I started writing this weeks ago – but it became an abandoned post.
I’d just finished making the doll in the first two pictures and was rather pleased with her. But somehow, I couldn’t think of anything much to write about her…
So I started writing about my making routine. After a couple of paragraphs, reading back, what I’d written was so yawn-inducingly boring that I didn’t want to carry on.
That, too, became another abandoned post.
It feels a bit like I’ve abandoned my post at my blog like a sentry who has got fed up and decided to pop home for a cup of tea.
I’ve been going through one of my “can’t be doing with social media” phases.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s partly the time of year… it’s cold, not much happening, not feeling very inspired, still a bit “hibernatory”.
It’s making me feel like I’ve got nothing interesting to say, let alone post about. There is, after all, a limit to how many times you can point out the cuteness of a borrowed dachshund and still expect folks to be interested. Hence abandoned post after abandoned post. But more than that, I’m going through one of my periodic falling-out-of-love-with social-media-itself times. So it’s not just my own posts I’m abandoning.
Every time I look at Facebook, it seems to be full of stuff about Brexit and environmental disaster, what a mess we are in, and what an even worse mess we will be in after the end of March. There’s precisely nothing I can do about Brexit, so not only does it depress me immensely, it also makes me feel powerless and overwhelmed and a bit scared.
Not to mention all those horrible comments that trickle down the screen like slime, showcasing the absolute worst of humanity and it’s stupid ugly prejudices.
I try not to read them. But sometimes I fail.
I don’t do Twitter any more (apart from auto-posting links to my blog) because it reminds me of a bad dinner party where everyone is shouting to be heard and nobody is listening to anyone else.
Then there’s Pinterest, which used to be my go-to place to cheer myself up by looking at lots of pretty things like embroidery and art and interiors.
But they seem to have done something weird with their algorithm again recently, because most of the pins I’m seeing are things I’ve seen loads of times before. Like, years ago.
It feels like Pinterest has run out of steam as much as I have and is resorting to scraping the bottom of a very old barrel.
Finally there’s Instagram. I used to love Instagram, because I only followed people I liked, who showed me lots of pretty pictures that made me want to comment on them to tell those people how clever and talented they all are.
But alas, the people I used to love to follow don’t pop up as often as they used to, because Instagram wants to show me other stuff that it’s silly algorithm deems more worthy (or more likely to make them money) but that in my opinion is not nearly as nice as the stuff I originally told them I would like to see.
Unless I actually remember who my favourite people all are and specifically seek them out (which I do try to do) their content often gets lost amongst the cacophony.
I do, however, always seem to see posts from a coterie of very popular folk who always post the same sort of stuff over and over again and usually have something to promote (i.e. advertise). Although I did choose to follow them once upon a time, they now make me feel a bit annoyed that they get away with being predictable and boring, yet still attract millions of followers. (But not quite annoyed enough to actually unfollow them.)
I’ve stopped wanting to look as much at what other makers are making in case I inadvertently assimilate their ideas into my work. Sad, but true: a consequence of what happened before Christmas.
On Instagram nowadays every fifth picture or so is an advertisement for something I’m not remotely interested in. I keep hiding the stupid adverts, but they keep coming back. They’re clearly very keen to put stuff my way that they think I’ll buy and are no doubt gathering all sorts of information in the background to try to make me do so. Whilst I don’t like my feed cluttered up with advertising generally, what annoys me even more is that they’re just so bad at it.
It is harder and harder for artists and makers who haven’t managed to stumble upon the mysterious “magic formula” to get their work seen on social media by people who might actually like it, without paying for the privilege. Facebook has, for once, been straight up about this, but I’m pretty sure that where they lead others are following and just not saying as much.
I don’t have the money to pay for adverts and even if I did, why would I pay good money (money that could be used for having fun or buying treats or just paying the bills) to annoy people in the same way that most adverts annoy me?
I don’t use social media entirely for promotion – I’m a consumer just as much as a seller – but all of this makes me wonder whether it’s a good use of my time…
Especially when you hear about the damage it does. To young people’s self-esteem, for instance.
So I’ve stopped popping in as regularly. And I’ve stopped slaving over blog posts that just turned into abandoned posts.
I was trying desperately to think of things to say about my work and my life that would be entertaining and simultaneously “skyrocket my engagement”, “drive traffic”, “grow my brand” or any of the other things that blogging is apparently supposed to be about – but bugger that. It seems I’ve ended up posting a bit of a rant instead. Sorry.
Social media is, to my mind, supposed to be fun. Yes, I know people make their living from it, that it’s big business. I’m not that naive.
But surely it’s meant to be life-enhancing and life-affirming, to connect you with things and people and images and ideas you love. It should make you think, yes; if that’s what you want it to do (and if that’s the content you seek out). But it shouldn’t be depressing and repetitive and money-grabbing and jealousy-inducing and annoying and potentially damaging.
If it is, they’re getting it wrong.
