Why I quit social media - my advice for artists and creatives

As a writer, the moment I quit using social media and focused on publishing books was the moment I was actually entering the business. Currently I'm working for 2 publications and I barely have a presence online. Social Medias are bubbles and their end goal is to suck your time and attention.

This is why I do what they call "post and ghost". I make my art whenever I feel like it, post it on the couple social media accounts I have, then leave. Rinse and repeat. It's better than quitting entirely but it lets me not have to worry about staying engaged and appeasing the algorithm.

I quit a job at a studio and went freelancer so I could get better payments and more freedom. Social media is a far worse boss than the ones I had before. You can't negotiate, you have to produce like a machine and taking a week off is punished. Keep in mind this is just the promoting your work part, you still have to do your main work to be able to pay your bills. And at the end of the day you have to compete with girls dancing, cute animals and food.

As a musician it's been so difficult to keep up with social media, compose, produce, rehearse, AND work a day job to support myself. I think we would all be happier without social media. It's like a constant blow to confidence and creativity and feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

I find it‘s illogical how most people judge value of an artist through number of followers that artist has on social media.

I quit while my accounts were growing for three reasons, 1. I had more people stealing my art then commissioning it. 2. The hundreds of DMs from people wanting me to work for them for free/cheap. 3. I was becoming more interested in growing my account then my actual work. I’ve never made a dime from social media sales in two years....it was pointless for me. Glad people liked what I was doing, but can’t pay bills serving as a free designer and with hearts and likes. Best decision ever for me to get back to doing what I love, free from distraction.

As a person who is just trying to make a living doing what she loves (art), social media is so draining. At times, it feels like the only way I can find work and all. But here's the kicker - I hate social media. I hate that I have to appease an algorithm. I hate that I have to post to Instagram stories as micro-content to generate more reach. I spend so much time on social media and trying to crack the code just to find work. It's annoying that the algorithm changes constantly. First it was okay to use 30 hashtags, but now suddenly you might get marked for spam if you use all 30 and your reach is limited. It feels like it's never-ending. I took a break from social media for about 3-4 months and I felt so relaxed. I enjoyed art. I was creating it for myself, not for a trend. But I wound up going back to it, head held high, just "knowing" things were going to be different this time. I am 2 weeks in and I am just exhausted. At this rate, I'm considering going back to school to work in a creative field that doesn't require me to use social media. I know I'm late to the party, but I wanna say that what you say in your video is very true. You were very well spoken and I agree with you. I hope you and your art are thriving. <3

I am an artist who hates social media but looking around me and seeing my friend-artists getting popular makes me convence myself that this is what I should be doing and ignoring the fact that I get anxious every time I post because it makes my judge my own art according to how many people liked and commented on it. Sometimes I’d be very excited about a piece of art that I did, and actually my feelings about it change after posting it and not getting the attention I thought it would get. It’s basically killing my creativity and I know it but I’m doing it because other people are doing it and I don’t see any other way

I think the "magic" of being an artist has been lost. Flicking through sketchbooks, seeing canvases in real life, feeling the aura of an artistic person- all of that has a life and soul, that doesn't fit into a square insta posting. Thank you for your thoughts, they are highly appreciated!

I havent watched the video but I'm going to guess a few reasons. 1. algorithm 2. creatively draining 3. original work doesn't get any attention 4. its pay to be viewed 5. art work is meant to be looked at longer than 1.5 seconds 6. it feels like a competition with no reward 7. want to create for more than likes and comments Let's see how I do, and let me also say, all of these, and more and 100% valid reasons to abandon IG as an artist. I left IG a year and a half ago, and it's been amazing for my creativity

As a 63yr old artist, it is really heartening to hear a younger artist speak about developing concentration skills in order to deepen ones artistic development. I suppose the 147 thumbs down are people who disagree with this idea, but clearly so many others feel resonance with the idea that social media, though perhaps broadening our reach, also takes away an important aspect of development in the quest for individual artistic expression, or any expression for that matter. Maybe this high tech driven lifestyle we've been thrown into, is a moment of experimentation? I think it would do us good to go back to that feeling of discomfort that comes when the mind is not able to distract itself every millisecond of every moment. If we were not able to distract ourselves, what would happen if instead, we re-invested in feeling, allow it to be, and then, allow it to lead our artistic hearts to a more authentic creative experience. ??

with the upcoming metaverse this topic gets to a new level of insanity! all you creative souls, claim back your power and thrive on a personal dimension! our physical world needs your beauty more than ever <3

You mention how seeing likes realeases dopamine, but you don’t mention how NOT seeing ANY likes on a pice you worked hours and hours on, and were really proud to post, releases some sort of depression chemical... cuz oh boy, it sure does. That has been my biggest issue, and it’s nearly gotten me to quit art.

I completely get where you're coming from, I do think social media impacts artists creativity in ways people might not even realise. Personally I posted art on social media ever since I started high school and after a few years I realised my relationship to my art was actually changing. Instead of being excited to create something new I put pressure on myself to follow what was the 'right' way to market your art online. Instead of growing my skillset, I suddenly had a deadline to post something new every week to keep up engagement, and to post something everyone would like and something that would be popular, so I had to keep up with what was popular, keep on top of new trends and memes and contests that artists were taking part in so I could get some views too... After a while I lost connection with what I actually wanted to draw and just drew what I thought other people wanted me to draw. Of course you're not actually "forced" to upload art online in this way, but it's what people are doing, so you get caught up in it. Some people make it work for them. It just stressed me out, I couldn't. These days, I'm starting to finally realise what kind of art I actually like to make, what's actually natural for me to make. If I start posting online full time again, I want to create art in the way that works for me. I'll let social media just be one part of it, not the whole picture. Great video :)

I went to an art university and this video reminded me of that one course that was focused on marketing and "creating a brand" as an artist. I remember our professor was visibly irritated with me when I went against her opinion and claimed that I don't think social media will be beneficial for me as an artist. Basically her outlook was that I can't succeed as an artist without a social media presence on at least three platforms. LOL! You explain here really well why this isn't sustainable. A clothing designer told me it can take an entire day for her to create a post, that it's exhausting and takes valuable time away from her actual work!

Social media has proven itself to be a cancer upon Humanity. Everything you said is something I've gone through on a much smaller scale

When you put your art up on social media, people look at it for like 3 seconds and then decide to maybe like it, maybe comment on it, but then they just scroll away and it's completely forgotten. I had remade Twitter and Instagram to participate in inktober, but when I realized that's how it was, I just deleted my accounts again. I spent maybe a week on there. I quit for good and I'm never looking back.

Hey everyone, thank you for all of your replies and comments. I'm glad the video is still circulating, and that more artists are discovering they don't need social media to succeed. 💚 I'd like to know from you: should I make an update video on this topic after one year without social media? What would you like to know or ask me? Leave your questions or thoughts below!

I quit all social media 4 years ago besides YT, Reddit & Discord (For learning / Viewing art projects) … I am much happier & mentally/emotionally healthier. It’s amazing the value you gain from cutting out all the venomous ignorance & toxic behaviors. 🙏

Writers have to have an "author platform" before a traditional publisher will even look at them. I have no interest in social media (other than youtube which I do enjoy). Gone are the days when an artist could be an eccentric recluse happily locked away in their studio making art. Now we are also expected to be a "social media influencer with thousands of loyal fans who already know and consume my content . We have to know about a lot of things we don't care about at all., but because we care about the art we learn to package and promote ourselves when all we want to do is create.