November 2, 2021

On being everything to someone

It’s tempting to make projects that shoot for the broadest appeal – something for everyone. After all, if there’s something in it for everyone, then everyone will want it, right?

But the problem with ‘something for everyone’ is that it’s never everything for someone. And in a world of hyper-personalisation, where ads and products are being ever more targeted based on likes and interests, if it’s not everything for someone then it’s just irrelevant.

Because the internet can help us reach billions of people on any given day, shipping everything for someone is more likely to have that person pass it along to someone like them. And if that happens enough, if the work is specific enough and connects with enough of those people for whom you’ve made it, you’ve got an audience.

Depending on what you make, that audience may not be big enough to run a business or get the green light for a publisher, but even if that doesn’t happen you can sleep better at night knowing that you’ve made a difference to a few. It’s better than making a ho-hum difference (or none at all) to many.

Other observations
November 5, 2024

Consistent or resistant

Is my aversion to change about my wanting to be consistent? Or, am I actually being resistant and am I losing something because of that?

October 22, 2024

Critically unacclaimed

What do reviews really tell us about the work? Does it matter who’s reviewing?

October 15, 2024

Proper technique

If I’m learning a new art form, do I focus on technical correctness first or building an emotional connection with the medium?

October 8, 2024

The importance of mess

Physical art materials are messy and inconvenient. But isn’t that the point?

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