An Exercise in Egotism

I gave a talk last night at Ditto Editions in Marblehead on Web Design for Artists and, as is always the case with these things, it went better than I had imagined. I’m one of those worriers who can get myself into a total state before such an event and then, as soon as I am “on stage”, have a really good time.

I was talking about the importance of marketing - for artists as well as for anyone trying to promote an enterprise of any sort - and trying to help people understand how important it is. Too many artists, writers, or whatever operate on the Field-of-Dreams Delusion - “If you build it (paint it, write it, etc.), they will come.”

Not without a lot of marketing, my friends.

In the course of my talk I brought up my recently acquired love of blogs and how they can double, triple, and more the traffic on your web site. In fact, this blog may be moving in the near future because we are two days from the end of the month and there has been so much traffic, we are approaching the maximum of our bandwidth! But I digress...

I was explaining how blogs work and someone said, “I understand what you are saying but, honestly, don’t blogs just become an exercise in egotism?” What an interesting question!

Americans are funny people - we suffer under the dichotomy of cherishing our independence but not wanting anyone to think they are particularly unique. Explain that, please. The thought process of those who believe that seems to be “Yes, you are unique and special - just like everyone else.”

It is my belief that each person is an amazing repository of unique observations, reactions, ideas, opinions, and feelings - all the things that make one an artist of whatever sort. Some are more accomplished at bringing these things forth than others but nearly everyone has the potential to do so. One of the amazing gifts of the internet is that anyone with the desire, the intelligence, and the ambition to have their say, show their work, and find an audience can do so.

A few years ago my friend Gail undertook a six month long journey trekking through Southeast Asia. She did this alone, carrying with her the bare essentials for survival. Throughout that entire time, regardless of what part of the world she was in, she would find a cyber-café, log into her Yahoo account, and write the most astonishing, detailed, and colorful accounts of her travels which she then emailed to a full list of friends. All of us looked forward to each new message. Later, when she returned, a selection of her emails was published in a travel magazine.

Throughout the trauma of the two hurricanes over the last few weeks, I have been hooked on a couple of blogs kept by people who stayed in the devastated areas. It has been an inside view into something that I otherwise would only have known through the biased lens of the commercial media.

If having a medium in which to birth and share your creativity is an exercise in ego, then we could all do with a bit more of that. Some blogs may well be utter nonsense or egotism but - here’s the good part - you don’t have to read them! Trust me, in blogging as in all of life, the cream will rise.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. I'd like to thank Susan and Nick Fader of Ditto Editions and My Art Marketing Coach for inviting me to speak at their monthly Salon. Please see their blog for upcoming events.