Yes, balance. We need to have something to show for our efforts here that function in the outside world. Being about 80 in my mind, I just hate social media universally. The only things I like about this place are the writings that are real writing.
The lack of sleep though, that is rough. I can't do that longterm anymore. I spiral downward after a couple days...but I am 80 after all.
One blurry snap shot from a phone and no words is something most children can post these days. If I see plenty of interesting images, or even just one that captures something brilliant, along with words in the form of actual writing instead of sentence full of emojis and typos, then I know that individual could probably get paid independently or as a salary, and I'll want to vote. Photographers make decent money, same with writers. It's a good, valuable, combo.
With digital art, I get all the freedom in the world here, but in the outside world it can be a job that pays $30 to $50 an hour, on average. Those painting on canvas can easily sell their work. Can't sell a Facebook post.
I recently came across an art post. On the outside I could see an interesting sketch, so I clicked. "Here's what I made." Then three small images, no other words, then many links for donations and other things. I need personality to go along with the art. If you ever go to a convention, you'll see someone surrounded in their artwork, sitting on a chair, head buried in their phone, not even making eye contact with passersby. They usually end up packing most of the what they brought to show back in the vehicle and taking it home. They often think, nobody likes my work. They do nothing to market it though. Think of how many recordings people buy simply because the music comes from an individual they like. That's the game right there and a lot of these artists aren't playing it. I understand some just want to be hobbyists, but they need to know most hobbies cost money and don't pay.
You do a fine a job. Your posts are like pages in a magazine. The writing is solid and the images help tell the story plus many have been quite artsy. I can see a publisher being interested in something like that or if you're looking for a job, you'd be able to use that work to prove yourself, so of course that's valuable.
There was a magazine I used to read years ago. I can't remember the damn name, but there were articles with artwork and humor. The next page would be a short story. Then maybe four pages of comics. Some of my inspiration comes from that. Trying my hand at something I know worked well for others, with my own spin. And like I had said, I can sell the art, I can also publish the words and sell the paper. Around here I'm also trying my hardest to keep eyes on the site. Responding to as many as I can, keeping people interested. Trying to work towards this blog being part of the reason they keep coming back to the site. I don't earn much for all the extra effort when I compare it to some who seem to automatically earn way more, and nobody is even looking at their work. They post, collect, and not even available to respond. Their behavior is selfish most days and contributes to the morale being low around here when actual talent who would be more than happy to embrace their consumers and go the extra mile get ignored. That's not good for business and they should know better but they can't seem to see past the dollar bill being dangled in front of their face. Many of them earn automatically for posts that would never sell or look good inside of a magazine as well. They feel overvalued and then assume anyone earning less than they are is overvalued. More rambles.
I find artistic value in my son's blurry pictures...but that's because I love him. Those blurry pictures posts though, they are definitely not as good as my son's. There is that importance of personality. Here, and in real life. Personality here or charisma in real life takes you places, for sure.
Thanks for the kind words. I am definitely trying to exercise the writing muscles, and now that I feel a little toned, I'm building a body of work.
You have an adventurous spirit it seems, always into something different. You do an excellent job of keeping on top of everything, and I don't know how you do it. I suppose there is the lack of sleep. I think you are a big reason why a lot of your steemit frustrated followers come back. I have seen that said so many times in comments, how people stop in to check and see what you are up to. Never having had much of an internet life before, it is very strange to me that we develop friendships here. When I am gone for a bit and then return my first thought is usually I wonder what noname is up to...
Speaking of lack of sleep, it is 1AM here. I just stayed up way too late writing something for somewhere else, but decided it was too inflammatory, so I put it on my blog here instead - my place of free speech. So I've been spinning my wheels, and now I'm ridiculously tired.
Now you are starting to get me rambling. It is apparently contagious.