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sparrowwritings · 3 years

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Final Fantasy Writing Challenge Day Thirty-One: All that glitters is not gold

Day Thirty -- Masterpost

Normally, Bailey Gatlin wouldn’t even bother looking at a job like this. She generally got by through odd jobs and the allowance that her brother gave her each week (when the money was available, anyway). Living like this didn’t leave a whole lot of room for frivolous spending, and her boots were worn down to the point where she could feel every bump in the road so that needed to be addressed.

But. She absolutely, desperately wanted to pick up that jewelry set that she saw in the market just that morning. The pieces were gorgeous and bright and they matched her violet eyes and there was a kind of net of gems and gold that would look so nice in her hair...at the cost of Bailey needing to use her boot money to get it. Just as she was about to lament her lack of pretty things, a sheet of paper had blown into her face. After a minute of wrangling it and looking at the offender, a she suddenly had a plan for being able to get both relatively easily.

A journalist for the biggest newspaper in Ul’dah, The Mythril Eye, was looking for help with an article. No journalism experience required, all travel expenses paid, with a stipend to be granted on completion of the article. No actual number had been put in the ad (since they’d get everyone at their doorstep if they did), but there was an address listed for those who wished to apply. There were more details, but Bailey ignored them in favor of running straight for the place.

This was going to be absolutely perfect.

-----

“No.”

“Wha’ d’ya mean, ‘no?’”

The miqo’te journalist folded her arms and gave Bailey a disapproving look. “I shouldn’t’ve taken on that ad is what I mean by no. You’re the fifth person today that’s just looking for a quick buck. You’re gonna run off as soon as I tell you what the article’s about.”

Well that just wasn’t fair. “I’ll have you know I c’n handle anythin’ ya throw at me.” She threw her arms to each side. That, combined with her annoyed expression made the lalafell look more like a pouting child. She knew that, but still maintained eye contact with the journalist who still hadn’t even introduced herself.

After several solid seconds of silence, Bailey’s stubbornness won out. The journalist sighed and scratched at one of her ears. “I’m not going to hold my breath about that one...I’m writing an article about all of the good the Warriors of Light have done for us lately. With interviews and testimonials from whoever I can get to talk to me. Your job would be to not only get a hold of and arrange for me to talk to people, but also any other way you can assist. Arranging rooms, making sure we both eat, that sort of thing.”

She could feel her eye twitching. Her right ear certainly did with her irritation. “Sorry, I don’t think I heard ya right...yer sayin’ ya want a glorified gofer? So ya don’t hafta do th’ hard work while writin’ yer article?”

The journalist at least had the decency to look sheepish. “I’m trying to do something big and flashy for my first official article. I suggested writing a piece on the Warriors of Light since people have been starting to talk about them a lot.”

Bailey thought back to a newspaper her brother, Rennis, had been reading the other day. “Doesn’t th’ Harbor Herald already write about the girl Warrior of Light? What’s her name…”

“Lara Marner?”

“Yeah, her.”

“She was already something of a local celebrity before she was known as a Warrior of Light,” The journalist answered with a head shake. “I’m looking more specifically to write about people who know both her and Roger Briden as the Warriors of Light.”

“But why?” Bailey pressed. “People with way more experience than you are writin’ about’m already, what’s gonna make yer article pop?”

“Pop?” The journalist’s brow furrowed.

“Yeah, pop.” She emphasized the word with a literal pop from her lips. “Make it different than all th’ others. Leave th’ readers ta only wanna read yer stuff. Articles don’t get advertisement like a store does, an’ most people are only gonna read it once so ya gotta be more creative ta draw attention.” With a shrug, she added, “Maybe find some sorta gimmick you think people’re gonna be willin’ ta go with.”

Rennis had always been the more business savvy of the two. As long as the person was right in front of him, he could generally get even the most stubborn of customers to get something from his shop. It didn’t leave him a lot of room to be artistically creative, so the advertisement side of things was all Bailey. She had been the one to coin the name, Gatlin’s Goods. She had worked so hard she could barely stand just to scrape up enough coin to post ads in at least one newspaper. She was fully willing to test her brother’s mechanical inventions in public so that people would ask questions (even though she definitely would have done so even without an ulterior motive).

Instead of mentioning any of that, at the continued stare of the journalist Bailey gave a small grin and a shrug with, “I know a thing’re two about marketin’ yerself.”

Again, all was quiet between the two of them. Then, the journalist slowly, gently, started to smile. “You know what, I think you have a good idea. And a job.” She held out a hand towards the lalafell. “Sahve Lhuke. I can’t promise that it’s gonna be an easy job, but I’ll do my best regarding that.”

Seriously hoping that said job wasn’t actually going to involve being a glorified gofer, she extended her hand in kind. “Bailey Gatlin. I’ll hold ya to it.”

The two shook on it.

“So, what’s yer plan? Or new plan from th’ look’ve things.”

“It’s going to be a whole series of articles.” Sahve was already rapidly writing something into a blank book she kept in her back pocket. “And we’re going to need to talk with the leaders of Gridania, Limsa Lominsa and the Sultana at some point.”

Well Bailey couldn’t fault the girl for her ambition, even if she was suddenly daunted by the task. “We’re startin’ small tho...right?”

“Of course!”

She let out a sigh of relief.

“We’re going to talk to the Warriors of Light themselves.”

“WHAT?!”

-----

Warriors of Light Tell About Experiences! An Interview with Young Heroes was a middling success. Sahve had been hoping for more of a hit, but Bailey could tell that the journalist was milking the praise for all it was worth. Again, she couldn’t really blame the young woman. Having her article out there meant more people would read it and come find them instead of making Bailey go looking. Which she definitely was doing more often than anything else.

At least she was getting paid for her help in “assisting” the journalist in her writing. Mostly it was a lot of running around as if she knew what she was doing and managing to stumble into interesting anecdotes about the Warriors of Light. Bailey outright refused to actually write anything. “I’m not lookin’ fer my name on th’ byline, but I also ain’t gonna be blamed fer crap you mess up on.” Was a line that she refused to budge on and Sahve seemed to understand, even if she asked Bailey’s opinion on word choices every so often.

