People today would call him an “odd duck.”

The son and grandson of ministers, he fervently sought to carry on their work.

In his early twenties, he applied at a seminary to study theology but failed his entrance exam. His temperament, zeal, and eccentricities concerned the religious establishment.

Dejected but undeterred, he left his home in the Netherlands and moved to a rural town in Belgium to serve as a missionary to coal miners and their families.

The miners were sick and starving, lacking adequate food, water, and warm clothing. Moved with compassion, he gave them everything he owned. He ripped his own bedsheets and used them as bandages for the people’s wounds. He joined them in the mines, breathing the same black dust.

And he preached hope into the people’s coal-dark lives. His actions won the respect—and hearts—of the villagers.

About that time, he began creating artwork in the village square. As the people gathered to see his surprisingly profound creations, he  told stories from the Bible.

But his eccentricities and awkward demeanor displeased the governing body overseeing his ministry, and he was dismissed.

Angry and embittered, the 27-year-old left to embark on his journey as an artist.

His experience with the poor inspired his paintings, and common laborers, peasants, and the downtrodden became his preferred subjects.

“In a picture,” the artist wrote, “I want to say something comforting, as music is comforting. I want to paint men and women with something of the eternal which the halo used to symbolize.”

Over the next decade, he created 860 oil paintings. He experimented with different media, honing his skills. Still, he struggled in his relationships and fought long battles with depression, which became evident in his deep brushstrokes.

The embodiment of the tortured artist, his psychotic episodes and delusions affected his physical health and he became a heavy drinker.

Speculation exists about what caused his tragic death at age 37. Some say he shot himself, but rumors persist that two teenagers shot him and fled.

Of his 2,100 works of art, he sold only one piece during his lifetime. A penniless, and seemingly insignificant existence.

Yet, today, he’s known as one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of Western art.

Today, his landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and self-portraits sell for millions.

His name?

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Can You Guess the Artist's Name??
 

By now, you may have already figured out the man's identity.

His most famous painting is Starry, Starry Night...

Vincent Van Gogh.

During his short, tragic life, Van Gogh pursued transcendence in his life and work. And like you and me, he fought his demons.

Not once did he think his work would long outlast his life, but it did.

Here’s My Point and My Passion

None of us knows if we may be working on a masterpiece, a transcendent book that will change the world. We may never know its impact during our lives.

But keep writing. Don’t give up. Persevere and hone your craft.

Books last forever. Years after you’re gone, your book will still be here.

Who knows? Perhaps you could be working on a book that will change lives long after you're gone.

YOU. JUST. DON'T KNOW.

And that, my friends, is why you need to write that book.

Click here to schedule an appointment with me. Together, we can explore the possibilities of your book idea.

Let’s bring your book to life!