This totally speaks to me Ella! Thank you. As someone who’s terrible at social media and also quite private in my practice I always feel like I should be doing more instagram. I’m always so inspired seeing artists like yourself so Insta always draws me back. Your description of it like a naughty friend is so spot on! I love the alternative depth of Substack and for my own work have resolved to go old school and update my website this autumn rather than trying to crack the algorithm!
I initially loved how much it encouraged and helped me to develop through self-iniated projects and sense of community.
I don’t use it as much anymore and on most days delete the app off my phone (though sometimes I have random bursts if I REALLY feel like sharing) but I do wonder the same in terms of publishers.. i.e is it still important for me to keep sharing? Is it important because I have to share lots during publication periods? How important is an ongoing online presence if I’m already into the books side of things now?
I am increasingly enjoying the solitude of my practice and also appreciate how the lack of cyber-noise helps with introspection and meaningful work.
I’m not sure if there’s a solid this way or that way - perhaps it is just one of those intuitive things to be guided by, during different phases of life?
I always appreciate your honesty about these things Ella! And you’re good at noticing if things “feel” good. If the naughty friend doesn’t make you feel good you shouldn’t spend time with it. But maybe it’s fun and as long as it doesn’t lead you astray a good thing to have in small doses!
I was big on the internet when the internet was small (2001-2007), then when the scrolling and algorithms arrived I'm just not able to crack it. I'm getting nowhere with my content in terms of likes and follows. I have a few dozens followers that are extremely loyal and have been following me through various platforms for two decades and I try to focus on that. I know there is a list of things I could be doing to get more engagement (reels! ugh) but maybe I'm afraid to try? I'm afraid that I will compromise on what I truly want to produce and put out and STILL get nowhere anyway. Maybe my substack and my instagram will forever just be a very COSY space and maybe that's ok? Social Media success can be difficult to manage (do you keep feeding the algorithm or do you stay true to what you really want to do and hope for the best?), so at least that's one thing I won't have to worry about.
I have been thinking about it a lot and trying to make peace with being a teeny tiny fish in a very big pond.
Ella this is such a great post! I started following you on IG when you were getting ready to start your MA and always appreciated how open you were about your journey. It’s so interesting to read more about how that felt to you, from the outside you looked like a runaway instagram success story!
I’m so cautious with IG challenges, they definitely improve my work by sheer force but also wildly knock me off course, it can be like feeding a monster. I’m enjoying the freedom of Substack, weirdly it feels liberating because fewer people are looking at me here 🤣 hopefully it won’t become another distraction from making my own authentic work!
Like everyone else has said, totally relate. I’ve only just started writing here on Substack but already it feels like a much freer place where you can make up the rules and decide how to make it work for you. It feels like so much of the algorithm chasing has got us all tied up in knots and losing a bit of what makes us all unique. The pace here feels like a lovely deep breath...
I really liked your post. I also wrote a post about something similar just two weeks ago. (It must be in the water 😂 ) But it is so good to also hear someone else’s take on it, it makes me and I am sure many others, feel less alone on our bull headed, authenticity is all that counts, journeys. Thank you for that!
Yes, I will join you!!! I completed your meanderingmay22 and it was such as great experience! I felt free and creative as well and encouraged to daily experiment, to try, ... I got to know myself better, to know that better or worse I can give my "answers" to a challenge (in every way).
My experience with Instagram is much more recent and at a much smaller scale than yours, Ella, but your point about making social media work for you rather than the other way around really resonates with me. And it's timely, too, as it reads like the first reply my question in the post I just published, about balancing artistic integrity with the demands of commercial promotion.
What a great post! I love seeing your sketches too. As someone who recently started on a new 100-day art project and has been sharing it on Instagram since 2020, I'm actually relieved that I've decided not to share it this time around. There's no hashtag for me this year and it does feel weird. I wrote a post about it the other day.
I used to be so addicted and really loved Instagram, but I had conflicts with the stress of deciding what to post, instead of dedicating precious time to creating art. Now, I'm finding joy in investing my time in writing posts that people actually read and find inspiring, rather than constantly keeping up with social media marketing tips!
This totally speaks to me Ella! Thank you. As someone who’s terrible at social media and also quite private in my practice I always feel like I should be doing more instagram. I’m always so inspired seeing artists like yourself so Insta always draws me back. Your description of it like a naughty friend is so spot on! I love the alternative depth of Substack and for my own work have resolved to go old school and update my website this autumn rather than trying to crack the algorithm!