It was turning into a good arrangement.

Even Ren couldn’t help but comment on it the next time she helped him with his booth. “Yer bein’ run ragged, but ya look about as happy as when ya get ta test out my stuff. That’s somethin’.”

Bailey blinked at him with a head tilt. “Really?”

“Yeah. Guess those articles are worth more’n just th’ regular paycheck, huh?”

It took her a long moment to realize that yeah, they were. She hadn’t even noticed that she had saved up more than enough money for the jewelry set until then. The idea of picking it up just didn’t appeal to her, anymore though. Bailey’s thoughts these days were mostly on who next to interview, and the process to contact them. Followed by talks with Sahve about what was done and what was *to* be done for the next article. It was all kind of nice. Like she had something of a purpose.

The fact that everyone that she’d talked to (or listened as Sahve interviewed them) had nothing but praise for the Warriors of Light helped Bailey a lot. If the kids (because they really were kids, she’d discovered) had been selfish or cruel or greedy she probably wouldn’t be enjoying this job so much. Maybe that would change with time or with more grey-colored choices, but for now this was how it was.

That gave Bailey an idea. She made a mental note to talk to Sahve about a future article. One that goes over how the Warriors of Lights’ feelings had changed over time.

After they finally manage to get that interview with the Sultana that Bailey had been trying to schedule for ages.

#ff14 #Final Fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #fanfiction #writing challenge #All that glitters is not gold #lara marner #roger briden #bailey gatlin #Sahve Lhuke #i made her up #name generator did well here #idk i wanted to go a different route and ended up with journalism somehow #bailey as a journalist (or at least journalist assistant) really fits her tho #anyway #CHALLENGE COMPLETE #I DID IT #WOO

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thotyssey · 6 years

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On Point With: Frankie Sharp

One of NYC’s few truly great and original nightlife event producers, this giant got his start at a small dive bar in San Francisco before making it big here with the notorious Westgay at Westway. He’s still giving us massive weekly kikis featuring the best of the scene and way beyond, but lately he’s been offering some more intimate vehicles as well. Thotyssey rides the cutting edge with Frankie Sharp!

Thotyssey: Hello there Frankie, thanks for finding a minute out of your super busy schedule to chat with us! How are you doing?

Frankie Sharp: I’m great! Super high from last night's MARY, my weekly cabaret at Club Cumming. It was a great show. But today, back at the grind. How are you?

I'm hanging in there, and riding these weird weather fluctuations! You're a San Francisco native... I think that city has the best weather.

SF has the best weather probably one month of out the year, September, which is their late summer. It’s perfectly sunny and warm, and not too hot. Otherwise, surprisingly pretty grey and nippy. But when its good it’s good. I respond better to the drama of the seasons. I need constant change around me. My blood pressure responds well to that, I think.

That probably translates well to your work as a nightlife event producer, where if you can't consistently change and innovate, then there's no point in being there.

I certainly can’t stand still or in one place for very long. That also probably has to do with me being a military brat, living in a new city every year. Every grade from Kindergarten to ninth grade was a new place for my family to call our temporary home. That also sharpened my skills on how to make new friends very quickly.

Were you always creative / artistic in some way when you were growing up?

Very much so. I had some friends, but usually only at school. I spent most of my time alone. I would write and draw my own comic books about gay superheroes, except I didn't know they were gay at the time. I just knew they were hot men I liked drawing, and powerful female characters whom I suppose were drag queens. I feel like I manifested those characters into my current adulthood. I’m surrounded by powerful creatures and gay superheroes all the time now.

I'm predicting a Frankie Sharp graphic novel in the future! So, I understand it was a dive bar called the Gangway in San Francisco where your nightlife career began?

Yes! I was working answering phones for an advertising / design firm. I hated having to be somewhere at 9am, and at a desk no less. So on my weekends I was eating ecstasy and running around with all the nightlife creatures, going to all these great club events listening to house music.The best house music outside of Chicago is San Francisco house. I was going to parties thrown by magnificent drag queens like Juanita More's Booty Call and Heklina's TrannyShack, fun club nights by Honey Soundsystem. SF nightlife is all performance-based and peacocky, I loved the nightlife there.

But there was still something missing. When I first went to Gangway, I fell in love. It was a dilapidated dive bar--a half-working jukebox and carpeted walls, but 100% gay clientele over 50. I loved it. I grew up in bars, as my mother was a stripper in the Philippines and that’s how my father met her when he was a sailor stationed there. So for some reason, those kind of bars are very sentimental--almost spiritual--to me.

So I decided to throw a party there on a shoestring budget--way before I knew what a "guarantee" was, or how to strike a deal. I just wanted to have fun, and be able to afford a pizza slice. I DJ'd from iTunes, and filled the room with 99 cent balloons. It was the best time.

OMG after that graphic novel you need to write a full-on book!

What motivated you to come out and mix it up in NYC?

I was very into reading PAPER Magazine, The Face and i-D, and NYC was so fully represented in those mags. And then I became obsessed with all things New York. It was during Electroclash era. There were great bands like W.I.T., Fischerspooner, Scissor Sisters, the goddesses AVENUE D (”Do I Look Like A Slut?”) and wonderful performance artists like Sophia Lamar and Amanda Lepore. I I had them all cut out and taped to my wall like some kind of teeny bopper fan. They were all queer, bold, interesting and unapologetic about their message of both fun and consciousness. Talk about manifestation: all those people I mentioned who I was full-tilt-boogie fans of are now all very close friends of mine.

Not to mention when I first saw Wigstock when I was 16. I knew New York was going to be my home eventually.

I was able to afford my pizza slice and I was having fun outside of work, but then it hit a wall. There’s only so much you can do in San Francisco; albeit a wonderful city, it’s a small town, too. I needed more room to grow. So a one-way ticket to NYC was booked, and I never looked back. I moved Sept 11, 2009. I remember ‘cause the ticket was super cheap to fly on that date.

