make what you want to see?
I've been reading 'Steal Like an Artist' by Austin Kleon once again. With how much I'm struggling with where I'm at in life, I've been trying to distract myself with books that give a decent pep talk.
It's mentioned in the book to choose what is the 'best story' when it comes to life and even your career. It also mentions that you should put out the work you want to see done, the stories you would want to read and make the art you would want to see.
It got me thinking about how many of us follow through with that, or if we decide to let another system play out. That system being the one of providing 'value' to an audience or a 'niche'.
The more I think on this, the more I realise how much we have to change and alter to be able to share work with the world. I signed back up to Instagram yesterday and I managed two days before deleting it. I hate the fact that to be seen, I have to create 'reels' or short-form videos because that's what the algorithm likes.
I'm aware that if I wanted to become a full-time artist or writer, I have to be seen...
I need distribution and a way of getting my work seen. But I'd rather be able to have that be based on the connection people have with me and my work and not because I've had to create a reel that gets shoved down everyone's throats.
That's why I've enjoyed having this site so much, I've had people reach out because they've found connection with what I've wrote and not because I've appeared in their algorithm.
I wonder sometimes whether I have that fear of 'selling out' but that's not it, I have no issues sharing my work, or shouting about the things I'm working on. The issue I have is that the majority of getting 'seen' feels so false. Whether it's picking 'niches' and providing 'value', the amount of follow for follow, and other similar nonsense tactics to get ahead or the need to spend more time pleasing an algorithm over providing work you want to do.
I would love to be a full-time artist and writer. But I don't think I can cope with the games we have to play for that to be a success. Perhaps there is a way that I can do this without social media, but I don't think that's going to be an easy path to follow.
Enjoy this?
You can get the feed or you can email me directly.