Why I Make Stuff
Reflections
I've been reflecting on my creative side...and I've been asking myself this question:
After I've posted something on the internet, what am I hoping to get out of it?
Here are what I think my responses are... (not necessarily in order):
- Money
- Recognition / Acknowledgement
- Opportunities
- Inspire others
- Have Fun
Money
Who wouldn't want money for the time they spend creating things? Making stuff takes energy, time. It's literally work. But let's be honest. I don't think the majority of people who are consuming this type of content are paying for it...especially from no-name folks like me, when they have hundreds upon thousands of other, better, more polished work to choose from. So, from a logical standpoint, money isn't something I expect to get from my work for a while...and I'm aware of that. So, when I post things and I don't get paid for posting said things, I don't feel bad about it.
Recognition / Acknowledgement
What about recognition / acknowledgement? This is probably the easiest one to attain. I posted my KMA submission in a discord, and someone said "That was a fun read!" Boom, recognition / acknowledgement attained right? I would be lying if I said it was fulfilling enough to read that (when in all actuality, someone reading my work is more than enough...especially considering there's so many other things they could be doing.) Maybe I need to practice gratitude more...because even as I type this...I'm realizing the time investment that comes with reading 36 pages of some stranger's work. I should be more appreciative haha. But yeah. Maybe this is the one.
Opportunities?
Opportunities? Hmm...opportunities to join communities of other folks drawing...opportunities to be featured for other people to read...opportunities to draw other people's work? Well, maybe not so much on the last one. I don't think I want to draw someone else's story. For fun, low stakes, sure - but not for money... It'll REALLY start feeling like work then...and I don't think I want comic making / story telling to feel like that at this point of my life. What about being featured? I think then it falls under acknowledgement. But even then... I expect being told "That was a fun read" from 10 people will have the same impact on me as hearing it from 1 person...so why then do I still feel like I want more?
Inspiring Others
I think inspiring other people is a big one for me too. I am constantly surfing the web through people's websites, social media accounts, and posts, appreciating and being amazed at their art and storytelling abilities. I am thankful I have such a huge library to peruse. Some pieces really hit me. Ask me if I leave a comment or tell them I appreciate the stuff they've created. I should definitely do it more. Hopefully the stuff I create, the art I do, has that impact on others. What sucks about this, is, I think others are like me, and don't usually let folks know when their work inspires them, and that makes this hard to measure. I'll start letting folks know though.
Having Fun
Lastly, having fun. Who doesn't like losing track of time, just working on something you feel excited and passionate about. I think this is the thing that keeps more going with this creative work. For the past day, I worked on an entry for the GMTK 2026 game jam. I literally did NOT know hours passed as I went from idea to prototype. The game itself isn't anything too wild...but me getting lost in the development...coding, making assets...it was genuinely just fun. I feel the same way with making comics. I'll be on the train jotting down storybeats and ideas, and after 5 minutes, my 45 minute commute is complete. I love that...and it keeps me going.
New Thinking
Maybe that's it then. Let's reorder the list.
- Have fun
- Inspire Others
- Recognition / Acknowledgement
Wow...this was pretty refreshing... Welp, off to create!
Keep creating!