When I talk to creators and survey the industry landscape, I see a zillion creators trying to have all their work liked by all the people. This comes from our social animal DNA, but it’s the completely wrong approach to success – whether that be measured by your work being licensed, sold, etc, or by getting hired, shown, talked about, displayed, whatever.
Simply said, by trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one, especially not yourself.
But fear not (or fear less, perhaps). The answer is simple.
1. Shoot what you love.
2. Relentlessly share that work.
3. Repeat.
People can smell whether you love what you’re shooting or not, love what you’re promoting or not, love what you’re doing or not. So you might as well effing love it for real. It’s all you’ve got.
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So quit with your shifty eyes, looking at what everybody else is doing. And do your own shiznit. Yes this means you. If your work is priced…… appropriately, be it fine art, commercial, editorial, wedding, whatever, all you need is 10-50 people each year to dig what you make. That’ll come from doing what you love, and that will make for a great year. Of all the damn people you have access to with the innernets, there are 50 people with money who like what you do. Of the 1000 or 10,000,000 who look at your site, your book, your whatever, those “likers” can be a pretty low percentage. Bet on it.
Well said =o)
Good freakin’ night, AMEN! This is awesome.
Yes Sir!! Thank you for sharing. Great advise. Love it
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but ::
“Trying To Get Everyone To Like Your Work” = “Pimp Your Work”
n’est pas?
if not, how not?
.
key is be proud of what you make, pimp or share that, just don’t get hung up on the “everybody” part. that’s the crucial difference. YOU gotta like it, and then the other “right” people will like it too.
Thanks Chase. Really good advice.