Or perhaps I’m just doing it wrong. ♥
I’ve only recently found your blog and love to see your work. I would be happy to see that and hear about your inspiration. I think there is a problem with this perfect life on instagram, but it is still lovely to see what people are doing = taking the rough with the smooth. Keep going. Your work deserves it.
Hello and welcome Ann!
I agree that the endless “perfection” on Instagram can be a problem, though not so much for me personally – I’m old and long in the tooth enough to realise that real life isn’t like that and just enjoy seeing all the pretty!
It sounds a lot like you need some inspiration and all the usual things you turn to are hollow. Really aware that this sounds like advice when you aren’t asking for advice but when I get that feeeling, I remind my self that I have a whole shelf full of books and to dig deep into them. Sometimes Socail media is a quick fix and it doesn’t always work. I struggle with the whole adverts thing as well but Social media has changed over the past few years, I have no idea if it’s a good thing or a bad thing but it doesn’t suit me!
Some suggestions that you can ignore delete etc
Shake things up a bit, go do something that’s well out of your comfort zone,
or try a time with no making.
Remind yourself of Minds 5 ways to well being and check you are doing them regularly.
Take part in a swap or a challenge.
Or give yourelsef permission not to be making anything new, that this moment in time is not about moving forward but about just being.
Get outside!
Clean out the sewing stuff!
Ok I will get off the soap box now!
Hoping the figgy brain shifts soon.
Jo
Thanks Jo. I’ve been enjoying just spending time with Brian the borrowed dachshund recently. He is good company and dogs are very good at reminding you to live in the moment!
Let me first of all say: I love your blog. I love your work. I love your imagination and creativity.
But I am SO with you on the selling and the irritation of being bombarded with ads, same same images on Pinterest, sudden sharp changes of direction in the pins I’m shown because I accidentally clicked on something I didn’t mean to, and so on. I’m still a free blog on WP, and when the time comes that I’ve filled up my allowance, I’ll change over. I blog as a sort of visual diary, and have no interesting in selling, achieving a higher hit count or building my brand. It’s nice to have followers, but it doesn’t upset me when I lose or gain them. Many of my followers are friends, not customers or targets. To be fair, WP only occasionally try to persuade me to buy a blog package. But your comments only reinforce my decision to bow out of LinkedIn, to avoid FB and Twitter like the plague, to regard IG as Instant Gratification rather than the pleasure of reading someone’s considered thoughts and ideas.
You have to *feel* the need to blog. But when you do, it’s lovely for your followers, so I hope you don’t lose interest altogether.
I love those beautiful little Snow Whites, asleep in their lovely caskets. Is this the beginning of a series of fairytale princesses? Is it Cinderella and a glass slipper next?
First of all, thank you for your lovely comments Kate. Very much appreciated, as ever. x
I’m not planning on giving up blogging – I’ve just paid another year’s hosting fees, so if nothing else I will get my money’s worth from that! I still like to blog when the mood takes me. It’s just that having been doing it for 8 years now, I do find myself sometimes running out of things to say. I think I should read less of those “blogging tips” on Pinterest, because as a result I always end up feeling like my posts are lacking.
LinkedIn, to me, is only really useful to those looking for the kind of management job that I
used to have and never want to have again. Oh, and one of my less-than-fondly-remembered ex-boyfriends from school tracked me down on it recently so that’s another reason for me not to bother with it!
I love that IG = Instant Gratification! So true! I think I just need to keep the social media stuff in perspective and learn to step away from it when it starts to grate or pall.
I have a series of commissions to get done, so I’m not planning on making more sleeping girls. And oh dear – I did worry that their little frames looked too much like coffins! Less so when hung on the wall hopefully…
Not coffin-like at all. Remember the Snow White Disney movie: she was lying on a draped platform with a glass case over her, like a precious object on display. Like your sleeping beauties….
Phew!
I am in total agreement about social media. It’s started to suck the living daylights out of me. It’s depressing and I’m also struggling to find my mojo.
Anyways I love these sleeping girls … and although I actually thought oooh it’s kinda like a little coffin, I actually liked that idea. Maybe because I like that sort of thing anyway – skulls, vampires, gothic etc etc.
Oh, we do live in a parallel universe! So much of what you say rings true. Abandoned posts. I have dozens (eek, maybe more) and I agree about the social media conundrum. I think as artists we just need to try to repost and recommend each other. These places that were so inspiring and nurturing are turning away from their initial audiences to make the buck. It’s sad. I still can get in a happy place in IG and Pinterest, but only by targeting a favorite board or artist. I love the little oval displays for the dolls. Really sweet, and not like coffins. 🙂 xo
I’m glad I’m not the only one who finds it hard to finish a post sometimes! I do try to repost, like/love and recommend other people’s posts or pages if I can – it’s part of why I follow fellow artists, as well as loving to see their work. It’s just a shame that I seem to see less and less of their work nowadays unless, like you, I remember to seek it out specifically.
