The price insensitivity of bored lawyers
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a lawyer in possession of a good career must be in want of a creative sideline*Why is it that lawyers envy actors and writers so much? Rare is the successful lawyer who does not have a not-so-secret desire for artistic credibility of some sort. You don't get this with other professions; doctors, architects and engineers don't seem to openly rue the fact they could've been on the stage or NYT bestseller list.
There is a lot of overlap of the essential qualities for success in both law and the linguistic arts. Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way describes the law as 'a talky, wordy profession' and it's hard to imagine a successful barrister who cannot summon a sense of theatre when required. Moreover, many people who go on to make a name in the creative industries actually studied Law at university. The partner in the law firm went to the same lectures as the award-winning director. Guess which one shines over the dinner table.
Beginners' classes in stand-up comedy and improv everywhere are overrun with bored lawyers wanting something new to talk about on Monday morning. It would be interesting to know the concentration of lawyers participating in this month's NaNoWriMo.
So what's the issue? It's seemingly wrong to deny anyone, even a lawyer, the chance to follow their dream. The problem arises over ability to pay: a bored lawyer is a price insensitive creature.
This is great news for the providers of 'how to' classes in fields like drama, comedy and creative writing as they can increase their asking price. It's extremely bad news for younger and poorer part-timers trying to break into the same creative field if they're priced out of the classroom.
* With apologies