Sunday, September 24, 2006

To post, or not to post.

First, it has been one crazy, busy week. Again. I can't believe that I haven't blogged for almost a week! Yikes. School is good, but busy. Scrapping deadlines for Memory Trends all week, and went cropping on Friday night. Then taught a class at my LSS yesterday, and went out to dinner with Bill's aunt, uncle, and his cousin's daughter last night. BUSY. Fun though!

So here is my dilemma. The "to post or not to post" debate. You see, I used to put every layout I did up on three online galleries as soon as I finished them. Immediate feedback. And I would also submit them to mags, etc. But now the requirements that layouts not be seen online have been kicked up a notch. And here is the thing. I have probably 20 layouts I haven't posted online yet. And it's bugging me. Because I've had luck in the past with getting pubbed doing it my tried and true way. Is this really going to help me get pubbed?

Let's take CK for instance. I have never gotten any love from CK. Even when I post a layout on their online gallery, I don't even get a "great adhesive" comment. I get nothing. So I am inclined to believe that I am not their style. Well, alrighty then. Bummer, because I love the magazine. But why hold back layouts when I haven't been pubbed with them before? Is it going to make any difference? I think not.

So why does it bug me to hold back these layouts? I don't know. It just does. Maybe because I'm not scrapping to get pubbed any more. Maybe that just doesn't matter as much to me now. And I'm following the words of wisdom of those that think this is the only way to do it, and I'm not sure I believe that to be true. I haven't listened to the "this is the only way to be successful in the biz" talk before, and I've found a level of success I am really happy with. So why am I doing that now?

Also, with all of the deadline (DT) scrapping I do, I can rarely publically post my work anyway. So how am I going to keep my name "out there" when I'm not putting any of my work out there? I feel like I'm fading into oblivion here, and I'm not sure that is good.

What do you think?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you should post your layouts- especially if you aren't scrapping to get published! I love seeing your work!

Anonymous said...

I love seeying your work too.. thats a given..

I hear you however.. I have the same problem.. about 20 lo's in my secret album.. hidden away..
why?
I don't really know.. because they are good - or I THINK they are good- and.. I hope they will get some lovin'..
then again.. it bugs me massively .. not sharing them..
I LOVED sharing them.. I had a BLAST with the weekend favorites...
*sigh*
hmm..
got pubbed with CK one time.. and I am SOOOOO hoping for another time.. hmm..cuz.. how great it feels to share your stuff...it feels even more great (for me) to see it in print...

so.. I keep sighing.. complaining out loud.. and hoping.. I do not post them. untill the call is over..

like for example.. I made one for CK's chocolate call.. I really LOVE it.. buthmm..so if I see someone tooting for this one.. and my mailbox is empty.. I will post this online..

dunno if that helps you with the issue.. but .. ah well.. this is just my story..

Jana said...

It sounds to me as if you're really not all that sure why you should hold these great layouts back in private so I say go ahead and put them in your galleries unless you might be using them for HOF or some contest like that. Otherwise I say go for it since this method has brought you success in the past. I love looking at your work and would miss it if you quit sharing it with us! Just my two cents!

Anonymous said...

yeh, what "she"(Jana) said. :)

Anonymous said...

I understand where you are coming from. I just started holding back as well and really am only uploading to my Blog some for immediate gratification. It's probably better to play it safe till you know your exact direction.

Norma (localocairis)

Anonymous said...

By the way Kay I meant to also say you have an unbelievably gorgeous gallery. You are very talented !!!!!

Norma

Melanie said...

Kay, I think you should post away! We love seeing your work, and frankly I believe that posting on your own blog is okay - it's just not on any online galleries... and even so, isn't that only *once they've been accepted* that they must be removed from any gallery?

I'm sure most of your fans read your blog anyway and comment here for you...

Unknown said...

Same Boat.

My 2ps gallery is pathetic, really.

I hate that you can't just pull it from the gallery with a "removed for publication" sign. It has to be "unseen." I think it stinks.

I don't know what to do about it either.

Unknown said...

Kay -

I was doing the same thing and wasn't submitting anything I was holding back . . . I was holding them back just in case! How nuts is that!? So I uploaded a bunch of them and let me tell you it felt so freeing!!

I say if you've got layouts that aren't for spring or summer . . . which is what the mags will probably be looking for soon . . . then upload them!! That's what I've decided to do . . . I'll peek at the PubCalls blog before I upload to make sure there aren't any current calls that my layout might be appropriate for if not up they go. If I see a call that I have pictures, paper, and an idea for then if I feel so compelled I can create a layout for it.

This might not work for you but it will work for me because I really don't know how far I might want to go in the industry other than getting a layout here or there published. Right now I'm happy that I've had 6 layouts published in my first year of submitting and it's highlighted by CK Fresh Face and the cover of a Cantata Book.

I do love seeing your work so I hope you decide to post at leat some of your work!