blogged down in the mire

while quoting a fantastic post by jack shedd about professional blogging and the stupidity that often lives there, merlin mann made some comments that i think are smart and important.

If you do not agree with Jack’s or my opinion on building your audience — or if you think this is an unrealistically conservative tactic for simps and losers — consider this: I learned about Big Contrarian from reading a blogger I trust and respect: John Gruber. Today, the chances are good that at least a few of you might visit Jack’s site for the first time because you learned about it from someone you (theoretically) trust and respect: me. If you like Jack’s stuff as much as Chairman Gruber and I do, I’ll bet you’ll tell others about it through your own sites or through emails, IRL conversations, and what have you. And the music goes round. Organically.

Jack didn’t beg a link, he didn’t pretend to be 50,000 peoples’ “friend,” and he didn’t concoct a bunch of tricks, games, and page-padding bullshit in an attempt to increase views and time-on-site. Jack didn’t do anything except write a great blog. It’s up to his readers to do the rest. If what you’re doing is interesting and appeals to someone, that’s all you need. Seriously.

now, if you take the concept jack and merlin discuss, and switch the topic from “pro blogging” to “pro crafting,” it stays just as true. desperation doesn’t work. you have to start by playing, by exploring mediums and finding your own style. you have to get excited about what you make, and it doesn’t hurt to share what you learn along the way. it’s the difference between discovering that you love getting your hands sticky, the smell of mod podge and the joy of turning materials into something unexpected, or waking up one morning, rubbing your hands together and saying “yee-haw! i’m gonna get me some o’ that craft money!!”

i’m not saying that promotion isn’t part of a functioning business. being a working artist isn’t easy, and most people can’t manage to do it full time. we all need to pay rent and eat and survive. but when you are excessively pushy, get ugly or competitive, trick or force attention, try to sell sell sell in the wrong environments, etc., you cross the line between tenacity and white-knuckled grabbiness. the latter is less creative, less spontaneous. customers and colleagues alike can smell it on you. and it smells not good.

it’s ok to have needs and want business, but if you’re not centered around something you really care about, it’s easy to find yourself relentlessly grasping at thin air.