I feel like I should tell you before we start that this post has been in the works for a few days and it turned out a lot less angry than I originally thought it would. Okay, go on...
I really enjoy sharing things with people. I like to talk about experiences and I think we will all learn quicker if we share what we know... but there are certain things I just don't feel okay about sharing. There are certain questions I don't want to answer.
Sometimes people ask me:
Where do I get my materials from? How do I make certain pieces? What kind of ____ do I use? Where can ___ be bought? Can you tell me how you do this so I can do it too?
I don't want to share this with people. I share a lot of various tips for selling online and specifically on Etsy on my other blog. I share a lot of information about "making" and I feel good about that - I like to do that. I enjoy empowering other people to break down their own creative barriers. But I do not like it when people ask me questions about how to do "my thing."
It's "my thing" for a very good reason: I do this kind of stuff, my way, with my sensibility, with all my knowledge and experience behind it.
Sure go ahead and try to figure it out yourself, that's fine*, but don't ask me how to do it... what good is that to you?
You are probably thinking: "Danielle, you rant about people copying all the time, you are obviously NOT okay with it..."
That's true, I'm not okay with it... but it happens, and if people want to reverse engineer something they see, I guess they can, but I won't respect it, I won't look at it and think "wow what a brilliant, original work." And as much as I am absolutely irked by the idea that just because I put something online means anyone can take that and run with it - I do truly and honestly believe that no one will ever be able to do my thing with the precision, articulation, attention as I do. No one will ever be able to duplicate my thing my way.
I've always believed this. No one can have my personality, my experiences, my vision, my sense of color, my hand - those things belong to me.
I've also always believed that ideas are like pennies in a piggy bank and you should be careful who you share things with.
But I really do get annoyed when people want to know specific things about my process.
There is a reason why only like, two people know the Coca Cola recipe.
Trade secrets exist for a reason...
Everyone has influences and outside inspiration - duh. It's impossible not to... but everyone has, in some capacity, their own creative vision. And everyone should take advantage of that - of their own creativity.
Take what you see, feel inspired, twist it around with your ideas and make something that is unique to you.
I always welcome questions, but I prefer them to be questions about experiences or conversation starters... I like to help people, I really do, but I don't like to feel all weird in my stomach over questions that are followed by the claim that "I'll never sell your work, I just want to know how you make it." (Look, I wasn't born yesterday, and I'm sorry internet person who I have never spoken to before but, geez, my best friends don't even know half this stuff...)
So please, don't ask me about how I do my thing, ask me why I do it, or what I like about it, or where I make it, or what inspires me, but don't ask me the technical stuff... I can't transfer that over anyway, it's all just in me somewhere... or out there somewhere for anyone who can find it to buy it. Let's talk about real things, things that aren't about parts and labor.
When I win the handmade-grammy award for best original work on fabric, this will be part of my speech... after I thank mom and dad of course...
*raises handmade grammy trophy award, smiles widely*
"You don't get to this point by being dishonest or deceitful. Your own vision is your most valuable resource and I thank the people who supported and nurtured that in me, and of course, the academy..."
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