What sort of Business am I ?
You know it's that time of year when you reflect on what you have done during the past year.
For me it's been reflecting on what I want to do with my designing.
To be truly successful I know I should become more business like.
Push a little harder.
Promote more.
But you know what.
I am a designer.
Not a business.
There is a difference.
I take an idea and create something from it.
Hopefully something beautiful.
Hopefully something that touches others.
and hopefully I can write the pattern so others can have the joy of creating it themselves.
I don't want to be a business.
If I have to give away a part of myself to draw people, No thanks.
If I have to use lead ins to get you to buy one of my patterns. No thanks.
If I have to spend hours promoting instead of creating. No thanks.
When I was growing I used to say I wanted to be a starving artist.
Well I guess I have the right attitude for that.
Since creating is more important to me than the almighty dollar.
It's a good thing as unless you spend a good part of your day being a business person a designer can only go so far.
I keep getting emails telling me I should do giveaways, games, and such to drive people to my site.
To me that feels like trickery.
I want a person to create one of my designs because it speaks to them.
Not because they got the pattern for a bargain price.
I will be giving away a signed copy of my book next month. But it's only because I want to share my joy of creating something I think has value to crocheters.
So I think I will continue as I have been.
Creating first and fore most.
Submitting my designs to others and let them do the big job of promotion, as it's not my style.
It's a matter of knowing and utilizing your strengths.
Mine is to create.
So I will let my dreams and heart fly where they will and not try and be what I am not.
Very well said. I am a huge fan of your patterns and I am currently working on one. Do not forget the part of life that is "playful" and full of Joy. Kind of like:What lights YOUR Fire? What makes You smile in Your sleep? There is room for all of this in our lives. Have a Happy Day. Your Alabama Fan....
ReplyDeletemary Thank you, I try and remind myself it is supposed to be a joyful noise I make. But it is so easy to get caught up in the desire to be successful. I always need to remember that if people like you, like and enjoy my work than I am successful. Glad you are a fan and happy hooking on the piece you are working on.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your patterns very much and am in the process of making one of your filet runners..that I ordered months ago..I do have a question though...some of your patterns call for size 3 thread..i guess to make the runner larger quicker..what will happen if I choose size 10 thread. I don't like the bulkiness of the larger threads..but I love a couple of the patterns. Oh yeah..please keep designing as you come up with some lovely lovely things, and let someone else do the promoting...many blessings
ReplyDeleteVikki,
ReplyDeleteI personally use size 10 or smaller unless an editor dictates the size of thread. Then I do it in whatever size they demand. It's one of the things they control. Not me.
If you make it in smaller thread you will just have a smaller piece.
Editors are convinced it has to be in large threads or the average crocheter will not want to make it.