Indecision, thy name is Valis

[valis2]

So. I'm definitely seeing an uptick with my craft work. A lot of it is friends and family, which always makes me feel guilty, but some of it is from some advertising I've been doing on FaceBook. I've been really trying hard to actually get out there and do the social media stuff; tweet, blog, and facebook about most of the moves I make. I'm still trying to work out a good ratio where I don't feel like I'm overwhelming people. (There's a ceramics artist I know who literally posts EVERY single Etsy listing she does onto FB. Sometimes it's 15-20 a day, I swear. I don't want to do that.)

Part of this is that I just don't like bringing attention to myself. I also feel like my craftwork is fairly simple and not that amazing, and just about anyone could do it if they had a minute. So I've always been reluctant to talk about it to friends and I feel embarrassed when anyone brings it up. But I just have to get over that. Some people just don't have time to make stuff, and this is how they can get stuff they like, right? I have to keep telling myself this.

Anyway, part of the new strategy is just to be excited about my craft. I mean, I always am because I'm a big geek, but I'm trying to just pour that out into the universe. If people don't like it, then they're just not going to fan/friend/like/glorble whatever I'm doing, and that's great. I don't have to feel guilty about being enthusiastic, right? It's easy enough for people who don't want to hear enthusiasm to avoid this stuff, as I'm keeping most of it concentrated in business social media.

Anyway, the source of my indecision is to Post the Giant Fic or to Not Post the Giant Fic. In a nutshell, the GFic is going to take 14, maybe 15 days to post in its entirety. I can either post it starting tomorrow, or when I come back in late Feb. Let's see...pros & cons...

Posting starting tomorrow: OMG I WANT FEEDBACK and this would get me feedback now. Otherwise, I have to wait another month. Also, I started this fic during this trip last year, so it would come full circle to post it just before I leave for the same trip. However, the fic is not quite done. Just two more scenes, but I'd have to go through and edit the word count later (not a big deal). The biggest problem is that I would be in WI for the last four or five days of posting. I do not like to use someone else's internet to disseminate adult material (hence why I stay off LJ, usually, while I'm gone), and also I might not have a lot of time to go through and recheck stuff and post it. Also, Semagic (where the pieces of the GFic are ready to post) will not let me use an XP machine to post 7 stuff. Also, might conflict with a fest running late in the month, and in a fandom this small, that does matter, at least a little.

Posting starting late Feb: It will be complete, and I might even have time to polish and make it even happier. No feedback until late Feb, though. But then I can post it every day and enjoy the FB as it comes in, instead of hurriedly rushing to the computer and having only 2.6 seconds to check and respond.

I think I'm going to have to wait. Gah, this makes me sad. Overall, though, I think it's the best. So I'm now not-so-indecisive Valis.

Comments

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks, sweetie. You are completely right, of course, but my self-esteem finds it hard to admit it. I just always think, "But they could just make it themselves!" Of course, the point is, they don't always have time or energy for such things.

I'm trying to feel a little less guilty about talking about my stuff and saying it's attractive. And I really should stop feeling so guilty when family & friends buy it; they wouldn't buy it if they didn't genuinely like it, right? That's what I keep telling myself. *nodnod*

*hugs* Thank you!

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

It really is attractive stuff! You shouldn't be ashamed of promoting it. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks so much! I really appreciate it.