Want Money? Want Fame? Sell Yourself

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Want Money? Want Fame? Sell Yourself

Posted on December 20th, 2008 in Writing Business by S A JOHNSON

Everything now a day is sell, sell, sell. It seems that everything has a price today whether it is your possessions, love, choices, or your body.

You may disagree and ask how can your love be sold? Easily you see, so many hard working or not so hard working people place all types of things in front of you and after they figure out what you want or need they begin the process of possession. Even your body may not be sold for cold hard cash but only the naïve give themselves away for free. Now days while everything is expensive and people are conservative with their money their choices are sold to the cheapest products so they can make room for any small and rare luxurious items that glisten in their eyes.

What happened to the good old days when an artist was just an artist? When did they become salesmen? Now I’m not saying that artist did not need the necessities of life or that they did not want to become famous but art of any kind was once a passion. It was done because they were inspired. They did it to make people feel anything at all. Art in any form is meant to be shared; it is our immortality to our short years. Yet, we find ourselves being forced to appeal to the masses; in other words we are being forced to sell out.

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If we want to earn a living off what we do I understand that we must sell out to some degree but really now is it necessary to go from Michelangelo, Leonardo De Vinci, Edgar Allen Poe, and Mary Shelley to Marilyn Manson selling his paintings for thousands of dollars because he is who he is, those Happy Bunny posters, and thousands of diet books telling men/women the quickest way to become thin? There is even worse out there, we all know that. I know that not all art forms out in our world today are bad but I refuse to believe that those people who got to their high point just picked up a pen and said, “I will write this and make myself rich.” They worked hard to be who they are even if it is their first novel, painting, sculpture to become famous and pay off…It would be naïve to think that it was the first time they wrote, painted or sculpted. I also do not believe that those who in my opinion sold out are not true artists; I just think they took the easy way out. If you are naturally one of those people who move a long with the trends and face it in some way or another we all do, then good for you. Keep doing what you are doing.

I am not pretending that I am a great writer and I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to each his own but do we really have to lose our identity just to make a couple or thousands of bucks? I’ve read many writers here an on other websites who have real talent and I see how much they put themselves into their work and I see how their work changes to mold into what is appealing and virtually meaningless because it’s what everyone else is doing. It makes me sad. I know that it can be completely frustrating to want to share your thoughts, ideas, and just who you are with other people. I also know how it feels to just want to make someone smile and laugh; feel pain, or realize that they are not the only one who feels as they do. It really sucks when you are being yourself and no wants to see you. But I also refuse to become one of those people who yell, “I learned how to get more views! This is what really sells!”

I will get off my soapbox now and stop preaching to you all. I do want to say one last thing: Remember that even though we live in a fast paced world filled with all 7 deadly sins; losing who you are just to be famous or make a couple bucks is a high price to pay when all is said and done.

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Tags: artist, beauty, fame, Inspiration, money, passion, sell, sell out, who you are, writer

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11 Responses to “Want Money? Want Fame? Sell Yourself”

Mercedes Selvira
December 20th, 2008 at 9:44 am

Well said. I totally agree; better to die a poor, unknown artist while remaining true to yourself than to become rich and famous while losing sight of who you really are. I’ve always promised myself to never sell out.
Bo Jack Russo
December 20th, 2008 at 10:52 am

Good point SA,I’m a little guilty myself of the sellout thing.
But I have other writing goals I want to achieve,just not there yet.
S A JOHNSON
December 21st, 2008 at 3:38 am

Thanks I just think that it’s important that even if you do venture off, you should leave something better than bread crumbs to lead you back home.

I agree S. its really important to me to be who I am no matter what. Even if that means being poor and possibly unpopular.
Mys Lyke Meeh
December 21st, 2008 at 6:08 am

I was intrigued by just the title itself, anyway–, artist now a day trying to make a lot of effort to sell, –changes in the environment let them as our economy is in the eve of depression.

—but you got the point there, though—
S A JOHNSON
December 21st, 2008 at 6:22 am

I agree but I also think that it’s sad when artists conform to things they do not believe just to make a buck.
trishia
December 27th, 2008 at 12:22 am

Keep preaching,I need the advice!
Adam Henry Sears
December 28th, 2008 at 6:37 am

Hi S A, how are you?
You certainly have a point; too many people in the world are hungry for that elusive other dollar when they aren’t even satisfied with what they have. Yet, I also believe we should not sell ourselves short: we shouldn’t patronize ourselves into believing that we have nothing good to say or wise to share… artists are the spice of life, without them the world would be a sour, joyless place to live indeed. We have to remember to believe in the thing that we love, and that success is not something that can be equated with monetary value.
Thanks for sharing.
S A JOHNSON
December 29th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

I agree, I think that if what you do is who you are then great! I don’t care if it’s fluffy bunnies and rainbows; pornography; horror; abstract; or articles on how to lose weight, as long as that’s who are and you believe in it.

I think that people have a greater potential then they think…Even me…

I think that people change and like new and different things and shouldn’t just bog themselves down just because society doesn’t like it. Many may even think that person “sold out” but the only person that knows and matters is you.

I don’t think that people should do things they don’t agree with or believe in because they know that it sells. Everyone wants to “make it and be somebody”…Even me…

Maybe someday I will write about fluffy bunnies and rainbows but I will not do that until it’s my time to…I will always be me…

I just think it’s important that whatever you do in life…Don’t lose yourself…
Allen
January 6th, 2009 at 5:44 pm

Well, you have no choice because your writing sucks! how could you not but write an article on selling-out? It is easy for you to say such because no one would ever buy your underdeveloped and purely lacking content. Your punctuation alone needs mastery work. Your wording is boring and lacks attractiveness. No wonder you got barely any views, it’s hard to keep reading something something with no real drive!

You should learn how to draw the reader in from the beginning! An eye-opener, but you do not.

All the great writers today and old have sold out to gain knowledge and respect!

A beginner has to achieve popularity and the only way to do this is to sell-out as you call it, to make oneself known. Once you are known, you are respected, if your content is of higher moral.

Which brings me to my other point. Your writing should be of the highest quality and yours is no where near that level, not even remotely!

Just a few tips for you-write, write, write and write! There may be hope for you yet!
S A JOHNSON
January 6th, 2009 at 10:41 pm

Hello Allen,

You mean I don’t get many comments. You have no clue as to how many views I get on my work.

Also, I don’t remember writing anywhere that I am an expert writer.

Thank you for your opinion and your advice, I only wish you put up your credentials so that we could all see the master that you are at writing, since you seem to be able to point fingers at other people’s work and basically call it crap.

Lastly, there is hope for everyone…Even me.

P.S
Your grammar isn’t much better than mine…I’ve heard that proof reading helps…
Poetic Enigma
January 7th, 2009 at 7:30 pm

First off, I think this is a great article, very well written and expressed, and I think you are a great writer!

I hear what you are saying very good points.

and I also happen to wonder what happened to the days when an artist was just an artist, guess its not enough to just be an artist anymore.