Playing it Smart and Calm

One question I keep coming back to right now is “what does it mean to approach the pandemic in a calm way, as an artist? How do we play it smart?”

Because calm is going to be a valuable commodity for the next few months, as writers and artists of every stripe pivot and adapt. Everyone seemed to launch sales at the start of the pandemic, a knee jerk response to try and stimulate interest in the face of everyone getting hit with financial anxiety at the same time.

But sales are a tactic, not a strategy, and they’ll only last so long. Especially when the sales are pitched as “the ass has just dropped out of our industry, so support us if you want this all to continue,” which is largely speaking to a) your existing fans who, b) want you to continue, and c) are likely to be motivated by a discounted price.

The really interesting responses to the pandemic will start emerging in the next few weeks, as folks lean into what gets them interested in writing to start with and how it can be hacked to fit the state of the world.

Interesting case study, on this front: Alan Baxter leaning into Twitter as a storytelling medium to connect with his readership. You can read the entire thing over on his blog, but it loses a little something with the transition. To get the full effect, go read the story in the twitter thread that starts with this post:

This thread is a thing of beauty, but it’s particularly impressive when you consider Al’s day job as a martial arts instructor has been decimated by pandemic shutdowns.

Far better than any sale announcement, it focuses back on core strategies for storytelling, delivering a kick-ass tale that entertains the readers, plays to the strengths of his medium, and serves as an amuse-bouche that gives a taste of his style and mindset before suggesting that there’s more out there if you’d like to track it down.