Breaking the third wall: Posting is awkward

Over the weekend I stumbled upon an interesting article by Rebecca Jennings entitled, “Everyone’s a sellout now; So, you want to be an artist. Do you have to start a TikTok?” As a person who only marginally fits into the description of artist, the commentary of this article gave me pause as I pursue successful writing. Let me say, successful writing doesn’t appear to start with the actual book, but rather begins with how well I can sell my concept and idea, and how much of a market I can create by selling my idea to an audience. Marketing and sales happen through social media, and so here I am with everyone else, trying my best to make it.

I have mixed emotions about the process.  I believe that social media has democratized who can share information, the type of information that is shared, and can be a good barometer for what matters to the public. But the process is hard and weird. It’s something you can learn but takes time away from creating the actual work you want to. What do I get out of this experience? RESPECT for the folks who are actively being artists, who are hustling to create and sell it at the same time (without the benefit of a machine behind them). Read the article here