God rest your little soul, Carl Jung.

Jul. 24, 2012 at 1:55am with 29 notes

nocogsorwheels asked: So, you mentioned in that post about fanart that you reblogged was that you had done a fair share of networking to get the recognition you do. As someone who, uh, isn't fabulous with networking, do you have any tips? I apologize if this is kind of a broad question. ._.

Naw, dude, I totally do have tips. I actually wrote a dA news article about this, once, though hell if I know how to find it now.

One, you want to seek out people whose interests are similar to yours, and who are both slightly above and slightly below your skill level. These people tend to be the easiest to network with, because it’s easier to relate.

Two, don’t act like either a super-shy dweeb, or an aggressive “internet famous” jackass. Just act normal, like you’re talking to an equal, even if you don’t feel this is the case. Most people who are “internet famous” do not want to befriend people who treat them like gods, because they recognize it as being both unhealthy and awkward.

Interact frequently. Don’t expect people to just come to you because you’ve put your work on the internet. You need to actually talk to other users on your social networking hubs of choice - whether they be tumblr, dA, facebook, whatever. Nobody sees you if you don’t make yourself known, and nobody cares if they can’t see you.

It isn’t necessary to have a good product to network, but in circles like ours, skill is social capital. I made a name on the premise of drawin’ dudes and supposedly doing it well, while also Writing Lots of Words with Some Degree of Aptitude. I think it works well to network on the basis of what you’re best at, and I get by on credibility. Some people get by on being adorable. Some get by on drawing Homestuck manbutts.

Don’t forget that it’s an investment, so it does take time and effort. Also, don’t forget that sometimes people you network with don’t become good friends, even when you really want them to!