Feeling Overwhelmed With Social Media?

Hi Genevieve.
Yes, I am easily overwhelmed with all the stimuli. & using today's technology just does not come easily to me. Link, link, blog,post 1,2, 3...Tweet Twitter, Pin - Aaarggggh !
I have come to accept what I am not so good at - & take small bites at a time. Creating is what I enjoy - & I will let the chips fall where they may.
Life is a path of stepping stones - I prefer to meander serendipitously. That just feels more natural to me.

Sure, I realize that will not work for us all - & we all have different priorities for our creative efforts.

Simply back off on one thing that does not feel rewarding to you - & go towards the direction that makes you smile

Thank you so much for your input Janine! It sound like you have it down! I have to admit I am a bit addicted to Facebook & answering my emails.
Sometimes I'm up till really late & have lost a lot of sleep, because the lights just keep flashing in my head from the computer. The competition is
so cutthroat and everyone just seems so desperate. It takes all the fun out of being an artist for me. I just need to relax. Thanks!

not really, i don't spend a lot of time with it. i send a few things every now and then and it accumulates. i get bored in facebook after a few min. and twitter is just a bunch of text for me. i think its more important to create and advertise new works, to keep it all fresh.


---Mike Savad

Yes, that is exactly the word " desperate" - & it sure doesn't feel good.
There is a quote that I often remember : " If you want something badly, that is how you often get it." Or something like that.

Not to be confused with passion, & hard work - just that if it feels desperate - it is degrading and not good for your soul.
A little more, & a little less - & you will be alright.


Your work is awesome, & a blessing. Enjoy that.

Me, too. I do try and remember to tweet or pin, but I've sworn off of Twitter for the most part. Like Mike said-just a bunch of text.I follow my stats on Etsy and I've never gotten any results from Twitter, tho I know people that swear by it. I have, however, gotten results from Wanelo. I am trying a more personal style of promotion. That is just more comfortable for me.

Yes I do. But I force myself to do it. It's part of being disciplined.

I compare it to exercise: some days you don't feel like training but you force yourself to if you want to see the full health benefits. There are no short cuts to success. You have to put in the work and the time.

--Roz Barron Abellera

I feel so overwhelmed by social media that I don't want my paintings on Facebook anymore. I get way too many invites, social opinions are difficult for me to care about, and people demand paintings. Most are getting better at realizing that I can't be on the agenda, which is good for me. Last March, my place of work was shutting down. We were all being laid off. Many of my colleagues told me to start selling my art and I joined FAA. It's been extremely entertaining so I'm glad I made this choice. I put a lot of energy into my art and it's been rewarding beyond what I can explain here because I've never sold anything on FAA. I did, however, get a lot of attention for my originals, BUT I was completely unprepared to experience success because many of my paintings are too large to send or ship. I can't even fit them into my car. The Facebook thing is so overwhelming because people who know me, wanted my effort in every way you can imagine. I just almost wanted to shut down my Facebook account as I was having to hide from people all the time. Luckily for me I switched jobs, I'm so busy that my art comes last, and I'm not paying any attention to Facebook anymore. But, I fear every time I log into Facebook another demanding person who reminds me of a painting I should've or could've painted for them. Hopefully in time, they will forget I ever tried to make money off this or that I'm an artist!

Despite views and interest in my work going up and up using social media, sales have disappeared for the past 3 months, thought its not as though they were great beforehand. I think I am basically running a free art gallery.

Yes, I feel very overwhelmed by it. Social media cuts into my creative time and that frustrats me. But on the other hand the bennofit of it has brought me a lot of success. I've sold more originals this past year then any previous year. I was picked up by an art book publisher and now have a book out that is distributed all over the US, Canada and the UK. My print sales have been down for the last three months but my focus has been on salling originals so that makes since.

I'll keep working on my social media until I can afford to hire someone to do it for me.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. It's been interesting to read everyone's experiences and views about social media, sales & time for their artwork.
We all have our different experiences and views. I am working more on my artwork and cut back my time on the computer. Feeling happier. =)

Anymore I feel as if I have a job as a person who does data entry, which I hate by the way. I was on society 6, rebubble, facebook, google plus, pinterest, and zazzle, hash tags, hash tags, hasth tags to death. Needless to say frustrated beyond measure and I saw NO results which means NO sales at all. Now I am only on FAA, FB, zazzle and google plus but I still feel overwhelmed with all the data entry and no results for my efforts. I keep thinking there has got to be a better way, a more profitable way!

Not to mention the only thing social media has done for me is get my work used to draw people to sites with viruses or porn!

Anyone feeling overwhelmed with social media or anything to do with their art might consider a step back? Nothing god can come from that feeling. It's not the end of the world to lay low for a few days, weeks or months.

Yes, definitely. I have stepped back from it all mostly, and am trying to be quieter on Facebook too. I just need a break from it for awhile. Time to take a breather.

Yes, I do feel overwhelmed. Facebook has not worked for me. People that I added as casual friends, now want me to express political opinions, which I do not wish to do. I don't know how to answer. Also someone has added me that I did not wish to add. I guess I am just really old school, I have more success getting out and displaying my art in shows.

at some point you have to quit making the art and sell it - unless you are in this just for the fun. Seriously - 60+% of your time as an artist is going to be spent marketing - unless you become 'famous' and find someone else who will be happy to market for you at a price.- 30 - 50% of the take.

The most profitable way to sell art is in person - no matter what anyone tells you - yes - you CAN make money on a POD (or even eBay or Etsy) - but selling your original art - it's you and them - the buyers - face to face or in a gallery where someone else is getting some of the money for promoting your work..

there is almost just too much art on the internet and too many POD's, too many 'artists', etc. etc. And many people, like me, want to SEE it in person before plunking down $$$$ - even if it is money back guarantee - (especially if you must pay to have it returned).

I agree RoyD: I think personal sales are the best. There is, almost too much art on the internet highway. The net is a great way to have an instant portfolio though to show prospective clients, especially if you have a smartphone or to take a pic of your Gallery Opening or booth happening at the moment to post it on Facebook or Twitter. That is a good marketing tool.

Annie: I think you are smart for downsizing to fewer sites. There are so many art gallery sites with POD's now. It is hard to market on more than three. I am also on Red Bubble, Zazzle & VanGo. FFA is where I spend most of my time also.

Here is a good article by Aletta de Wal, Artist Advisor & Certified Visual Coach, "ACT Featured Artists: How 13 Professional Artists Use Their Time and Energy":
http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=cc74dfc2e9d9ef883a586b839&id=47927dd434&e=58b7e4c3ed