Eventually you start meeting these people here, and making things happen with the Frankie Sharp brand. MySpace and Facebook were definitely around then, but I'm not sure how much they were being used to market nightlife... is that how you were doing it?

Sorta. Myspace was somewhat used for promoting, but I was still printing out paper flyers then. Passing them out everywhere, legit putting them on cars, etc. I kinda miss that old school aspect. Nowadays, being able to monitor the response gives me a lil’ anxiety. But I have anxiety over everything. I just wanna do a good job and make everyone happy.

I miss those days too! And yeah, having access to all that promotional data can be information overload.

The party that most people will always associate you with from your earlier NYC career is WestGay at the Westway! It was such an interesting location for a kiki because it was kind of isolated in its neighborhood, but that just added to the appeal.

Yeah, exactly. Once you were there you were stuck.

What else was it about WestGay that resonated with people so much, do you think?

We had very, very, very few rules. I mean, dicks and titties were out, celebrities getting laid by gogo boys, the influx of Drag Race was just happening which we heavily included in our programming. Not to mention I had even more NYC idols who became friends perform: Lil Kim, Azealia Banks, Eve, Foxy Brown, Mel B from Spice Girls, Hercules Love Affair... I even had C&C Music Factory perform. They were the first actual CD I owned.

I mean, it was just everything! And at the time, there was nothing like it. All the other parties were sorta people in black, all kinda looking at each other. Honestly, it was some guilt-free, shameless fun that you didn't have to feel bad about. It was chic, in that it was totally not at all. It was completely hedonistic. Over indulging was the theme.

In the event production world, rules suck. Is that like one of the hardest aspects of planning a memorable event where guests can feel like they can really let loose... dealing with restrictions from the management, and the limitations of the venue?

Yeah it was one of the reasons Public Arts sucked so hard. A great venue to look at and on paper. But horrible behind the scenes.

You’re talking about a party you were heading this past summer for a brief but memorable run, Something Special. Who or what wasn’t working for you there?

A lot of venues want gay dollars, but they don’t want gay people. And it wasn’t Matt and Carlos (who also owned Westway), they were great. It was their partner, The Public Hotel. They were corporate assholes, and made life very difficult for me. The didn’t respect what we were doing, and took months to pay. They could’ve really ruined my reputation, because it took forever for me to pay my staff sometimes. And these are hard-working artists.

But oddly, it was still a successful night and very well-attended. And it served me in other ways. At least it got the attention of the Moxy Hotel, who is a part of the Tao Group and the home for my new Sunday night MAGIC. They are incredibly supportive, saw what were up to and signed off on our buffoonery (because our buffoonery is also lucrative).

But it was very stressful [at the Public Hotel]. Not sure why anyone would continue doing things there, especially gay folks.

Ironically, you got a GLAM nomination this past year for Something Special, and the GLAMs were held in the Public Hotel!

I introduced [GLAMs producer] Cherry Jubilee to that space at the tail end of my time with Public. I was trying to do them a favor. The GLAMs had some very familiar technical fuck-ups throughout the night that were the venue’s fault. It actually gave me PTSD. But the GLAMs themselves were just that... GLAM!

I love what Cherry Jubilee does, what a great producer. I just hope one year it becomes more inclusive to all aspects and pockets of the city and surrounding boroughs. Because right now, it really is just a popularity contest for clubs above 14th street. Westgay won best party every year for four years. For that I am so grateful. But it seems things have changed.

But maybe its not the awards--perhaps its the parties that have become more segregated. At least in the small time MAGIC has been running, it feels like a good bridge between uptown and downtown, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

What are the seeds that need to be planted for an event to be Frankie Sharp-level great? And then, how do you know when it’s time to switch things up with something that’s already going strong?

In the beginning stages, I have a tight group of people I work with, and have for years since Westgay: DJs, performers, hosts and sub-promoters. Then with each new event, I hire a second string, usually of younger up-and-comers.

But before everything else, it’s location location location... venue venue venue. Does the room have heart? Can you do Runway? Can you zigzag and find something new all night? Will Amanda Lepore look good in this lighting? Does the sound hit the bottom of my spine? There are many questions that need to be addressed. But it’s always an ongoing transformation. I’m never, ever satisfied. I’m always tuning something.

Always seeking that elusive perfection! Speaking earlier of Brooklyn, your Saturday party Metrosensual at Metropolitan Bar has been running strong for a while now, with top notch guest performers ever week. Metrosensual has definitely helped put Brooklyn nightlife on the map, as far as star power and general epicness.

I LOOOVE METROPOLITAN. Those boys there who run the show are probably the most professional, supportive and friendliest out of every venue I’ve ever worked with. I always tell Steven Mac, who is the GM there, if I ever open my own club, he’s going to run it.

Do you have a favorite Metrosensual moment from parties past?

Bringing Brooke Candy and a her full band--people lost their minds. I loved bringing Latrice Royale there, because the crowd is just drunk and wanting to have a good time, and extend love to the performers and the performers only want to give the same in return. Valentina, of course, was a big night. What a pro, and in person looks not real-- like an Almodovar goddess. Frankly, every week rules. Its pretension-free, which is so refreshing and important to me. I think of Metrosensual as my Marc by Marc version of my bigger nightclubs. It’s really my favorite.

Dragula’s Biqtch Puddin will be there this Saturday!

Her manager reached out to me about having her perform, and when I mentioned it to some kids they were like PLEASE have her. I think people are super excited to see her. I know I am.

MARY at Club Cumming is a weekly cabaret variety show that you produce, and it's a much more low key but still eclectic affair, in a very intimate setting. Ragamuffin and Tyler Ashley are among the performers who appear each week, and you frequently sing on the stage yourself as well! What prompted you to create this very different sort of production?

Our administration, and my sobriety. When Club Cumming was Eastermbloc, I was doing Friday nights there... a party called Dumb Club. It was house, hip hop, party jams, a short drag show, gogo boys, debauchery, classic East Village. When it was bought by Daniel Nardicio and Alan Cumming, they approached me about doing something there still.

