Is Social Media Bad?

Is social media bad? Seems to be the current question,doesn’t it? As an artist/maker when I started selling online in 2008 things were different.My FaceBook business page was immensely  useful for building and audience and there were soon apps to essentially import my whole product line over.This was true with Etsy and also when I moved to Big Cartel.These are gone (you can set up a FB shop now) and  my content isn’t delivered to the people who have ASKED to be in the loop…unless I pay.Even paying hasn’t worked for me.That is business.I suppose I just don’t have the kind of funds it takes and I am longing for the days when it was organic and I worked to create relationships with customers.I am a dinosaur.13286487171706171460Green Colored Dinosaur.svg.med

The “personal” FB side has become so full of arguments and outright hate that I have had to deactivate my account even though there are many people that are wonderful.I sometimes find it hard to not get sucked into a discussion especially when facts are wrong.We live in a “don’t bother me with facts ” society now.

I am all for discourse,even heated discourse but it is just name calling and ugly.

And ah…Twitter…

I loved when it when it was 140 characters,no photos (unless you linked out). What a challenge that was.People wrote Haiku. They really did.It all happened in real time…the Arab Spring,etc.

I talk with other artists and makers on Instagram,and it has been much better.Yes,I know who owns it and I don’t know what the future will hold .Ello.co is another good place for creatives ,but watch for the porn crap accounts.

text as plain as the nose book

 

 

And more blogging….yeah,yeah,I’ve said that before.

Decisions and Forks

I have been mulling.No,not cider,but that sounds pretty good on a day like today.I am mulling over future direction and that fork in the road.

You have likely heard people say,do what you love and that is a nice thought.But the reality is that most people can’t make a living doing that.You can continue to do what you love but you you still have those pesky bills to pay. best laid plans

I am really good at many things and a hard worker,I am tremendously productive with ideas constantly coming.I fall apart in a 9 to 5 world , like many creative people.

So then,which way to channel? I have moved house and it is a time for a fresh start.I keep hoping someone will point to the right way but,alas, I am going to have to take a deep breath and go…

Maybe tomorrow.