Comments on: Why It Matters Who You Are

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:40:36 +0000

Thanks Larry. Interesting project! Maybe I’ll write a poem a week when I turn 40.

I think the first step towards promoting yourself/your work is accepting that it’s important enough to make the effort. Once you do that, it becomes much easier to approach it like any other creative project, and invest the necessary time and energy.

By: Larry Lourcey

Larry Lourcey — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:34:04 +0000

Fabulous article (and comments). So glad to see that it isn’t just me! I am in the process of a personal project where I am creating a self-portrait every week for 40 weeks – to celebrate turning 40.
Even though there is really no financial incentive for me, I still really, really struggle in promoting myself or the project.
Must be something in the artist DNA!

Larry

http://www.lourceyphoto.com/4040project.html

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:10:06 +0000

Mark — so who does Richard Bachman write as?

Gabriel – “self promotion seems to have that nasty aftertaste associated with it”. I know what you mean. I find it easier to think about promoting the work/ideas than myself. That probably makes it more effective as well. Nice bath tub analogy.

Dean — “You get what you deserve, whether you deserve it, or not.”

Chris — Excellent quotation! Thanks for sharing. I wish I’d said it that pithily.

Maris — “I regret my stubborn idealism in the past about just working to develop my abilities without marketing myself.” You and me both. Yep, there’s still time to get started …

By: Maris

Maris — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:25:00 +0000

I used to think that seeking my own greatness without an audience would suffice. After all, I’ve only followed the unrelenting drive of pursuing my passions for the art because I can’t imagine being myself or living at peace with myself without them. But you are right. It’s not how good you are but who you are that matters more to others. And discarding others, living like an unknown talented hermit if you’re an artist in every sense of the word is like shunning your audience or the purpose for having those talents to begin with. The artist himself cannot be his own audience alone. Art is a form of communication, and communication does not only include oneself but others. Realizing the importance of this now, I regret my stubborn idealism in the past about just working to develop my abilities without marketing myself. Thank you for your article. As always you have done a wonderful job at informing and lifting my sagging spirits at the same time. It’s never too late to start the marketing part.

By: Links for July 5 2009 | Eric D. Brown - Technology, Strategy, People & Projects

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:35:02 +0000

[...] Why It Matters Who You Are by Mark McGuinness on Lateral Action [...]

By: Chris Grayson

Chris Grayson — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:40:41 +0000

Mark,

I just got an email notice that you’re now following me on FriendFeed, so I went to check out your Twitter account (where we already follow one another) and figured I should catch up on your blog.

Yes, self promotion is just as important as doing good creative work. Sometimes my wife thinks I’m crazy, spending the amount of time I do on my blog, and un-paid side projects, and SEO for my website, and all the research I do about my industry. She used to point out that “you don’t get paid for doing any of that,” but over time the effort has led to other things and she seems to get it now (to some degree).

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
—Calvin Coolidge

I just signed up for your email newsletter.

cheers,
Chris

By: Dean Johnson

Dean Johnson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:40:46 +0000

Thanks for another thought provoking post Mark. I agree with your assessment.

I express the truth of this poetic injustice of the creative life this way:

You get what you deserve, whether you deserve it, or not.

By: Gabriel Novo

Gabriel Novo — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:26:42 +0000

As mentioned by @Conner and several other posters, self promotion seems to have that nasty aftertaste associated with it. I guess it would be because people’s first thoughts are to the worst forms of self promotional (vain celebs, telemarketers/in your face people, etc).

Also I believe that most people don’t jump into self promotion because they don’t believe their product is ready. What would be more embarrassing than finally getting that big break or that important person’s attention only to not have anything worth showing. That fear combined with your internal critic can prevent you from ever truly recognizing your capability to succeed.

In regards to the 10 yr overnight success, I recently stumbled upon a great analogy for achieving success as a writer (http://bradrtorgersen.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/the-writers-bathtub/). Having to fill a giant clawed bathtub, the peaks and troughs of the water inside and the need for a constant stream of output, I think really hits the nail on the head.

Thanks again for another fantastic article.

By: Mark Dykeman

Mark Dykeman — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:57:34 +0000

I’m also reminded of the example of Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman…

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:12:25 +0000

Conor — Great to hear you’re going for it with your music. Yes, there are some arrogant and egotistical self promoters out there — but that doesn’t mean promotion is egotistical per se. It helps if you think of it as promoting the work, rather than yourself as a person, which sounds like what you’re doing.

John, Steve, Michael – thanks for the encouragement (and scapular observation).

Robin — Thanks for spreading the word! “it frees me up to do what I need to do” – job done.

Jon – Good points, fortunately no-one like that reads Lateral Action.

Tracy – Yep, that’s the kind of twisted thinking we’re trying to untangle!

Colleen – Yes Malcom’s right about the luck + 10,000 hours. Another part of what makes it ‘sticky’ is the creative marketing involved in emphasising the number 10,000 – so much more memorable than ‘hard work’.

Sara – Dave Trott has a great post about the squeaky wheel. His website’s down at the moment but when it comes back, go to http://www.cstadvertising.com/blog and search for ‘squeaky wheel’.

River – “maybe it would help to look at what you’ve invested 10,000 hours in (if anything!) and how you can leverage that” – repurposing or repackaging your current skills could well deliver more value and opportunities than starting something new from scratch.

Jennifer – Thanks for the great feedback. Re “being humble, open and willing to help others as well as not be attached or take it personal if others don’t want what you offer.” – this might help take some of the sting out of it:

Nathan – Thanks. “I still think there is another factor aside from hard work and enjoying what you do” – indeed there is, which is why I put it in the article: marketing. Which can involve just as much creativity as the making.

Duff – “I’ve found it harder to make good things real than great things in secrecy.” Surely we should be aiming to make great things real?

“Better to die in obscurity than live a false life in the name of fame.” When you put it like that, it’s hard to disagree. I know where you’re coming from, but I don’t think the choice is typically as black-and-white as that. I think it’s far more common to find people who are really good at what they are doing, but neglecting the marketing side of things. Which means they and their work don’t get the support they need.