"Don’t worry about what people might say about you promoting what you do. The only thing you should worry about is maintaining your integrity. Don’t lose yourself, use yourself." Bracing.
Great refletion! Popularity, in my oppinion, is about belonging to something and inviting people to join the process of belonging together, which as you said is about building community eventually ;)
I really enjoyed your article this morning, especially this idea of being at the centre of a creative hub and people not wanting to miss out on what YOU are doing. Thank you for writing this piece.
Love this so much. Having worked in academia and publishing simultaneously for the last decade, this popularity=triviality mindset is so inescapable and does everyone a disservice when it comes time to actually make a living from their artistic/intellectual labor.
This is a great blog to read, and it’s so true. I tell fellow authors all the time that they can’t be afraid to talk about themselves and their products. If you’re passionate about what you do, other people feed off of that excitement and passion!
I’m feeling this. You just unlocked something for me. I’m a professor on a journey to claim a writers identity and this gives me much needed ammunition. Thank you
I love this reminder to allow ourselves to be great -- thank you! A lot of people don't like "networking" but I see it as an opportunity to listen and get to know another human being.
I spent some time learning marketing and the concept of social proof is mindblowing. We often buy some books not because they are good, but because the media has told us they are good.
"Don’t worry about what people might say about you promoting what you do. The only thing you should worry about is maintaining your integrity. Don’t lose yourself, use yourself." Bracing.
Great refletion! Popularity, in my oppinion, is about belonging to something and inviting people to join the process of belonging together, which as you said is about building community eventually ;)
Yes! It's all about belonging. That's exactly it. And trying to be popular is simply inviting more people and creating more space.
I really enjoyed your article this morning, especially this idea of being at the centre of a creative hub and people not wanting to miss out on what YOU are doing. Thank you for writing this piece.
You're very welcome. Community is the key!
Love this so much. Having worked in academia and publishing simultaneously for the last decade, this popularity=triviality mindset is so inescapable and does everyone a disservice when it comes time to actually make a living from their artistic/intellectual labor.
Exactly! We need to shed that attitude and leave it on the ground. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be read widely.
This is a great blog to read, and it’s so true. I tell fellow authors all the time that they can’t be afraid to talk about themselves and their products. If you’re passionate about what you do, other people feed off of that excitement and passion!
Other people totally feed off that excitement. We need to be our biggest ambassadors.
I’m feeling this. You just unlocked something for me. I’m a professor on a journey to claim a writers identity and this gives me much needed ammunition. Thank you
Glad it connected, Sepehr. Good luck with your students!!
I love this reminder to allow ourselves to be great -- thank you! A lot of people don't like "networking" but I see it as an opportunity to listen and get to know another human being.
Yup, and letting people (readers) get to know you.
I spent some time learning marketing and the concept of social proof is mindblowing. We often buy some books not because they are good, but because the media has told us they are good.
Yup, you nailed it. And our job, or part of our job, as writers is to find ways to tap into this form of social proof.
Honed to a fine point!
False modesty is one thing, but genuine modesty is another. Those who practice that are rarer than those with the false kind and always stand out.
So agree with this! Any kind of genuine is always the better way to go.