More Blah Blah Blah about Blogging and Goals
Structures #9 ©2002 31"x31"
Alyson made the following comment on my Blogging as Popularity Contest post last week:
… Your blog works, your blog is popular precisely because you share in an authentic way. It’s accidental marketing, if you will. And it works so much better than forced sales speak…
That might be true. Maybe my blog is a useful marketing tool even if I don’t think of it as such. Although none of my readers have yet ponied up thousands of dollars to buy my large artwork so I’m not necessarily convinced. [But please, I’m open to the idea of someone proving me wrong so don’t let my opinion stop you from buying some large abstract textile art for your loved one for the holidays. How’s that for marketing? har har…]
Alyson continued, in response to this comment of mine: "I write my blog for me - because it helps keep me focused and on task, because I learn about myself and my art by writing about it, and because I’m basically a geek and this is the socially acceptable way for geeks to communicate", by asking:
But would it keep you on task if no one was reading it? Would it be the same if you were writing the same by hand in a journal? Or does it work precisely because so many people are reading it?
First, there is no way I would do this if I had to write it out by hand. The inability to easily edit would be a problem. It is partly my new ability to embrace the revision process when writing these posts that has improved my writing over the last few years.
I do keep a personal journal that I write in about 3-5 nights a week. The focus of the journal the past year has been about gratitude and appreciating the people and world around me. I also work through personal issues, which I rarely write about in my blog, in those pages. I do believe there is value in such a journal but that is not the focus or purpose of my blog.
I think the piece that was missing in my last post is that I also blog for the community that comes with the territory. I implied that in my "I’m a geek and this is how we communicate" comment but it was probably a bit cryptic. I’ve been on the internet since 1983. In 1984 I started reading and posting to the usenet newsgroups and I’ve been involved with online communities ever since.
This form of seemingly private but really public conversations is part of my social, creative and emotional support structure. While I am still a member of 1 email mailing list the majority of my online interaction with other artists is now through blogging and private emails that ensue. I pick the conversations I want to read and those that care about what I have to say can come and read my posts. It’s a great system.
As to the keeping on task, I do think that publicly stating goals gives me a bit of extra incentive to meet those goals. Although I believe in holding myself accountable for my own goals and I don’t post them every week or even every month, yet behind the scenes I’m still working on them. I’ve never tracked it but I suspect I do about equally well with staying on track the weeks I post my goals and the weeks I don’t.
I have to admit I totally failed to meet my goals the last few weeks. I decided to toss them all out and just spend time with my kids before they left. So I did little more than attend kid events and hang out with my kids the last few weeks. We have a new favorite board game called Ticket to Ride. Both the kids and I really enjoy it and noone has to be talked into participating. Or bribed - I used to offer to pay them if they could beat me playing blokus. They won once and now they won’t play anymore, which is a bummer because I really like that game.
My kids are now in Europe (my son says he’s eaten the best indian food ever their first day in London) so I now have 3 months of kid free time to really focus. I’ll get back on track with my art and business goals in a few days but first I’m spending time with friends who I haven’t had much time for given my year, and wrapping up some holiday and personal chores.
Paula made the following comment on my last post about goals:
Isn’t having a goal just the same thing as wanting something?
I absolutely agree and it reminds me of the quote I posted a while back:
Discipline is remembering what you want.
- David Campbell
Having the goal is the first part. I find it important to write down what I want.
The second part is the follow through. I find it helpful to break down my goals into small steps to actually achieve them. I find I have the discipline to complete smaller sized tasks and when a goal is huge and parts are unknown I am more reluctant to start working on it. Much of what I post about here are the smaller chunks I break down my goals in to.
I didn’t want to have another long wordy post with no pictures so I found some artwork I’ve never posted online. This 5 year old piece was made for a specific exercise in a Nancy Crow workshop years ago.