But I needed to give something more soulful, something more fulfilling and intimate. I needed to engage with the people who have been coming to my clubs. So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to do just that--while being radically queer, irreverent, political and warm, inviting, inspiring and honest. It’s all the club hosts, gogo boys and DJ’s I have at my club nights, who have all of these additional talents that have been laying dormant finally get to see the light of day.

There were enough unhinged, boozy, headless dance nights. I wanted to build an environment full or art and love. Music and Song. It’s been life-changing thus far. And my new sobriety needed a new project. I couldn’t have asked for a better sponsor.

Congratulations on your sobriety. There's a growing number of sober people in nightlife who keep at it, but it never ceases to amaze me with all the world’s vices at arm’s reach. Is it still a daily struggle? It was never a struggle. I’m not one who wakes up in the morning and wants booze or drugs, or is like "what a stressful day, I need a drink.” I would drink heavily at work because work was in bars and clubs, and I would work 3-4 nights a week and then I would recover from that 2-3 nights a week. That’s your whole week.

And I wouldn't be able to grasp reality. It really screwed with my emotional and mental state. I was unable to be productive, and that’s what I am: a producer. What is a producer who can’t produce? When I was doing WestGay, I was in a blackout pretty much for four years... and it was very successful. That was me at a C- grade level. I wanna see what I can do at a conscious, strong A+.

Being sober has changed my life rapidly, and I keep becoming brighter, lighter, stronger. And I feel love more than I ever have. I describe it often as getting as close to the divine as I’ve ever felt. Close to God. I know that’s heavy. But I feel very connected to the universe and our planet these days. The high that drugs and whiskey used to give me I get from hard work, building communities and hitting a high note at MARY. Cheesy, but true.

What an amazing place to be at! That brings us to MAGIC at Magic Hour, which I guess is only a month or two running now and already a tremendous success. Did everything just kinda “magically” fall into place here?

Honestly, yes. They called me. I called up my business partner in crime, Birdy Black, and we did a walk-through. When we realized the topiary of the bushes were teddy bears fucking, I knew this was our new home.

One thing I realize is, I’m huge on energy. Every event I’ve ever done is an exact representation of where I am in my life. WestGay was LOUD, ruthless and intoxicating because I was loud, ruthless and intoxicated. Something Special was just that: special and confused and erratic, because circumstances were just that. MAGIC is everything I’ve learned and manifested and called upon for everyone else. It has nothing to do with me. It’s not about my ego or money; it’s about giving a gift to New York City, the love of my life. It’s truth, acceptance, art and cuckoory harnessed.

There's always a great cast of hosts and performers there, and you've really done wonders bringing actual huge stars to appear or perform there. Damn, Charlie XCX is gonna be there this Sunday, that's amazing! How is this even happening?

I saw she was in town performing, and her show sold out in 60 seconds, or something absurd. I saw everyone on social media freaking out about not snagging tickets. So in my usual fashion, I wanted to find a way to give something to the kids and create something special for everyone. I reached out to a mutual friend and asked if she had an afterparty planned. She did not... so I made some phone calls.

She’ll be performing with a huge roster of other stars we’re not announcing just yet. But it’s going to be insane. It’s taking everything for me not to mention who they are! but everyone is going to gag with everyone on board. Which then inspired me to do a big performer once a month, moving forward. We have lots planned!

Lindsay Lohan hosted a Brian Rafferty party this past MLK Weekend.

I love Brian Rafferty. We were just texting the other day because he found some old tally list from his Griffin party, which I hosted once. I brought 25 people! It was my first NYC hosting gig. Hes a good egg.

Is queer nightlife now officially a vessel for major artists and celebrities to reach out directly to their fans?

I can’t speak on that. But personally, I’ve always tried to have bigger names perform or DJ at my events. It’s New York! I love the idea of having Andy Cohen DJing my small bar parties, or Azealia Banks at her career height performing the closing of WestGay so people can be really close to them. I love the surrealism of that. I think, like me, those celebrities just wanna give something back.

And everyone wants to be a part of New York Nightlife. It’s Legend.

Do you have anything else in the works, as far as events or other projects?

Jazz singer and musician David Raleigh and I are starting a monthly, social media free eleganza of a dinner party called IRL (In Real Life). I’ve been planning it for a couple of years now, but life kept happening. I have a gorgeous space in the East Village for it now. People will check their phones at the door, a small orchestra provides the evenings soundtrack plays, Stacy Layne Matthews will cater it for the first one, and we all just actually get to exchange with one another. All this exciting bumper cars we do in the club is wonderful, but I wanna know more about the people around me. We can still have club looks and glamour, but Its a classic dinner party where people TALK.

Every month starting in August, we will always have a spotlight on a superstar chef, a bold-named performer from everything from Broadway, opera to hip hop, and a speaker doing an inspirational "TedTalk.” We already have very recognizable names scheduled to perform, and inspirational speakers we just love to hear preach their path of success: authors, filmmakers, writers, politicos... etc.

So classy! That should certainly break some ground as far a nightlife experience goes.

Also, I’ve been working on a scripted TV show for what seems like years now. It’s gone through so many incarnations and different producers and networks interested, but we have a new avenue for it now, and that’s exciting. And pretty soon, my full attention might have to go there. We’ll see!

Right now, everything I’ve ever wanted is happening. And I know that sounds like I’m gloating, but I wanted to honor my sobriety once again--and not in a preachy way, but in a conscious way. With a clear head, strong muscles and sharpened tools, anything you want... you can just take. It’s a magnificent discovery to uncover.

A true inspiration! Okay, to wrap it up: what's the best piece of advice you can give to a newbie who wants to start producing nightlife events in NYC?

Stay out of my way. Just kidding! Be nice to everyone. You never know who anyone is. Plus, just be a kind human person. Life is better that way. Know your worth, but leave your ego out of it.

Do not poach talent.

Respect other promoters’ venues.

And always find a balance of night with day. Vitamin D is needed, so is water and exercise. Feeling powerful from the inside out will get you far.

Thank you, Frankie!

