If you’re in any creative field, be it writing books or making music or film, there comes a time where you have to deal with this weird thing.
Terrifying, I know. Sure, you can just doodle in your spare time and keep everything locked away in notebooks never to be seen (or read, or heard, or studied) by anyone, ever, but that’s not why you’re doing the thing, is it?
With visibility though, comes the stone-cold reality that you’re putting your work out into the world, and people can (and will) judge it.
In order to get people to actually see it, you have to do the thing …
PROMOTE.
That’s right. Take that big ol’ spotlight, shine it on your face, pick up the microphone to a moment of awkward squealing feedback in front of an audience that doesn’t have to care about you and then speak ..
tap tap “Uh. I made a thing? You wanna see it or should I burn it for both of us?”
A Confession.
I am awful at such a thing. This is how I decided to promote my Kickstarter:
That’s right. I put my living protagonist, Alyte herself, on a street corner with a cardboard sign begging for her own existence in exchange for cash.
The problem I have - and let me know if this is you, too - is that I get uncomfortable talking about the things that I’ve made. I resort to facts, so I try to find and confirm facts.
Best-selling author? Yes. I’ve done that. SPACE PEW PEW, thankyouverymuch.
Award-winning filmmaker? Yes. I’ve done that too. TRANSFORM, thankyouverymuch.
For me, those are two concrete things. Concrete things where I can say, “I did a thing, people liked the thing. The thing is probably not the worst thing.” But it’s not promotion. It’s not saying “I built this mega awesome thing and it’s mega awesome because it is, buy it or you’re lame.”
This is where creators often fail. This is where I fail.
What is the actual fear?
This is the complex question at the heart of why you have a hard time talking about yourself. You don’t want people to think you’re a narcissist (and honestly, by even questioning if you are such a thing, you’re not, so relax). You don’t want them to think that you’re … what?
Proud of yourself?
Happy with something you made?
Recognizing that something you created is special?
Trying to share your creation with people in the hopes it’ll resonate with others?
News flash: IF YOU DO NOT PROMOTE YOUR THING, NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT YOUR THING.
Honestly, it’s kind of expected if you’re in a creative field. “Hey I made this, I think it’s cool, you may like it.” And maybe it costs money. But instead of feeling like some filthy little liar selling AI feet pics on the internet to Anti-AI Reddit bros (I’m not saying I recommend this practice, but I imagine there’s money in it, just saying), you could actually just … I don’t know, call me crazy … be someone who believes what they create has value?
Crazy talk. I know.
This is where receipts enter the conversation. It’s where you take any little thing someone has said or offered, or something you’ve achieved, and you let it accompany your work.
I’ll give you a for-instance. I’ve received a LOT of compliments for the Alyte Universe. Publicly posted. Like this one from Nick.
Or this one from my friend Henry Brown.
And my buddy and brilliant author J.L. Engel.
These are all people I deeply respect, who I’ve had the great fortune of having conversations with on streams or in person.
All I did is say, “Hey, I did a cool thing, here it is,” and they’ve provided the help to amplify.
That’s it. Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be you making a Facebook Group called, “HOW AWESOME AM I, SERIOUSLY?” It just takes being a decent and generous person, helping others, building some connections, and not being afraid to say, “This is my work, you might like it.”
And all of that turned into this:
I took a chance and presented a unique universe to the world, and with 48 hours to go, it’s funded.
None of that would happen if I didn’t simply say, “Hey everyone, I built a thing, and you may like it.”
Self-Promotion without the fakery.
This is the trickiest part, really. How do you promote what you do, how do you get your work out there and show others while still staying authentic?
Well, what’s your voice?
What’s your purpose?
Whatever that is, do it. Be honest. Be you.
You can write awesome books or make awesome films or music and be a dick. And you’ll get some support, and you’ll still be a dick.
Might as well be cool though. You’ll attract a better tribe.
For me? I’m out here trying to help people. It’s what I do, and it’s what I’ve always done. I ran a podcast for the better part of 18 months because I wanted to platform others. Pretty much everything I write - non-fiction book, articles, etc. - I do everything I can to impart wisdom. To show you, “hey … I did this thing and I did it this way and it helped. Maybe you can benefit from that?”
Hell, look at how I end pretty much every Substack article I’ve ever put down. I try to give you something that helps you or makes you think. I’m not out here giving advice like, “DO THIS OR YOU SUCK AT WHAT YOU DO,” I just give you perspective from a guy figuring it out and having some success.
Every podcast I’ve been on, stream, whatever, I always come from a frame of saying, “This is the experience I’ve had, and my experience might help you too.”
My gift to you.
A year ago, the entire IP I have that just got funded didn’t exist. None of it. Not even an idea in my head (yet).
And then here I am having albums out, videos getting screened in foreign countries, my work being seen and celebrated. And all the while?
Terrible at self-promotion.
But I’m doing it now, aren’t I? In my voice and my style.
Hopefully making you think. Hopefully giving you something you can try to get your work out there, and ending it like I end everything, with an effort to give, not just receive.
So I’m just going to drop this right here as I close the door and turn out the lights on this particular substack article. There’s 48 (ish) hours left.
It’s funded.
This isn’t pledging-and-hoping anymore. This is about to launch into production, so if you jump in? That’s what you’re getting.
See you all soon, friends!
SUPPORT THE ALYTE KICKSTARTER RIGHT HERE.
Oh … by the way …
I wasn’t kidding …
“David. You put me on a STREET CORNER. In an ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. Holding CARDBOARD. "WILL EXIST FOR MONEY." I'm the protagonist of a groundbreaking cyberpunk noir tragedy of grief, identity, and revenge, and my canonical promotional appearance is panhandling for my own ontology in acid-wash jeans.
Working title: DIGNITY NOT INCLUDED: The XXXII Years.”
-Alyte 🧡💙
Worth reading for Alyte's comment alone. 😂
That sounds like an amazing story! Alyte deserves to exist! She sounded like a fighter!