I loved reading these thoughts Ella!!
I have very similar feelings about instagram.
I initially loved how much it encouraged and helped me to develop through self-iniated projects and sense of community.
I don’t use it as much anymore and on most days delete the app off my phone (though sometimes I have random bursts if I REALLY feel like sharing) but I do wonder the same in terms of publishers.. i.e is it still important for me to keep sharing? Is it important because I have to share lots during publication periods? How important is an ongoing online presence if I’m already into the books side of things now?
I am increasingly enjoying the solitude of my practice and also appreciate how the lack of cyber-noise helps with introspection and meaningful work.
I’m not sure if there’s a solid this way or that way - perhaps it is just one of those intuitive things to be guided by, during different phases of life?
So love this post Ella--your authenticity and ways of stating what so many feel is brilliant and comforting to read. I love the way you do...
I always appreciate your honesty about these things Ella! And you’re good at noticing if things “feel” good. If the naughty friend doesn’t make you feel good you shouldn’t spend time with it. But maybe it’s fun and as long as it doesn’t lead you astray a good thing to have in small doses!
Fantastic post!
I was big on the internet when the internet was small (2001-2007), then when the scrolling and algorithms arrived I'm just not able to crack it. I'm getting nowhere with my content in terms of likes and follows. I have a few dozens followers that are extremely loyal and have been following me through various platforms for two decades and I try to focus on that. I know there is a list of things I could be doing to get more engagement (reels! ugh) but maybe I'm afraid to try? I'm afraid that I will compromise on what I truly want to produce and put out and STILL get nowhere anyway. Maybe my substack and my instagram will forever just be a very COSY space and maybe that's ok? Social Media success can be difficult to manage (do you keep feeding the algorithm or do you stay true to what you really want to do and hope for the best?), so at least that's one thing I won't have to worry about.
I have been thinking about it a lot and trying to make peace with being a teeny tiny fish in a very big pond.
This really connected. Instant subscribe.
Ella this is such a great post! I started following you on IG when you were getting ready to start your MA and always appreciated how open you were about your journey. It’s so interesting to read more about how that felt to you, from the outside you looked like a runaway instagram success story!
I’m so cautious with IG challenges, they definitely improve my work by sheer force but also wildly knock me off course, it can be like feeding a monster. I’m enjoying the freedom of Substack, weirdly it feels liberating because fewer people are looking at me here 🤣 hopefully it won’t become another distraction from making my own authentic work!
Like everyone else has said, totally relate. I’ve only just started writing here on Substack but already it feels like a much freer place where you can make up the rules and decide how to make it work for you. It feels like so much of the algorithm chasing has got us all tied up in knots and losing a bit of what makes us all unique. The pace here feels like a lovely deep breath...
I really liked your post. I also wrote a post about something similar just two weeks ago. (It must be in the water 😂 ) But it is so good to also hear someone else’s take on it, it makes me and I am sure many others, feel less alone on our bull headed, authenticity is all that counts, journeys. Thank you for that!
Yes, I will join you!!! I completed your meanderingmay22 and it was such as great experience! I felt free and creative as well and encouraged to daily experiment, to try, ... I got to know myself better, to know that better or worse I can give my "answers" to a challenge (in every way).
My experience with Instagram is much more recent and at a much smaller scale than yours, Ella, but your point about making social media work for you rather than the other way around really resonates with me. And it's timely, too, as it reads like the first reply my question in the post I just published, about balancing artistic integrity with the demands of commercial promotion.
What a great post! I love seeing your sketches too. As someone who recently started on a new 100-day art project and has been sharing it on Instagram since 2020, I'm actually relieved that I've decided not to share it this time around. There's no hashtag for me this year and it does feel weird. I wrote a post about it the other day.
I used to be so addicted and really loved Instagram, but I had conflicts with the stress of deciding what to post, instead of dedicating precious time to creating art. Now, I'm finding joy in investing my time in writing posts that people actually read and find inspiring, rather than constantly keeping up with social media marketing tips!
Thanks for sharing.
Yes for an October promt-er. Soz I missed book club. Not so much galavanting for me from now until 2024 ☺️