Frankie Sharp produces MARY at Club Cumming (Tuesdays, 9pm), Metrosensual at Metropolitan Bar (Saturdays, 10pm) and MAGIC at Magic Hour Bar & Lounge (Sundays, 10pm). Check Thotyssey’s calendar for a full schedule of his events and appearances, and follow Frankie on Facebook and Instagram.

See Also: Frankie Sharp (11.30.2018)

On Point Archives

#onpointwith #frankiesharp

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yukipri · 6 years

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Hello! I was wondering how to be successful and get followers on Patreon like you? I’ve had my Patreon for like about a couple months now and so far I don’t have any followers at all like should I give it more time or maybe improve on my art more? Also I’m sorry about asking you this I know it’s pathetic, but I’ve been trying on twitter and insta but I feel like I’m getting no where and if it feels uncomfortable or dumb to answer you don’t have to!! 😖

So I thought really hard about how to answer this, and I hope you don’t mind answering publicly because I’ve been asked similar in the past as well.

Got a bit long, so beneath a cut.

First off, please don’t think you’re pathetic. It’s hard, making art is hard, getting people to like art is harder, getting people to do anything with the art like reblog or comment is even harder, and getting people to PAY actually money is even harder than that. It’s easy to compare yourself to other creators and get frustrated, TRUST ME I do it constantly ^ ^; But since you asked me so sincerely, here’s my best attempt at giving you what I hope may be a useful answer/some insight into my own choices for how I feel about running Patreon.

Tbh, I honestly don’t think I’m the best person to answer about a “successful” Patreon as I too have had mine for less than half a year. I can hardly call it stable, and I’m constantly experimenting and adjusting things. There are also many, MANY other artists much more successful than I am, depending on what your scale is for “success” which I think really varies per person ^ ^;;;

I also feel that the way someone runs a Patreon and what it means to them (full time job, part time job, hobby, or just a donation option on the side for potential supporters) is also really important in determining what “success” is. I feel that the way I currently run my Patreon is, to be honest, not possible for anyone who has any other obligations/jobs. I usually draw an average 12-16 hours a day (balancing crash and burn comatose days with no sleep days), 7 days a week, lucky to have one day off in a month (and the times I can’t do that, like this month, I’ll provide alternative rewards). As a result I can usually churn out content daily, sometimes multiple times daily (unless the project is major). Just time investment-wise, this amount of content would not be feasible for anyone with other obligations, and it has nothing to do with skill (though pouring this much time into art hopefully means that I’m gaining some skill in the process ^ ^;)

I’ve mentioned this before when someone asked to compare Ko-Fi and Patreon, but I think for some creators, they’re treated very similarly as just a way for fans to financially support them, and Patreon is more stable and a monthly subscription, whereas Ko-Fi has less fees (at least prior to the new changes). And I think that’s a wonderful way for people to use Patreon, if that’s how they want! But I’ve also observed many creators who are FAR more famous than I am make significantly less than me, because their main content/merchandise is available elsewhere, and Patreon is just an alternative means of donation for people who want to do more. It is not uncommon at all for some Patreon creators to only post once a month or less, and sometimes, that’s enough for people to become patrons, because they’re here to support the creator, not get special content.

I personally feel that my own art/content/reputation whatever isn’t deserving of just donation support unless I’m giving back at least equivalent value in exclusive content made through solid work, heck I wouldn’t donate to myself lol. (Hence the running myself to the ground monthly whoops >.>;) To compare, while I got a bit more when I first started/was actively advertising it, nowadays I’m lucky to get one coffee through Ko-Fi every few months ^ ^; And y’know what that’s okay, I’m actually personally more comfortable giving back with Patreon, though of course my Ko-Fi is still available for donations if people feel they want to give.

I also think there’s also a difference between asking for strategies on how to get your already existing followers on public social media to become patrons, and how to increase your public fanbase consuming your free media in general. Currently, around 2% of my tumblr followers are my patrons on Patreon, which is honestly WAY WAY WAY more than I ever dreamed possible. There’s a lot out there to spend your money on, money’s tight for a lot of people, and people are used to receiving free creator content so it’s hard to convince people that of all the potential wonderful creator causes to support, YOU should be one of them. And I get it, and I’m humbled by the people who come by to my Patreon ;_;

For me, the way I try to sell myself is by creating consistent, constant, hyper-specific content. I KNOW I have a super niche fanbase, and I’m specifically targeting y’all, because that’s what I personally enjoy but also because I like offering something different. I think that even within just drawing YOI, drawing for popular ships is obviously going to appeal to a LOT more people, I KNOW this. But at the same time, a lot of other creators will be providing similar content so there’s more competition. Now, if you want Yuuri-centric multi-shipping, poly-shipping, rare pairs, constant moreTPs, A/B/O, mpreg, world-building, and OC babies all combined, there’s slightly fewer people who offer that, and I’m one of those people ^ ^;

Also, posting a significant amount of content that isn’t available publicly. For me, the big breakthrough was the NSFW. I didn’t initially mean to draw this much NSFW, but apparently people want to see it, and I enjoy drawing it (as mild as my comfort zones tend to be), and if it lures people on, maybe I can get them to enjoy my other content too ^ ^; But let’s be fully honest, the vast majority of my patrons probably joined so they could see the porn, which I’ve been very clear will never be public. And again, given how rare my ships are and how specific my AU content is, if you want to see this stuff, you’re not gonna be getting it anywhere else so come take a look–is sorta how I hope I’m selling it? ^ ^;

As for how you know when you’re ready? I again think that depends on you. I’ve had people asking me to open a Patreon since it became an option, but I didn’t think I personally was creating the type of content I’d be comfortable taking money for. I didn’t think I was ready when I was in BH6, and I didn’t think I was ready when I was in SW either. But during all of these fandoms, one thing that I WAS training myself to do was post constantly, consistently, rarely if ever taking a break, and if I didn’t post one week, it was because I was planning something major. That ramped up even more for YOI, and it was only after creating like this for years and getting to the point where I needed a form of income through art or stop pouring so much time into it that I decided to try Patreon, already having proven to myself that I can maintain creating constant content. This is for me, and again I went into it hoping to make it full time. You may not need to post as rigorously for your purposes, and that’s fine too. And maybe for you, just making your Patreon and slowly growing your fanbase from there is the right way. We’re different people and different artists so it’s completely understandable if your path is very different from mine ^ ^;

