YOU CAN JUST WRITE WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE
A mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 63F.
Someone needs exactly what you’re making, but your paths haven’t crossed yet. That’s not because you’re bad at marketing, but because the platforms are aligned against you.
If you ever want to write something a little different, but you're worried what people might think - that they might (GASP) unsubscribe - fear not, friend. As I mentioned in this week's Escape Pod Zoom call, when someone brought this up:
“As the artist, as the creative person… I’m the lead magnet. People signed up for me, so they’re getting me. And if people get huffy about it and unsubscribe? Bye. I don’t want to hold back. I’m not a magazine. I don’t have editors. I want to write what I want to write.”
That’s the sort of stuff we talk about on our weekly calls.
If you ever have pangs of doubt, fear, or apprehension about the work you produce, or how you promote it (maybe without social media?!?!) then come join us on tomorrow’s Break Up 💔 With Social Media Zoom call.
BREAK UP 💔 WITH SOCIAL MEDIA #03
How do we reach new people without social media?
Saturday, May 2 from 12:00-1:00PM EST
Pay what you want, starting at $3 (or free for members)
Replay available if you sign up.
Register for the Zoom call here: https://luma.com/n628yxes
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Social Media Escape Club is a newsletter, yes. But the magic happens on our weekly Zoom calls. If you ever want to explore leaving social media, and breaking up with big tech, and learning new ways to exist without algorithms, come join us.
BREAK UP 💔 WITH SOCIAL MEDIA #03: How do we reach new people without social media? Sat, May 2 at 12pm EST: https://luma.com/n628yxes
CO-WORK ESCAPE POD. FREE. Tue, May 5 at 12:00pm EST: https://luma.com/1y6p4ead (two hours of virtual co-working!)
ESCAPE POD #118 W/ SPECIAL GUEST MEG LEWIS. FREE. Thu May 7th at 2:00pm EST: https://luma.com/jzdkvpp2
BREAK UP 💔 WITH SOCIAL MEDIA #04: Why Every Artist Needs a Website with Chuck Marshall! Sat, May 9 at 12pm EST: https://luma.com/mtvucpt5
See all events here: https://luma.com/escape-pods
A photographer I spoke with recently asked a question a lot of creatives ask: why bother with a website when nobody visits?
Here’s my reframe: you don’t need a hundred visitors, you just need two creative directors.
The people who like your photo on Instagram won’t hire you. The creative director who finds your site and sees your work? They can hire you, then you can send you an invoice. That’s the difference between audience and client.
If you missed my Substack Live from Tuesday night , Watch it here.
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I have a website and a newsletter. I'm making zines, publish books, visit events. I always let people know that I have a website, using a simple thing like a QR code inside publications or on different kinds of media (a sign for on the table, businesscards, postcards I send out etc.). I left the METAverse.
My social media kicks I get from the FEDIverse, but my main stage is my website. I write prose and poetry, I make art, I make photographs, I make video's and I blog. Whether or not I get visitors is upon myself. Social media should be the medium to attract people and direct them to your website. And that's how I use it.
Do I get tons of visits? No, of course not. But the people who do visit my website are at least really interested in what I have to say or like what I create. On most social media outlets that are popular these days your posts do not get the attention they need or deserve, unless you are one of the lucky ones that might perhaps maybe go viral. People see your post, press like, and off to the next post they are. No interaction, no reflection, no memory of whatever it was what you had to say to them or show them.