting, money-managing—the most important task of all is figuring out who you are and where you fit in the world. Author and comedian Sara Benincasa, now in her mid-thirties, had an absolutely harrowing early twenties and now, on the other side, she has a LOT of hard-earned wisdom and common sense to share.

Real Artists Have Day Jobs includes 52 witty, provocative essays on how to live like a real adult—especially for those who have chosen a slightly more offbeat path to get there. Chock full of information and advice, Sara’s warm, smart, empathetic, and quirky voice is relatable to everyone from twenty-somethings and recent college grads to anyone a bit older who’s still trying to figure things out. While Sara doesn’t have all of life’s answers, this indispensable book has more than its share!

Essays include:

How to Read a Book
Real Artists Have Day Jobs
The Power of Being a Dork
Put Your Clutter in Purgatory
Ask for Exactly What You Want
Elect Your Own Executive Board

Equal parts entertaining and educational, Real Artists Have Day Jobs is a life-changing book for strivers and misunderstood creatives everywhere.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Honest, funny and completely devoid of bullshit. You might not want to hear what’s in this book, but you probably need to.” (Patton Oswalt)

“Sara’s book is an incredible tour de force. If I could repeatedly hit my head so I could give myself a touch of memory loss so that I would be able to read this again for the first time, I would.” (Megan Amram)

“Sara captures the chaos, horror, and joy of a life pursuit of creativity.” (Jim Gaffigan)

“Sara Benincasa is a great wit, a great woman, and a great writer.” (Elizabeth Gilbert)

“Inspiring self-help guidance on just about everything: sex, love, self-esteem, even flossing…It’s hard to imagine an actual self-help book could be more inspirational…Benincasa’s wisdom and humor will reverberate for days to come.” (Library Journal)

“Hilarious…refreshingly frank…Benincasa provides solid tips for relationships, health, wellness, and employment…Raunchy and unabashedly unapologetic, this is useful, take-no-prisoners humor.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Sara Benincasa is brilliant on Twitter, in her comedy and on the printed page, and her latest, Real Artists Have Day Jobs, won’t fail to make you laugh. It might make you tear up a little bit too… she’s smart, heartfelt, relatable and just plain funny.” (New York Daily News)

“It’s educational, inspiring and entertaining in equal measure…That mix of empathy and realism is what makes ‘Real Artists…’ worth reading.” (The Malcontent)

From the Back Cover

“Sara captures the chaos, horror, and joy of a life pursuit of creativity.”—Jim Gaffigan

While the practical aspects of adulthood can be nerve-racking, the most important task of all is figuring out who you are and where you fit in the world. Author and comedian Sara Benincasa has a lot of hard-earned wisdom and common sense to share.

Including 52 witty, provocative essays on how to live like a real adult—especially useful for those who have chosen a slightly more offbeat path to get there—Real Artists Have Day Jobs is relatable to everyone from twentysomethings and recent college grads to anyone a bit older who’s still trying to figure things out.

Essays include:

• Stop Apologizing for Everything • Life Is Too Short for Sh*tty Friends • The Power of Being a Dork • It Gets Better, Mostly • Ask for Exactly What You Want • . . . and more!

“An incredible tour de force. If I could repeatedly hit my head so I could give myself a touch of memory loss so that I would be able to read this again for the first time, I would.”—Megan Amram

“Sara Benincasa is a great wit, a great woman, and a great writer.”—Elizabeth Gilbert

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (April 26, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062369814
ISBN-13: 978-0062369819
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 33 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #371 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Self-Help & Psychology
- #489 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Love, Sex & Marriage
- #757 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Essays

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I loved this book

May 25, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I loved this book.
For the past couple of weeks it was my companion during my commute to and from the "day job." Reading it made me feel like I was sitting at a coffee shop across the table from Sara, as she was telling me these deep, wise, sometimes silly, heartfelt anecdotes and thoughts. Her advice never felt like words from someone who thinks she knows better. They were filled with the humility of someone who recognizes each person's experience is unique, yet the authority of someone who's "been there, done that". They felt like words of wisdom coming from a friend who cares.
As an artist with day jobs, this book left me feeling like I am in great company.

0Comment 9 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Pedal Forrest, Pedal

A book every artist should have in their possession

November 24, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I gave it four stars because five sounds like one of those fake reviews (psst, it's 5 stars).

Sara's book was great and a very good read. I enjoyed having a peak in her life, growing up and making a career. Being I'm in my 40's, some things she wrote had me saying I've already "Been there and done that" however a 20-30 year old me would have been saying "wow! I needed to hear this!"

I enjoy authors who appear completely transparent and honest about their lives, Sara does this.

While this book is aimed more for females, I (a guy) got a lot out of it too.

As a freelance illustrator of 20+ years, I really appreciated the parts about being an artist whether you're making 6 digits or 6 pennies. You're still an artist (and there were some years during my career that I didn't make a lot of money, but still could be an artist).