Sorry this got long and may not have provided a direct answer, but I hope it was a helpful reference in some way ^ ^;

#paperdoll-witch #YukiPri replies #Patreon

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themousai · 5 years

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Q+A: LAULIA

Your new single ‘13/7’ just got released ahead of ‘Outcast Kids’ which luckily, we only have to wait until this Friday to hear when it’s officially available as a double A side vinyl through Rose Coloured Records. How are you feeling about having these songs out in the world? We couldn’t be more excited really. 13/7 was the first track that for us snowballed very quickly, Ollie sent me over a demo and I was instantly inspired, I finished writing my part that evening and ever since then we’ve been raring to get it out. If it were that simple, we would have released it that day if we could. We just wanted people to hear it. So now, having been sat on these tracks for a while whilst we organised promo, videos etc, it’s been like dangling sweets in front of a kid and telling them not to eat it. It’s been hard to keep things all to ourselves, so finally releasing the single is gonna definitely be a buzz for sure.

What made you put ‘13/7’ out first? 13/7 isn’t actually officially out yet, we just released it on Soundcloud for people to get a sneak preview of whats to come. This is purely because for us, we felt the music speaks for itself, and by giving people a preview of it, we hoped that that’d be all they’d need to feel the same excitement we do. It’s a powerful song, and I just think it says it all really. I don’t think we wanted any gimmicks or PR stunts, it was more just about sharing a track that we were insanely proud of and hoping that listeners would connect to it, and want to be a part of the release.

Do the two tracks have a similar idea or story behind them? Both tracks are about toxic relationships, but coming from very different angles. 13/7 is about monotony and habit within our relationships. We often feel it’s our responsibility to take care of the people we care about, but sometimes their self-destructive, co-dependent habits can really take a toll on our lives. 13/7 is about coming to terms with the fact that it is not our job to try and fix somebody who isn’t interested in fixing themselves, and that sometimes we must accept that taking care of ourselves is more important. This may mean stepping back or walking away from a relationship that we care about, but at times this is the best decision we could make for ourselves. / Outcast Kids relates to this, it’s a narrative about a very self-destructive & codependent relationship. The bond these 2 people share is extremely honest, and pure. The pair are inseparable, bound by their flaws. They both have extremely self destructive tendencies, but find comfort in knowing that the other is doing the same. It almost gives them reassurance and helps them justify the negative choices they are making. Essentially, the relationship is doomed with this dynamic as they are constantly feeding off each other, but being the destructive people they are - that’s what they love about it.

What do you hope people feel when listening to these new songs? For me, music is about connection. These tracks are an expression of how we feel, musically and lyrically, and so however people choose to see themselves in these songs is up to them. If they connect with the stories and the lyrics, or just vibe with the music and wanna jam out with us, that’s all we want. For people to connect and feel whatever they choose to. Music is so subjective, and people enjoy listening to music in different ways. We don’t want anyone to feel 1 particular thing, but to feel a part of something and see themselves in what we’re creating. Our listeners are as much of a part of our music as we are. Having signed to Rose Coloured Records for the release of the Double A Side Vinyl, can you tell us a little about how this experience has gone compared to when you independently released your ‘Burning Out’ 7″ earlier this year? Andy from Rose Coloured Records has always been a good friend, and supporter of the band. We love what he’s doing for new bands/artists and always wanted to work together with him on a release. Joining forces to make 13/7 / Outcast Kids a reality felt like the right step forwards for us, we love working with new people and this whole experience has been something totally different from what we’re used to. It’s nice to have some guidance, and whilst we’ve still maintained control of our creative output, having some support with the PR, planning and distribution side of things has made a huge difference. We’re all extremely grateful to Andy for his hard work and support, as a genuine music fan, his intentions are nothing but what you’d want from a label. We’re lucky to have him on our side.

Do you write more often from a third person perspective or from personal experience? Why do you think you lean more towards one than the other? I don’t usually write with an intention, my writing is almost always an expression of my emotions. I often feel a certain way, or have experienced something that’s left a sour taste, and writing is my way of processing and dealing with it. There’s nothing more therapeutic than shouting about how you feel from the top of your lungs, or turning pain into something beautiful. There are times though, when my mind goes into overdrive, and I get inspiration purely from my imagination. Stories, ideas or things I have witnessed turn into narratives and I love running with those ideas, but I would never confine myself to writing a particular way or about a certain topic, it’s an expression and I think containing that achieves the exact opposite of what it’s meant to.

What are your musical influences like? Do you each bring very different ideas to the table when writing or are you quite similar in this aspect? We all take inspiration from different music, having been shaped by different bands/artists as we’ve developed our personal love for music, this is why our songwriting process is so interesting - we draw inspiration from different genres and styles and sorta merge it to create our own. Of course we have mutual loves, and our inspirations cross over a lot (I mean, that’s why we’re in a band together), but we’re all very individual in what drives us, and that’s where I think our sound comes from.

You were included in Blood Records ‘Girls Against’ compilation last year in the great company of Courtney Barnett, Dream Wife, PINS and many more - how did you feel when you found out about that? Do you think it helped put your music out to a wider range of listeners? It was crazy, especially since the opportunity came to us so early on, we’d barely been a band for longer than a few months so it was very surreal. Being a part of a record alongside bands/artists that we all admired was like a massive wake up call, it sorta gave us an insight into what we could achieve with this band and the potential that it had. Knowing that our music could exist alongside names like that, I think was the catalyst for us, we just wanted to go full speed ahead from that point on. It also sorta laid some groundwork for us, we were introduced to fans of the exact kind of music we were looking to produce, whilst supporting a cause that we so heavily believed in, so yeah it was a total blessing - we couldn’t be more grateful.

