Blog Writing
If an artist has a web presence at all it's often in the form of a blog. Some of us decided to start writing a blog in an effort to sell our art. Many of us also read each other's blogs and blogs from “experts” about how to market our work. Sometimes these experts tell us what we should write in our blogs. One potter who's blog I follow took a workshop about blog writing and made some decisions about what she was going to write because of the workshop. I am a little disturbed by this trend. If someone tells an artist what and how he or she should create many of us take this with a grain of salt. Sometimes the advice is good, sometimes it's not so good, like the woman who told me I'd make a lot of money if I made jars that said “Belly Button Lint” on the outside. I'm not really inspired to do that and she wasn't really inspired to order one. Needless to say, that's some advice that I passed on. Who knows, maybe it was a million dollar idea and I dropped the ball. Or maybe I'd be scaring people out of my booth with those jars. Who knows? But the bottom line is that it's my art and I chose to make the mistake of taking the advice or not.
I think that blogging is a form of art; it's creative writing. Someone may give you advice that they have seen work for an artist but will it work for you? I think we should write our blogs however we want. If we want to talk about our art in every post, great, if we want to talk about our personal lives in every post, great too. If someone is interested, if they can relate, they will follow your blog and they might end up being the perfect customer for you.
What do you think would have been the outcome if Picasso listened to the experts? What do you think will be the outcome if you follow your blogging passion as you do your creative passion?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery
I think that blogging is a form of art; it's creative writing. Someone may give you advice that they have seen work for an artist but will it work for you? I think we should write our blogs however we want. If we want to talk about our art in every post, great, if we want to talk about our personal lives in every post, great too. If someone is interested, if they can relate, they will follow your blog and they might end up being the perfect customer for you. What do you think would have been the outcome if Picasso listened to the experts? What do you think will be the outcome if you follow your blogging passion as you do your creative passion?
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery
Gosh, that same idiot woman advised me to do the stinking lint one, plus ashes of old boyfriends. Yes, some gift shops somewhere sell them. I am kicking myself today for making some custom orders I did not want to make and I am worried they will not come out well and I will have wasted a lot of time and materials. Just before I began as a full-time potter, 15 years ago, I read 'potters should never take custom orders'. AMEN to that and to your awesome reflections here. Basically, the more I am into my work and blog, the more I am passionate about expressing myself, the better it is, the better business is too. Amazing how many people in life have opinons about what somebody else should do!
ReplyDeleteGary- I take a lot of custom orders but they are normally something within my style and glaze pallet or I tell them no (politely). I hope yours work out well.
ReplyDeleteYou break the "rules" of blogging and it works for you. I figure if people don't want to read what you have to write then they won't & they will just move on to the next blog.
I totally agree, I read some blog the other day, may be one that you are referring to where they gave you suggestions on how your blog should be written even saying that black with white type was the worst (which I have). Well, maybe some people need to be told how to write a blog, but my thinking is that maybe if they need to be told how, they shouldn't be writing one in the first place. My policy with my blog is I can say what I want as long as I don't personally attack someone and if someone disagrees with me they can say so or they can stop reading it. My blog, I'll say what I want and say it how I want to! I also try not to be offensive with my comments on another person's blog. If I feel like I want to say something offensive, I go to my blog to say it. I don't want to hurt feelings out there :)
ReplyDeleteTracey-I've never had a problem reading white on black blogs. Ugg. I think your policy is a good one, in life as well as in a blog.
ReplyDeletea) there are a lot of boring blogs out there, so be individualistic!
ReplyDeleteb) I need to earn moola, and ONLY writing about pots would be dead dull to customers, who seem to like the oddities of my life instead :)
c) CORRECTO--orders along the lines of 'this pot, but in that glaze', yes, I agree :)
I like reading different blogs for different reasons and I like learning about the people who write the blogs too. If all the blogs were written the same they would be boring.
ReplyDeleteGood point Linda
ReplyDeleteI often wonder if blogs are a true reflection of the writer's personality. In my blog I try to stick to pottery related subjects. Some days I just want to share something stupid that's going on in my life or one of my wild personal opinions, but I usually hold back, because I don't want to offend anyone and/or regret sharing that personal side. Some bloggers can incorporate personal life into their writing and still keep the blog interesting, but others can't. I get so nauseated when I read the "It's so stressful being me and being this successful" (Barf).. I mean that person is totally aware that she is a bit snotty and self absorbed, but she doesn't care and many people are drawn to that drama. It's a balance that only some bloggers can find. My favorite blog read has a little personal, a little gossip, a little entertainment and a lot of pottery. Perfection. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog Subject!
Thanks Cindy- I, personally would think it's fine for you to write more about personal stuff. It might even cause a stronger bond between you and your readers. I'm with you on the bad blog stuff, when I read how stressed and busy someone is I think "so why are you whining about it here, go make some pots. Come back when you have something to say." But that's just me, other people may like to read that stuff so they feel like they are not alone.
ReplyDelete