AI has turned big tech against the artists. Google has abandoned it’s much-vaunted, but ultimately bullshit, “Don’t Be Evil” motto and, it seems, has replaced it with, “Be Evil if it turns a profit."
You don't know how happy I am to hear that you no longer use AI images! I noticed more of our art in your letters but didn't realize you had taken a stand and you have reached respect level 10!
On another note, the artists using social media and SEO (myself included) should consider the source of their sales. If no sales come from social media but always come when you send a newsletter, stop spending so much time on social media and get to writing heart-felt letters to existing collectors and people who have already said they want to hear from you. This goes a long way.
Regarding AI images. It took some organization and time to "kick" the AI habit. Before we could start using artist images we had to build up a library of images that were possibilities and develop a system for finding more each week and adding to that library. It's not so hard now that I've got the systems in place, but before we had that it was much easier to reach for stock photography or AI. On the rare instance I use AI now (which is extremely rare and only for fiction), I also feature a human artist or credit a month to a FASO artist. Even with the systems in place, there are times that I search for art for more time than it took to write and edit the article. I had a helluva time with the art for my Harry Potter patronus piece, but that might have been because it was so specific to that novel.
I agree with you. I have found social media isn't nearly as important as most people claim. It takes a lot of time for very little payoff. This is by design. The social media companies don't allow one to link out and they suppress posts with links. That is unconscionable. We provide ALL the content that builds their companies and they don't even allow us to reap a benefit. It is messed up. Posts with links should be BOOSTED, not suppressed and I'm not playing that game anymore. I don't work for Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. I fear the day is coming we must take a stand even if it costs us sales.
THNX Clint. Very well written. Please go to my F-book and X accounts and follow me. I am on both these social media sites IN PROTEST. If you are on either of these sites I urge you to at least read my messages and post/reply or follow. THNX -David Bowman X Wintermute.
I thought this was great! I could feel the fire in every word and it's inspiring to me. my favorite part was "Be Your Own Bitch". Thanks for speaking about this and sharing some much needed info. I've heard Duck Duck Go is a good private.
FYI, your crass approach to this article is a bit of a turn-off. The bitchy bullshit lingo feels juvenile and wasn't necessary. Couldn't get past the subhead, tbh
Well sometimes a bitchy attitude is needed to draw attention to the fact that artists are getting screwed. Sometimes a rare curse word is warranted. At least people actually read and engaged with this article, when they usually don't. And it's an important issue. I'm surprised more artists aren't up in arms about it.
I also find it kind of sad that I get so many responses artists telling me to watch my language (which was a quote from a tech investor which you would see if you had actually read the article) but those people don't seem to be upset that big tech is screwing them over. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Personally I'd rather deal with the person who uses colorful language and always has my back than the person who communicates slickly but silently stabs me in the back.
In any case, the good news is, we've run this newsletter for 18 years now and run only about three articles in that time with "bitchy bullshit lingo."
the term Bitch is a derogatory term for a woman. While it has come into the general lexicon it is still an insult, as in “ don’t be someone or something’s bitch”. It is these kinds of subtle references that keep the hierarchy in place, In this case, “a woman’s place”.
It HAS entered the general lexicon and it is, in this usage, a derogatory term for EVERYONE (plus it originated in the quote I shared), not only women.
I don't think another word captures the level of how upset it makes me that Google and other big tech treats artists, as, well, their b**tch.
I feel like you, and everyone, should be far more upset about how screwed we're getting by big tech, increasingly, and by how much AI is being shoved down our throats (after being trained on our content) than we should be upset about the usage of a word in the general lexicon used to bring light to the fact that you're getting screwed.
Would you rather fight the usage of the word? Or would you rather fight back against the companies actually treating you in such an insulting manner?
I'm not keeping anyone "in their place," but Google and Meta are.
Are you ready to stand up to them as you're standing up to me here?
Thank you Clint for watching out for us!! I quit using Google over a year ago and switched to Brave which is much more private.
Wow! You're ahead of me, I haven't even thought of switching browsers but you bring up a great point.
This is a great read. And the Art says it all. Thank you
Yes, I was lucky to find some good art for this one!
I am an artist and after reading this article I’m going to look into a FASO website. Thank you
Thanks!
