9 golden rules for musicians and artists

By Ted Slowik

Musicians, writers and other artists—or anyone for that matter—can really piss off other people or hurt their feelings, intentionally or unintentionally, through what they say or write and how they behave toward others.

I spend a lot of time in bars where live music is played. When I’m out, I genuinely enjoy sharing the company of other writers and musicians, meeting new people and getting to know new friends better. When hanging out with other musicians, or writing a blog, or engaging with others on social media channels, I try to adhere to a few golden rules:

·         Treat others the way you would like to be treated

·         If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

·         Be honest. Don't heap false praise if you don't mean it. Don't say you know someone or are familiar with his work unless you do.

·         You learn more by listening than by talking

·         Try to think of others more than yourself

·         You can have a lot of fun being close to the action without having to be the center of attention

·         If you can’t resist constructively criticizing someone, say something positive first

·         Don’t say anything about people who are not present that you wouldn’t be comfortable saying in their presence

·         Don’t exaggerate or brag about your accomplishments

We’ve all had to deal with awkward and embarrassing situations because of what we’ve said and done. We all have faults. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re fatally flawed. If you want to develop true friendships, pursue real happiness and have a good time instead of constantly dealing with regrets, trying to follow these tips might save you a bunch of grief.