Sometimes on my travels through the internet I come across
something seemingly innocent that, through a sort of Ruub-Goldberg thought
process of one idea pinwheeling into another, makes me pace back and forth and
rant at my teddy bears for an hour and a half. But after a cooldown period of
silent fuming and flash games, I think I’ve gotten to the point where I can
coherently express my ideas. No promises though.
Essentially what the offending comment implied was that
artists who self promote are shallow and only in it for the attention. The
issue I take with this is that it implies that if you want to be recognized for
your work, you are selfish and not a real artist. So I guess all those authors
and filmmakers who take credit for their pieces and make a living off of it are
a bunch of dirty sellouts.
This kind of mentality seems to run in the same vein as
saying that heroes can’t take credit for their good deeds; that the
satisfaction of doing something has to be enough. Anyone who stands up and
sticks their name to the deed suddenly isn’t a REAL hero, just some schmuck who
wants the attention. Society has this obsession with the brave knight who saves
the day and then rides off into the sunset without asking for a reward. In the
creative field we have a name for that kind of person: broke and undiscovered.
Yes, it is wonderful to want to write or draw or cinematograph (wow, that’s
actually a word) because you love doing it. That doesn’t mean it’s a sin to
want people to know what you've accomplished when you're done.
These days especially, it’s harder than ever to get exposure
for your work; in the age of information, we’re so bogged down in tweets and
funny cat photos to pay attention to every piece of art that flits across the
screen. If artists don’t make an effort to promote themselves and make
connections, it’s entirely possible that no one will ever get to see their
work. While the joy of creation is great in itself, there’s nothing wrong with
wanting and enjoying recognition for what you’ve done. It’s not egotistical to
want other people to experience what you’ve shed blood, sweat and tears
bringing into the world; otherwise what’s the point in putting it out there at
all?
I know that some people do write for themselves, and that’s
perfectly fine too. Everyone has their own separate reason for doing art; but whatever
an artist’s motivations may be, they don’t make the end result any less valid
or beautiful. So I say, go ahead. Shout your name and novel from the highest
rooftop. Title-drop in conversations. Rent a t-shirt cannon and stake out a
high-traffic area. Whatever you do, do it shamelessly.
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