2022 Writing Log 30

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I have weird feelings about all of this, but they’re not worth discussing. There’s no need to feel shame over adding art to the world.

Notes on Being an Ancient Eldritch Being on Social Media

> I have weird feelings about all of this, but they’re not worth discussing.

Maybe they are worth discussing a little.

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Anyway, this isn't a cry for help or attention. Instead, I want to lay the groundwork for a broader point: I think there's a lot of shame about being an "older" creator who's starting from scratch in their thirties. This is especially the case for someone like me, who is creating "young" work (like genre fiction and comic art) but has no interest in trying to pass as a young person on social media. This shame isn't merely internal; it also affects how people perceive you and react to you in real life.

Which is wild, because expecting creative people to achieve success within the current social media hellscape no later than age 25 is some bizarre YA sci-fi dystopia brainrot. And, as always, I blame capitalism. I understand why the system wants to promote young and previously unpublished people too inexperienced to know how to ask for higher royalty percentages and signing bonuses, but I think it should go without saying that work made by people who aren't fresh out of university also has value.

Personally speaking, I have nothing but love and respect for "older" writers and artists who have a second-act character development or career change.