I'm an illustrator, currently working on a children's picture book for a publisher in the US which I am loving, but nothing else in the pipeline - until today. Had an email about a potential commission for a series of educational books, but the nature of the work leaves me really cold, I've done work on these sort of books before and they are like 'paint by numbers' and I know I would be miserable doing them. But it's work. The issue is that there are so many books in the series that I would be committed to doing them for about 2.5-3 years, and unable to pursue any of the work I had planned to go for. I had planned to look into seeing if I could get an agent and make more in-roads into children's fiction. There is no way I would be able to do this - for several years - if I take on this commission.
I don't know what to do. My heart is telling me 'No'. But because I don't have anything else lined up I feel like that would be irresponsible because we are financially not exactly flush right now ....you never know what will come along in my line of work, commissions are like buses - something amazing may come along and I would have committed myself to this project for the next 3 years of my life.
I feel really stuck as to a decision and I have to respond to the enquiry very soon. Help wise MNetters!!!