[palijer]

I think some of the best advice you can give folks who are looking to pursue arts as a full time career is 'don't do it'.

It's incredibly difficult, and not at all like arts as a hobby. I think it is terrible advice blindly telling folks to pursue arts because it makes it seem reasonably achievable, and sets people up to waste far too much of their time becoming miserable with real consequences for themselves and those around them.

If someone is discouraged by the "don't do it" advice that easily, then they were likely not going to be making it their full time employment.

And the folks who have the drive and determination to see their goals to the end that aren't going to be dissuaded by some random person on the internet or at a conference telling them they are going to fail.

Robin Williams had advice like that all the time, and along the same lines I really thing Cal Newport's 'So Good They Can't Ignore You' is incredibly beneficial to anyone at the beginning of a career path.

[MisterBastahrd]

Or write you first few books, gain a following using social media, and then decide whether you want to make it a career based upon your previous success.

I know a person who makes upper 5 figures at her day job and makes about that much writing zombie romance novels (as in, the main character falls in love with a zombie) for online publication. Clearly, it's her niche, but it's also a hobby that she's been able to buy a house with.