"What a load of grumpy auld farts"

I seem to recognise myself from the description, and I haven't even contributed to the discussion yet! But here goes.

NewGirl, everyone is giving you the advice 'Don't give up trying to make a living out of Folk.' I want to suggest the opposite. Please understand, I don't want to suggest your giving up because I want to see you starving on the Embankment. And since I have no idea who you are, you will understand that in no sense is this advice a judgement on your ability.

I want you to give up aiming for bookings because I want you to experience the pleasure you can get from mixing with people (grumpy auld farts and all)who inhabit folk clubs. If you go into a folk club fighting to get a booking 20% of us will resent you because we don't like that sort of thing; 75% will resent you because you are now a rival to their their own ambitions.

Give up the idea of bookings; give up the idea of publicity and promotion. Find a folk club you like. Perform there regularly for the sheer pleasure of sharing your music with people. Learn everything you can about folk music; that will take about 4 lifetimes, but don't worry about that. The more you learn, the more you will improve. Eventually, if you are any good (or at least, if what you do suits a lot of people), someone one day may ask you to sing somewhere else. They may or may not offer you money; you may or may not choose to take it. Either way you will have made a lot of friends.

And either way I will commend you.