You are spot on, I have been feeling the same way. I was just about to drop Facebook but signed up for an EPP sew along with Becky Goldsmith and she is using Facebook so I will have to wait. As for Instagram I am getting so many adds I want to drop it but all my children and grandchildren who live far away from us use it and that’s how I keep in touch with their lives so will see,
I loved all the blogs that that talked about what they where working on and what was happening in their lives, of course most have moved on but lately some of them have come back because they too are tired of Facebook and Instagram. I have followed your feed for a long time and rarely comment but when you pop up with one of your lovely dolls I feel happy.
It’s lovely to hear from you Bev! I often wonder who my “silent” readers are and what they are thinking when they read my posts…
I’ve nearly always preferred blogging to posting on other social media platforms (although Instagram and Pinterest have both been very seductive with their focus on visual imagery and consequent lack of any requirement to think of something intelligent to say!) Perhaps I shouldn’t feel that I have to tell a story each time I post – and when I’m not feeling the words come just put up some pictures of my latest make instead.
My nieces both use Instagram and it’s great to follow their lives on the other side of the world through the pictures they post online.
I’m one of them. I’m thinking “ooooh, pretty, wish I had talent like that. shall i comment? Nah, she won’t be interested in hearing that I think it’s pretty as I don’t have any deeper insights…”
(no criticism of you, more my paranoid brain)
Your comments are very much appreciated! I love hearing from people – rather than launching words and pictures into the void…
You have been reading my mind! Your comments on social media and the pervasive world of advertising are my thoughts exactly. It can all be overstimulating and draining, especially at this time of year.
When I start to slide into the wintertime doldrums I put aside my present work and try something on my long list of new things I want to try. If I don’t stay with it in the long run it’s okay. It distracted me, I tried it and I can cross it off my list of new things to try.
Distractions help.
Looking forward to your (whenever you get to it) post. Take care and hello Brian.
Because I know I should be making more things to sell I feel guilty if I abandon my work and my blog and go do something else!
I’ve been looking for a suitable workshop to book onto to learn a (relevant) new skill as I find this a good way to inspire myself, but the only one I have found that I want to do is already fully booked. The search continues!
I’m in nottingham. i have pinterest board of local places that do workshops if you want to take a look to see if there are any you don’t know about?
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/chunkybunny/workshops/
I have taken workshops at a lot of these places if you want reviews!
Thank you! I will have a look at the board, but I fear I will have to travel to find what I want.
The problem is that I’d like to learn something to do with doll making – but when I look at the options on offer, there doesn’t seem to be anyone doing workshops that would actually teach me anything I don’t already know!
The one I fancied was about making automata – so dolls that can move, basically – but alas it was soooooo expensive, and the other end of the country too.
I truly love your work, and have never seen anything like it!!! I do not need you to entertain me. But I love to hear how and what you are doing!!!
Hugs
Heather
I’m totally with you about the disheartening onslaught of adverts in social media and the desire to be fallow/hibernate in winter like Mother Nature intended. With everyone seemingly focused on the shouty things, posting sweet blog posts feels like a canary singing in a coal mine. In case you were wondering if anyone’s paying attention, I wanted to tell you that your blog and artworks uplift art seeking souls like me. 🙂
Thank you so much! x
A canary singing in a coal mine though… I hope not, given the purpose and fate of those canaries!
PLEASE just get past this! I LOVE reading about the borrowed daschund and your making process which is endlessly interesting and inspiring to a fellow creator like me. You little white doll in her little green sweater arrived from heaven via you. SCREW the plagiarism accusations– you KNOW better. As to the depressing, distressing and banal, I stay off Facebook and winnow the wheat from the chaff. I don’t live in an ivory tower, I work at a county jail and work one on one with police and with arrestees for everything from traffic tickets to meth dealing, armed robbery and cold blooded murder. There is violence, yelling, cursing, body fluids and endless, endless stupidity. But there are also nice people–officers, arrestees and coworkers alike– and there is shared humanity, pizza and laughter. And when I go home there are my pets and the toys I sew by hand, knit sweaters for and get to know as they slowly emerge from my fabric and yarn stash. Trump can’t get in. Brexit can’t get in. The maelstrom swirls outside. PLEASE get past this and “spit on your hands and take a fresh holt.”
…*spits on hands*…
You are SO right. I need to get over the meh and the bleh and get making! I LOVE the picture you have painted of the contrasting aspects of your life Margaret – the maelstrom of the world outside, with which you fully engage (wow! Working in a county jail – you are a brave woman!) and the cosy world you have created to nurture yourself with at home.
I think I perhaps need to engage a bit more with the maelstrom sometimes to make me fully appreciate my own cosy world at home…
i left a couple of comments, they seem to have disappeared?
Not disappeared – they just needed me to approve them before they showed up on the blog (a way of weeding out potential spam problems!)