You don't know how happy I am to hear that you no longer use AI images! I noticed more of our art in your letters but didn't realize you had taken a stand and you have reached respect level 10!
On another note, the artists using social media and SEO (myself included) should consider the source of their sales. If no sales come from social media but always come when you send a newsletter, stop spending so much time on social media and get to writing heart-felt letters to existing collectors and people who have already said they want to hear from you. This goes a long way.
Regarding AI images. It took some organization and time to "kick" the AI habit. Before we could start using artist images we had to build up a library of images that were possibilities and develop a system for finding more each week and adding to that library. It's not so hard now that I've got the systems in place, but before we had that it was much easier to reach for stock photography or AI. On the rare instance I use AI now (which is extremely rare and only for fiction), I also feature a human artist or credit a month to a FASO artist. Even with the systems in place, there are times that I search for art for more time than it took to write and edit the article. I had a helluva time with the art for my Harry Potter patronus piece, but that might have been because it was so specific to that novel.
I did a Hogwart's piece years ago. Wish I had known you were looking!
Well, I was looking for very specific subjects around Harry casting the patronus of the stag that drove back the dementors at the lake.
I agree with you. I have found social media isn't nearly as important as most people claim. It takes a lot of time for very little payoff. This is by design. The social media companies don't allow one to link out and they suppress posts with links. That is unconscionable. We provide ALL the content that builds their companies and they don't even allow us to reap a benefit. It is messed up. Posts with links should be BOOSTED, not suppressed and I'm not playing that game anymore. I don't work for Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. I fear the day is coming we must take a stand even if it costs us sales.
By the way, we used one of your images to illustrate a newsletter not long ago, an excellent piece by Matt Cardin about the purpose of art: https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-purpose-of-art
Thanks! I saw the article and the traffic on my website was amazing!
Thanks. That’s good to know. I wondered if anyone would actually click through. Glad that people are.
THNX Clint. Very well written. Please go to my F-book and X accounts and follow me. I am on both these social media sites IN PROTEST. If you are on either of these sites I urge you to at least read my messages and post/reply or follow. THNX -David Bowman X Wintermute.
I thought this was great! I could feel the fire in every word and it's inspiring to me. my favorite part was "Be Your Own Bitch". Thanks for speaking about this and sharing some much needed info. I've heard Duck Duck Go is a good private.
FYI, your crass approach to this article is a bit of a turn-off. The bitchy bullshit lingo feels juvenile and wasn't necessary. Couldn't get past the subhead, tbh
Well sometimes a bitchy attitude is needed to draw attention to the fact that artists are getting screwed. Sometimes a rare curse word is warranted. At least people actually read and engaged with this article, when they usually don't. And it's an important issue. I'm surprised more artists aren't up in arms about it.
I also find it kind of sad that I get so many responses artists telling me to watch my language (which was a quote from a tech investor which you would see if you had actually read the article) but those people don't seem to be upset that big tech is screwing them over. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Personally I'd rather deal with the person who uses colorful language and always has my back than the person who communicates slickly but silently stabs me in the back.
In any case, the good news is, we've run this newsletter for 18 years now and run only about three articles in that time with "bitchy bullshit lingo."
it's up to you bro, this is your soapbox... I'll just keep my comments to myself going forward, you do you.
Thank you!
Thanks for this information, Clint!
You’re welcome!
the term Bitch is a derogatory term for a woman. While it has come into the general lexicon it is still an insult, as in “ don’t be someone or something’s bitch”. It is these kinds of subtle references that keep the hierarchy in place, In this case, “a woman’s place”.
It HAS entered the general lexicon and it is, in this usage, a derogatory term for EVERYONE (plus it originated in the quote I shared), not only women.
I don't think another word captures the level of how upset it makes me that Google and other big tech treats artists, as, well, their b**tch.
I feel like you, and everyone, should be far more upset about how screwed we're getting by big tech, increasingly, and by how much AI is being shoved down our throats (after being trained on our content) than we should be upset about the usage of a word in the general lexicon used to bring light to the fact that you're getting screwed.
Would you rather fight the usage of the word? Or would you rather fight back against the companies actually treating you in such an insulting manner?
I'm not keeping anyone "in their place," but Google and Meta are.
Are you ready to stand up to them as you're standing up to me here?