A Risky Move
Bombay Beach, Salton Sea, California. Photo: Tanya Clarke 2024
You may have noticed if you've visited here before, some changes. For five years and a bit, I've blogged and posted writing prompts at A Picture, A Story.
Lately, I've been thinking about this effort. What is it all for? There are millions of blogs out there covering a vast array of topics and interests. What does one more add, if anything, to this ever-expanding pile? And now, more than ever, the encroachment of AI into creator spaces is becoming more concerning. I don't know about you but I have certainly felt that the need for artists, writers, any person in any form of creative expression is not required anymore. AI can provide it all in the name of efficiency and speed.
Should we all just stop?
Here's a thought: creative outlets give many people a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning, stability in their mental health, and a social network. There is so much more to making things than simply showing the final result.
What does this have to do with this right here right now?
I've decided to use my name as the domain for my website from now on. I need to own my words. I had to add the J from my middle name as when I google Tanya Clarke the top result is an American actress of a similar age but with better hair. We're all different.
When I started A Picture, A Story I did think that further down the line I might sell my photographs. That was not to be. So the domain name began to make less sense to me. I'm not selling a product. I'm not an influencer using social media to market myself. I'm a person who likes to write stuff. And take photos too. If one person reads my words, uses my writing prompts, or enjoys my photographs I'm happy. If that person manages to find little ole me, a needle in the proverbial internet haystack, that's great and frankly incredible.
There are other reasons for the change. There is an obsession with numbers I find unhealthy and have found myself being too focused on those very things. Spending too much time on search engine optimisation, website analytics, the best blog headlines for Google, long tail keywords and the rest. And all that happens is that my writing suffers. Maybe yours does too. I'm not writing this for an algorithm. I'm writing because I want to. I write because I know my friends, my mum, my dad and my sisters read my ramblings and I love that.
In my wanderings around the internet, I find author Seth Godin and his mantra - blog every day. He does and has done so for many years. He appears not to worry about search engines or keywords or the optimum length of a post. What matters to him is showing up every day and publishing his thoughts.
"If you know you have to write a blog post tomorrow, something in writing, something that will be around 6 months from now, about something in the world, you will start looking for something in the world to write about. You will seek to notice something interesting and to say something creative about it. Well, isn’t that all we’re looking for? The best practice of generously sharing what you notice about the world is exactly the antidote for your fear." Seth Godin
Something about this resonates with me. Daily writing will give back to you. Ideas begin to connect, you become more present in the world. You might start noticing things, acknowledging people, hearing conversations, looking at the weather not just at the app. You might begin to notice how your body feels on any given day, your relationships, and the neighbours. You look outward which must be good in our very inward-looking digital world.
So. I will attempt to write and publish a post a few times a week with ideas and thoughts about books, photography and creativity, as well as, a few life stories. For some consistency, there will continue to be a writing prompt posted every Monday and a photo post once a week. I hope you'll be able to join me in this journey of one.
I should probably add that if you're already a subscriber to A Picture, A Story there is nothing you need to do. You will receive my emails as before and don't worry, I won't flood your inbox with my daily musings. For a start, it would cost me and also, I don't want to make anybody angry. So I shall email you one post on a Friday with quick links to other posts from that week for you to read if you wish. You choose.