Ahead of your release show in London, what should we be expecting from your live set? Performing live is easily my favourite part about being in this band. The stage is our home, and we feel comfiest up there. It gives us the chance to fully immerse ourselves in what we’re creating, and there’s no other feeling like it. Our set is filled with highs and lows, expect ethereal moments of emptiness, followed by immense soundscapes, grungy riffs and lots of throwing ourselves about & hair flicking haha.

Lastly, what does LAULIA have in the works for the future? The coming months are gonna be pretty crazy for us I think. Once we’ve come out the other end of celebrating this release, we wanna get straight onto working towards another record. The next step for us is putting out an EP, we’d love something that really introduces us to the world and shows everyone what we’re really about as a band. We’re still very new and we’re still kind of shaking the hands of everyone at the moment. The next coming months I think we really want to start breaking the ice within the industry, and with our supporters as well. We want people to know who we are and what were about, and feel a part of that. So plenty of shows, tours, and connecting with people is what we want to work towards. That and getting an EP out are our main focuses. Oh, and Glastonbury of course.

Stream 13/7 / Outcast Kids on Spotify and Apple Music now and be sure to purchase the Double A Side 7″ Vinyl here!

Quick Fire:

The one song I wish I wrote is... Lauren: Hmmm, either ‘Formidable Cool’ by Wolf Alice or ‘No Care’ by Daughter. Ollie: ‘She Changes The Weather’ by Swim Deep. Harry: ‘Jet’ by Wings. Kurt: ‘Electric Feel’ by MGMT.

Three things I can’t live without are... Lauren: Yoga, laughter, and obviously hummus with pitta. Ollie: Garlic, Electroharmonix Memory Man & Rome total war. Kurt: Lucky charms, Dr Pepper, Drums. Harry: Ginger tea, Labradors, Sports Socks.

Phones out, or phones away if you're watching a band live... Lauren: Phones away always, gotta live in the moment. Harry & Kurt: Ditto. Ollie: Depends if they’re good or not.

Three adjectives that describe my life are... Lauren: Hectic, Fulfilling, Vibrant. Ollie: Umami, Comfortable & Accelerating. Harry: Cosy, Wholesome, Exciting. Kurt: Organised, Busy & Energetic.

If I held a world record it would be for... Lauren: Fastest person to finish a bottle of wine. Ollie: Most words incorrectly spelled in a single message. Harry: Most unimpressed facial expressions made in one day. Kurt: Longest time to answer a quick fire question.. Still waiting.

My first memory of loving music is... Lauren: Dancing to MTV as a 2/3 year old and stealing every dance floor I could no matter where my parents took me. Ollie: Playing ‘Parklife’ on repeat whilst bouncing on my sisters bed at the age of 5. Harry: Listening to style council records in my uncle’s kitchen. Kurt: Trying to play along to the radio on my dads suitcase with sticks that I found.

The song of mine that I am the proudest of is… Lauren: Bloody Knees or 13/7, both for very different reasons. Ollie: Wide Eyes. Harry: Gloe. Kurt: The Collectors.

My favourite venue I've ever played is… Lauren: The Facebar in Reading. Ollie: BLove because I loved playing a huge stage, and my mum came along. Kurt: The Boileroom. Harry: The New Cross Inn.

The ideal environment for me to create music in is… Lauren: Whilst I would love it to be on a scenic beach or waterfall somewhere, it tends to be alone in my bedroom. Kurt: My home studio. Harry: My shed. Ollie: With my pedal board and people I trust.

If I could tour with any two bands, they would be… Lauren: Idles (easily my favourite band to see live), and Cherry Glazerr. Ollie: Pulled Apart by Horses and S club 7. Harry: Gurr and Queens of The Stone Age. Kurt: Marmozets and Foals.

Follow LAULIA on Social Media!

FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Interview by Scarlett Dellow, photo by Fraser H-N

#laulia #indie #shoegaze #ffo turnover #ffo wolf alice #interviews #new music #dellow #alt rock #alternative

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thenoticeblog · 7 years

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THIS ARTICLE IS KINDA SORTA ABOUT A NIKE ADVERTISEMENT

By Marty Lloyd Woldman

There was this French guy named Guy Debord who had some weird notions about how we interact with reality. He’s dead now and doesn’t think these things anymore (one would presume), but when he did think them, he wrote of this thing he called Spectacle. Spectacle is difficult to explain. It’s almost like a layer of reality governed by the ruling economy--a miasma of images born from commodity fetishization. Every experience we have is distorted by the spectacle, and what’s worse is that there is nothing more real beyond it. The spectacle is the new real and it swallows everything which attempts to stand outside it.

The smug acceptance of what exists can also merge with purely spectacular rebellion; this reflects the simple fact that dissatisfaction itself became a commodity as soon as economic abundance could extend production to the processing of such raw materials.

-Guy Debord, The Society of the Spectacle

Debord is saying that even rebellion against the spectacle will be commodified and sold. Look at the clothing store Hot Topic. Its entire business model is to take various artistic rebellions, turn their insignia into clothing and accessories. Then it’s sold to kids in malls looking for ways of expressing their rebellion against spectacular artifice. From Iggy Pop to Che Guevara, all the rebels are for sale.

That’s all well and good, but what’s that got to do with the price of rice?

I started thinking about the spectacle again when I saw this Nike ad. It’s part of their new Equality campaign. Apparently, the campaign was kicked off by Tiger Woods, who tweeted some inane bullshit because he was paid to.

The tweet read, “IF WE CAN BE EQUALS IN SPORT, WE CAN BE EQUALS EVERYWHERE.” All caps. Because champions don’t use lower case.

This is a really weird statement because we’re obviously not all equal in sports. My understanding is that the whole point of sports is to see who’s better at doing the sport. If everybody was equal and all sports were tied, nobody would watch.

But this puzzling statement was later elucidated in the context of Nike’s new commercial, which features, LeBron James, one of the Williams sisters, and presumably other sports people I don’t know. Still, none of it makes any sense, but at least now there’s context.

Apparently revolutionary rhetoric is the new hot trend in advertising. I didn’t watch the Super Bowl. I was getting drunk by the railroad tracks and throwing rocks at trains. But people tell me the Super Bowl ads were co-opting all sorts of revolutionary fervor to sell their respective garbage. The spectacle is moving faster than usual to neutralize dissent.