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

B. Scott Andersen

Deeply personal, and a 21st century manifesto for creative minds everywhere

October 23, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Real Artists Have Day Jobs, one of over fifty essays in this collection of works from Benincasa, is at once a reality check, a call to arms, and set of comforting reassurances that you'd hope to get from a close friend. The book is filled with extremely personal, humbling, and heart wrenching stories of her bouts with depression, bad breakups, and crippling mental illnesses. But, with the help of family, friends, and an unquenchable spirit (or just plain moxie), Benincasa finds a way to put one foot in front of another and succeed.

I wish I had the kind of courage that Benincasa shows in her stories. My ego is too fragile for the kind of scrutiny she bring to herself. But some of the greatest authors want nothing more badly than to tell a tale that is true, and personal, and joyful. She does that, and more.

This book won't be for everyone. Not all of the essays will hit home with you. That's OK. Even with this caveat, I believe there is enough there for all of us that it is a worthwhile read.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

My 25-year-old self yearns for this book (my 40-year-old self loves it too)

August 25, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This feels like the perfect book that I wish someone had given me to read when I was 25. Of course, I think Sara was also about 25 when I was 25, so she couldn't have written this yet. Nonetheless, my 25-year-old self yearns for this book...and my 40-year-old self loves it, too. It is warm, it comes from the heart, and it offers important and grounded advice about how to live well as a woman (especially a creative woman) in this crazy world of ours. I am grateful to Sara for writing it. And plan to give it as a gift to many of my girlfriends.

0Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Such a great read

January 27, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book was such a great experience. Sara is very honest about her life experiences and doesn’t pull punches. I love that she also has turned some pretty large stumbling blocks for most people into a way to bond with the reader and give them the gift of empathy with someone they don’t really know.
Did that paragraph make sense? No? Ok, her book is much better written than my review. There are many stories that will make you stop and reflect, in a good way, about your own life.
Being an artist myself, this really hit home in many places. Also, her bravery of sharing the deep truths of mental illness was not missed. Having grown up around it myself, there were several passages that felt familiar to me and gave me that special feeling of not being the only one who’s had to deal with these issues.
I can’t recommend this book enough for the creative who wants to be inspired to keep going.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?

Insightful and brave stories

October 1, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Sara Benincasa courageously shares some of her own experiences and offers advice and encouragement in a brave, raw and KIND way. It is emotional at times, but also funny and up-lifting. Every high school girl should read this, but even if you are not in high school (or a female) it is full of really valuable and affirming advice about taking care of yourself and listening to your true self. It's written in short chapters that you can read daily or in one binge read. Good stuff.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

E. Christopher Clark

The "and other awesome things…" on the cover is given a misleadingly small ...

November 17, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The "and other awesome things…" on the cover is given a misleadingly small font treatment, which is what led to my disappointment with the book. When "REAL ARTISTS HAVE DAY JOBS" is presented in such large and bold type, I expect (understandably, I think) that that will be the main topic of the book.

It's not.

The book is a collection of good essays by Benincasa, but it's not at all what it's advertised to be.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?

John C. Koester

A great book for difficult people.

May 1, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

There are many pleasant surprises in this book. First, it is a collection of (I think) previously unpublished essays. I enjoy this approach especially when the material is autobiographical. I also am grateful that the author is so compassionate and truthful. Her honesty and kindness seem to spring from deliberate courage, and I find strength and determination for myself from her experiences. The prose is lively, witty, and casual, and always has a point.

0Comment 9 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Most recent customer reviews

I would recommend it to anyone

This is a very inspiring and entertaining book! I would recommend it to anyone, but especially to creatively minded people.

Published 7 months ago

Kind of boring.

I bought this book after reading about it in BUST magazine. It's just ok. Kind of boring.

Published 8 months ago

Maybe I have a crush on her now.

Her style is great; affirming, accurate, realistic, yet hilarious. Will definitely read more of hers.

Published 9 months ago

Funny essay collection

Always funny.
Always honest.
Always frank.
She will make you laugh and maybe cry.

Published 9 months ago

So funny! And other emotions!

Buy this buy this buy this! You'll like it, probably. I did, anyway. So, yeah, do it! It's funny and sometimes sad and chock full of good advice.

Published 9 months ago

Kindle Customer

Good short motivational messages to be read as a book and then as daily positive motivations to learn to love yourself.

Published 10 months ago

I love this book

I love this book. It's insightful, honest, hopeful, helpful, and really, really funny. I strongly recommend it whether you're an artist or just love excellent writing.

Published 10 months ago

Horrorfeminista

This was a fun read, and even skimming through the Acknowledgments, I was laughing at some of the things and regretting there wasn't an essay to explain the #XRayCat.

Published 1 year ago

Shes super negative and knocks all these NY hipster types even ...

Shes super negative and knocks all these NY hipster types even though she is the epitome of one, I'd hold out for a real artist to write about what they are

Published 1 year ago

This great book has helped me shake off a lot of ...

This great book has helped me shake off a lot of small-minded doubts about my work and my art. So grateful for this refreshing book that came to me just as I was stuck.Read more

Published 1 year ago

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