Thought I'd share a nicely inspirational speech by the British author Neil Gaiman. I love how honest and simple his advice is.
Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make good art.
I would do my best in future not to write books just for the money. If you didn’t get the money, then you didn’t have anything. If I did work I was proud of, and I didn’t get the money, at least I’d have the work.