This Nike commercial here was forced upon my consciousness without the Super Bowl context, and I think I started yelling at my computer. Nike was taking the tone of Black Lives Matter and other equality movements to sell their sweatshop shoes. The commercial implies that on basketball and tennis courts, everyone is equal, and if we could only extend this physical meritocracy to broader contexts, all our social ills could be mollified.

Even a cursory exploration of this thesis renders it false. In a plutocratic utopia, Lebron James is more equal than a 12-year-old kid with advanced cerebral palsy. Remember in elementary and middle school gym classes when the kids who were good at sports were treated exactly the same as the kids who were bad at sports? Yeah. Me neither.

And it seems like, since elementary school, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and the like were telling me that in order to be good at sports, I needed to buy their newest and best stuff. So inside the internal logic of Nike ads, wouldn’t a person who has more money to pay for the latest in Swoosh technology be better equipped to play the sport ball than poor folks?

I would also add, (with the caveat that I have not checked with a lawyer on this), that no governments that I know of on the city, state, county, or federal levels, recognize basketball/tennis court sovereignty. Cops, sheriffs and federal agents are all legally allowed to go on these courts as anywhere else. And once they get there, black people on that basketball/tennis court are still 2.8 times more likely to be shot, three times more likely to be arrested, and three times more likely to be searched as the white folks on that same court.

But even if we are to take this commercial’s ableist, classist, and myopically oversimplified view of equality as true, the conclusion, “If we can be equals here, we can be equals everywhere,” commits the logical fallacy of drawing a universal conclusion from a particular premise. Like South Park’s Underpants Gnomes, the middle step between acquiring the underpants of sport egalitarianism to gaining the profit of universal equality is conveniently left out. That middle part is hard. That middle part might mean paying its sweatshop laborers living wages. It might mean everybody has to be paid a living wage so that everybody can now afford the fair trade Nike shoes. It might mean having to dismantle capitalism and Nike altogether. Wouldn’t it be strange if Nike is actually calling for the demise of their own welfare in this commercial? Maybe that’s what coming next in their new Equality campaign. Something tells me that’s unlikely.

SURE, MARTY, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A COMMERCIAL HAS SPOUTED UNQUALIFIED BULLSHIT. WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

I listened to a podcast about Guy Debord, where a bunch of smart British guys talked about the philosopher. They say Debord places the genesis of the spectacle at 1927, but I think it pre-dates back to August 1914, the beginning of the Great War.

During World War One, the leaders of all countries concerned couldn’t tell the truth of the matter. They couldn’t say that a bunch of nobles was having a spat due to a complex treaty system that nobody fully understood except for the guy who orchestrated them, and he was now dead. That was no basis for millions of people to die. So they had to appeal to the emotional side.

The Germans, whom they called The Huns, were portrayed as awful baby eaters and murdering rapists. This was by no means the first time propaganda was utilized in war, but like everything in WWI, it was the first time it was ramped up to such grand industrial scale.

America came in late to the war to help that extra push in the last year and a half of the four-year conflict. Part of the reason the US didn’t wade into the quagmire was because the general public didn’t want to have anything to do with it. There was a man named Edward Bernays who helped change their minds.

Bernays was highly effective as a wartime propagandist. And as peacetime came, he decided there must be a way to use propaganda after the war. But since the word “propaganda” had such a negative connotation, he coined the term “public relations”. And he hit his stride at just the right time.

After the war, America was staring down the barrel of one of the inherent contradictions of capitalism: how do you have infinite growth on a finite plane? The working class was buying really well-made products for strictly utilitarian purposes. At this rate, demand for products would soon diminish because everybody would have all the stuff they need. That can’t happen if your economic model demands constant growth.

The answer to this problem came twofold. One way was for manufacturers to intentionally make products which were of lower quality, so they would break sooner and thus the demand for more stuff increased. This was called “planned obsolescence” and it’s totally a real thing.

The other way to drive demand was to shift consumers from the mentality of need-based purchase to desire-based purchase. In 1927, a year the spectacle is said to begin, an American journalist wrote:

A change has come over our democracy. It is called Consumptionism. The American citizen's first importance to its country is no longer that of the citizen but that of the consumer.

This is the American duty since. It is not a novel concept to remark on conspicuous consumption. This is something stated repeatedly for nearly a century. Such now that we can’t even conceive of the idea of a shoe commercial stating simply, “Here are shoes. They’re comfortable and they’ll last a long time. Here’s where you can buy them.”

Instead, there must be an ever-evolving exploitation of the mind to coerce one into buying the shoes. Ed Bernays pioneered this coercion by using the works of his uncle, Sigmund Freud, to sell to people’s deeper desires, rather than their needs.

The spectacle has grown a deep, abiding disdain for facts, and it’s selling our own rage back to us.

WHY NOT BUY THE WORLD A COKE?

Our cognition wants to reject advertisements. They act as a sort of mutating virus that must constantly change itself to get past our immunity to their claims. At the hippie decline and cultist rise of 1971 came one of the most successful commercials of all time. The hippies were tired. It had been a rough stretch of years they were fucking and getting high for revolution. Their genitals were raw and they were strung out beyond repair. So rather than go through the trouble of a real revolution, buy the world a coke, right? That’s powerful mojo. Cokes are cheap. If universal harmony can be achieved by buying one, that’s a good deal.

Now 45 years later, our generation is feeling pretty antsy with the revolutionary mojo, but we’re way more pissed off. We’re not into flowers so much as smashing Nazis. And we don’t want to buy the world a coke. We want the military budget to be cut so it can buy us a future. We want cops to stop killing folks with impunity. We want the education. We want a living wage. We want some motherfucking ice caps. Fuck a coke. And fuck your shoes, Nike. Your shit’s not that hot. We can get some chronicles from somewhere that doesn’t try and reappropriate legitimate anger to sell slave labor.

#articles #Marty Woldman #nike #worker's rights #marxism

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