3 Feb 2023, 19:14

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been here on SVS since 2019, and some of you know that I’ve avoided Social Media like a plague.

Instead, my focus has been:

  1. Learn and get better at making Art.
  2. Build a portfolio
  3. Work on books
  4. Participating in this community

I’ve read books by Cal Newport, such as digital minimalism and deep work, and many others, which have always reinforced my position on Social Media.

However; Recently, I started reexamining whether I should feed into the social media machine by trying to build a fan base and expand my reach. I started a POD shop for fabrics and apparel and everything I read about marketing is centered on… (you guessed it) - Social Media.

From a children’s book perspective, I’ve learned that cross promotion is a big deal with publishers, and if you have thousands of followers, you’re more likely to get a book deal compared to someone “off the grid”, so to speak.

I’m 43 years old, a husband, father and work a completely separate career in construction. That being said, I LOVE making art and dream of having books available at book stores, etc., For those of us in the US, I dream of browsing Barnes and Noble with my family and seeing my book in the kid’s section, though I’m not sure if avoiding Social Media is hindering this goal.

Enough bantering, I would love to hear the advice from this amazing community of artists on your current position and thoughts about Social Media, particularly the big ones (e.g., IG, Twitter, Pinterest, FB, etc.,).

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts!