Artist vs content creator

In comparison to many people, I'm really a digital hermit. My presence online is minimal at best. Still, over the past few years, I tried to get my toes wet as much as I could. Currently, I have a website, a SoundCloud profile, a YouTube profile in the making, and a blog with a new post each month. I'm also fairly active on some Internet communities related to music. I still keep away from traditional social networks, not only for my inherent dislike toward these but because I'm still not sure if they are worth the bother.

Speaking of which, I often ponder on how much has my small online presence as an artist actually brought me thus far. Truth be told, not an awful lot. Yes, my music was heard by people around the world and I received kind words from many of them. Yes, I have at least something to show in case of that fateful "big break", whatever this means. But I'm pretty much waiting for Godot to arrive.

Many would say that something is better than nothing and they are probably right. It's better to be on the Internet than not to be. But it's often difficult to stay motivated in the process. Personally, I often struggle when it's time to put something new online. Not only while trying to find fresh ideas, but also while looking back at everything that is already up there and all the effort that went into it. Frankly, I don't consider myself a content creator. I'm not driven by clicks and likes even though pretty much everything seems to revolve around this these days. Just trying to showcase my work and hope for the best in the process.

This doesn't mean that I'm not keen on sharing. Quite the contrary, in fact. I'm always happy to learn that my music has actually moved somebody out there. But the more I think about it, oversharing is not a good idea either. If nothing else, it puts a big strain on the artist and is clashing with rule number one - artistic freedom. I must admit that I often felt much more creative before embarking on this thorny path of the Internet. I may not be a content creator in the true sense of the word, but I'm definitely not immune to the pressure this constantly brings. Everyone has big expectations. An artist is expected to get noticed by the right people. Those following the artist's work are expecting something new and fresh all the time. If you fall back just a little, they will quickly find somebody else.

And I don't really want to be a slave to this. Constantly fighting for that small chance of someone's attention. I'll try to keep my online presence going, in accordance with my resources and abilities. I will also continue to share something I have created in a spontaneous and unhindered fashion. But most of all, I'm trying to return to my roots of creativity for the sake of creativity.

Although I certainly respect all the creators of quality content, I will always give an advantage to those who are driven primarily by art and creativity and are not thinking about the numbers at all. It is a shame that such people will always have a much harder time getting seen and heard, though.