Posted by Lisa in: Marketing
Tagged: goals, marketing, Structures Series, why blog
KJ said,
December 13, 2007 @ 6:11 am
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Sometimes I have to make these same points to myself to give reason for the time I spend on blogs… yes, saying it ‘out loud’ makes it more likely I won’t let it slide. At this point in life, I need whatever works as reminders of projects unfinished. Public blogs carry more personal importance than private journals in this respect. And hey! I was active in newsgroups back then as well… rec.arts.fine, to be exact, was that your group?
Tracy said,
December 13, 2007 @ 6:20 am
I see what Alyson means. Much as artists (like me) have trouble remembering, people are more open to buying art from an artist they know and they like. By writing on here, you help people get to know you, thus opening the door. I also agree that letting others know of a goal can help; helps keep my feet to the fire and keep working.
Best wishes with your new found time on your hands!
PS Love the corn bags!
AscenderRisesAbove said,
December 13, 2007 @ 7:27 am
You are doing something right (a lot of somethings…) as your hard work has landed you on the top ten art blogs; check it out
http://laketrees.blogspot.com/2007/12/top-101-artists-blogs-list.html
Mimi said,
December 13, 2007 @ 9:04 am
Wonderful, introspective post. I adore your blog, and was moved to buy one of your pieces this fall, because of the work, and also the way I feel I have come to “know” you through your blog. Accidental marketing, maybe… effective marketing? Definitely!
Stacey Peterson said,
December 13, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
Alyson makes a good point about sharing, not selling - I guess when you look at it that way, she’s right! I do think that collectors want to know the artist whose work they’re buying, and you do a great job of that with what you write here.
And on another note, you didn’t fail at meeting all of your goals this past month - you actually succeeded at your number one goal, and that was to spend time with your children before they left!
Liz Plummer said,
December 14, 2007 @ 7:08 am
Lisa, did you know your photos aren’t showing up on Google Reader? (I don’t know about other feedreaders but that’s the one I use…
Thanks for the reminder of that quote - it resonated with me the first time I heard it…
Lisa Call said,
December 14, 2007 @ 7:21 am
KJ - Cool you were around back in the old days of the internet also. I can’t remember which newsgroups I was reading - can’t remember when the quilting one started. I think they were mostly social ones - probably some geeks ones.
Tracy - I agree with Alyson that people are buying the artist as much as the art. But I still try not to think about that when blogging.
Ascender - yep - saw it. Interesting.
Thank you Mimi! It is much appreciated.
Stacey - you are definitely right - my kids were my top goal for the week.
Liz - yes - I know - I got very tired of people stealing my images and using them on silly forums and on myspace and friendster and such. So I turned on hotlink protection - the only way to see the images is to look at them on my website. It’s not an ideal solution and it probably won’t stay this way but when I saw someone on friendster was using an image from another artist from my site (which I got permission to post from that artist) I was concerned. Stealing my images from my site is one thing that I could probably ignore but stealing the copyrighted material from others is something else - I don’t have the rights to distribute those all over the world. Sorry for the inconvenience until I figure out a better solution.
Lisa Call said,
December 14, 2007 @ 8:08 am
Liz - I added google reader to the list of sites that can display images and they should appear now.
Daniel Sroka said,
December 14, 2007 @ 8:18 am
Yeah, blogs are just a natural form of communication now. I’ve also been involved in online communities for a long time now, and they have made significant impact on my career. I remember when I was in Tokyo back in ‘92, trying to get a new Scitex prepress computer up and working. My graphic arts community on AppleLink - with folks from around the world - saved the day.
There is something about posting goals publicly that makes you be a little more accountable. I started offering prints of my works-in-progress for the same reason. I found myself hanging on to the work a little too closely, and never finishing it. But by making the work more public, I have to be more conscientious about finishing what I start!
Diane Clancy said,
December 15, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Hi Lisa,
This has been so helpful to me in thinking about how I want to be blogging. I love how personal you are here … Your quilts are great but you are the real draw!! I think I am getting that better lately.
I may try to talk more about my goals … for me, I have several streams of goals and sometimes one pans out better. Also I need to keep my health more clearly as a primary goal.
I love reading your blog!!
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog