Whether we recognize it or not, most art involves writing in some way, be it scribbles on a paper napkin about an idea for a new painting, or jotting down abstract descriptors when choreographing a dance. As a multi-hyphenate creator, I stand behind this concept and write in multiple mediums, from poetry to essay writing to screenplays. I consider myself a decently motivated person, easily interested in starting and finishing new projects.
A couple months ago I spoke with a DePaul alumnus about her art-making process. She graduated with a degree in Theatre Management, and we caught up about her life post-grad. She ended our conversation on this note: most artists fail to consider the way in which a project will be shared until it’s time to share the project, rather than integrate sharing into the art making itself.
This threw me for a loop. Doesn’t “sharing” happen once you actually have something to share? I was used to creating for the sake of creating, writing for the sake of writing, and I wasn’t worried about sharing until after developing my vision. Looking back at my writing repertoire, I guess I did have a few things in the void of my archive waiting to be shared with others. What if we’ve been conditioned to think of writing in two extremes? One for fun, and the other for the sake of an “assignment”? What if sharing our work really was an integral part of the way we made it?
This post uses a variety of writing genres and art/media to explain integrating sharing into process. I don’t claim that all art making/writing needs to be for the sake of product, but awareness of an intended outcome can help one grow as a creator and move further towards personal goals. Consider how you want to share your work, and these tips may help you attain greater agency over your process.
Consider Your Audience:
Who do you wanna share this piece of writing/art with and how do you get it in front of them?
I used to think that my writing was for everyone. Wasn’t the goal to get it in front of as many people as possible? While that’s an understandable sentiment, it’s unfocused and unrealistic. Having a particular audience you want to reach is actually a good thing, and can help you have more awareness over your own writing. When it comes to identifying your audience, think about who most needs to hear what you have to say. What platforms do they use to absorb media? What other writers serve that community and how do they share their message with them? Do you think their methods are effective, or can you build upon what they’ve done? For example, if your target audience is Gen-Z women aged 18-20, maybe posting your poems on TikTok will connect you with your audience better than trying to get them published in the New Yorker.
NEXT STEPS: After you’ve identified an ideal audience you wanna share your work with, consider where this demographic consumes media and become more familiar with those platforms.
Producibility:
Is this project or piece of writing something you want autonomy over? Can you produce, publish, share, or make this work all by yourself?
I know many people, including myself, who write screenplays. Some short, some long, some simple, and some elaborate. Let’s take into consideration the following two scenarios. If you are writing a 15-minute screenplay about two people in a family home, this may easily be producable with a little help. Now let’s say you make a screenplay that’s an action flick, requires CGI and stunts, and probably has a 50 person cast. This may require a lot of money, and a ton of help. Now in the process of writing a screenplay, your first thought probably isn’t, where is the money to make this?
You’re probably excited about the idea you had and want to put it down on the page. That isn’t to say that this larger-scale idea isn’t producible from your own hands, but maybe this second script is worth submitting to screenplay competitions or pitching to executive producers instead. Alternatively, if someone is interested in purchasing your script, what does this mean for your agency over it? If you end up selling your script, you may no longer have the permission to create it yourself. Neither path is wrong per se, but taking into consideration what YOU want to do is most important. Thinking about practicality, pulling your resources, and intended project outcome can help fulfill your vision.
NEXT STEPS: Assess a piece of work that you’ve already made that you are waiting to share. How long is this work? Is it a novel? A short story? A poem? What additional resources do you need to share it in its ideal form? What are the paths to attaining those resources?
Housing Your Work
Where do you want your work to live?
When I first started sharing my poetry with others, I wanted to post everything on Instagram. If I was going to identify as a poet, I wanted to share it with the people I knew. It wasn’t until later that I started considering submitting some of my poetry to publications that I should have thought more carefully about posting my writing on the internet. Not all publications consider work on Instagram as being published, but many do, and having your work on the internet before it is professionally published can hurt your chances of being chosen for publication.
If you aren’t interested in publishing, or can’t find publication, however, how are you keeping track of a portfolio of work? Do you have an online drive with organized folders? Do you have a website with work samples? Is this link easily accessible to people who you want to meet and see your work? Personally, I like to have a mixture of writing. There are some poems I post on Instagram as a way to practice sharing; these are pieces I don’t want to submit to other places, so I’m happy letting the internet have them.
NEXT STEPS: No matter your genre of writing/creating, consider looking into work that may be similar to yours in tone, style, genre etc. In what format is this piece shared? How is it shared? Through publication? Does this writer have literary representation? Who or what helped them find a home for this piece?
Moving Forward
All in all, there’s nothing wrong with keeping your writing on a shelf. Sometimes we create just for ourselves. But writing and art are ultimately about communication. Your writing deserves intentional thought, no matter what stage it’s at. By thinking about sharing, you can protect yourself as a writer/creator and reach your ideal audience!