by Davis Jameson

Sponsored by Solfeggio and the Seas

Look, you’re not here to be a well-kept secret. If you’re a painter, a musician, a designer, a writer—whatever form your creativity takes—you probably didn’t fall in love with your craft just to keep it tucked in a drawer or buried in your camera roll. And while the fantasy of getting “discovered” is still alive and well in most creatives’ heads, the reality is that discovery isn’t a lightning bolt moment. It’s a slow, sometimes gritty burn. But here’s the upside: there are ways to build that fire yourself—and keep it lit.

Talk About Your Work Before It’s “Done”

Waiting for your project to be perfect is like waiting for the train that’s already been canceled. If you’re constantly polishing and tweaking and hiding, you’re missing the window where momentum lives. Talk about your work while it’s still in progress. Share sketches, snippets, half-formed thoughts. That transparency makes people feel like they’re part of your journey. And when they feel like they’re part of something, they stick around—and bring others with them. Perfection doesn’t build an audience. Process does.

Make Your Own Scene If One Doesn’t Exist

The gatekeepers? They’re still out there, but their power is weaker than it used to be. That means if you’re in a city or niche that feels like a creative desert, you don’t have to move to Brooklyn or LA to find your people. Start a monthly zine. Host a pop-up show in your backyard. Organize a virtual reading. Make your own ecosystem. The people who find you through these scenes will be more loyal than the ones who stumble across you via an algorithm. And yes, it takes more effort—but so does anything worth doing.

Say No to Generic Online Advice

There’s an ocean of clickbait out there promising to “explode your following” or “triple your reach” in 30 days. Ignore it. You are not an e-commerce brand. You’re a human being trying to connect with other humans through what you create. The best creative careers are built through specificity, not trends. Instead of chasing the latest tip about posting frequency or TikTok hacks, spend that energy getting clearer on your own voice. That’s the stuff that cuts through the noise and makes people stop scrolling.

Sharpen Your Business Instincts

You don’t need to become a corporate robot to benefit from a business degree—far from it. Going back to school can give you the foundational skills that most creatives never learn: how to price your work, speak confidently about its value, and market yourself without feeling gross. When you understand things like budgeting, branding, and basic sales, you stop fumbling through pitches and start owning your worth. If you’re trying to balance art and education, you may like this—an online degree program that lets you keep creating while sharpening your business sense at the same time.

Collaborate Outside Your Circle

One of the best ways to be seen is to connect with people who don’t already follow you. That means collaboration—but not just with folks who do what you do. A poet teaming up with a fashion designer. A ceramicist working with a filmmaker. Those unexpected pairings create work that surprises people, and surprise is magnetic. Even better? You each bring your audiences into the mix, and if it’s authentic, they’ll stick around for what’s next.

Use Platforms—Don’t Let Them Use You

Yes, social media is a tool, but it’s not the entire toolbox. Don’t let follower counts convince you you’re invisible. Some of the most successful working artists have modest digital footprints and strong offline networks. That said, if you’re using platforms, use them intentionally. Instagram for visuals, Substack for essays, YouTube for process videos. Choose two max and commit to doing them well. The algorithm may be moody, but consistency and honesty still get noticed over time.

Stop Waiting for External Validation

There’s a difference between being recognized and being ready. Most people think they need a big break before they can really take themselves seriously. That mindset will keep you broke and bitter. Treat your work like it matters now—before anyone gives you permission. Invest in your craft. Print your zine. Book the show. When you act like you belong, people start to believe you do. The irony is that discovery often comes after you’ve stopped chasing it.

Make It Easy to Find You

Here’s the most boring but necessary advice: clean up your digital house. That means a working website with your name on it. A contact email that doesn’t look like spam bait. A portfolio that’s not 17 clicks deep. If someone stumbles across your work and can’t figure out who you are or what to do next, they’re gone. You don’t need to be fancy—just findable. Make it easy for the right people to say yes to you.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about chasing virality. It’s about building a creative life that feels worth waking up for. Getting discovered might sound like a flashbulb moment, but it’s really a series of small decisions: to show up, to share, to collaborate, to try again. The people who make a living off their passion are rarely the loudest in the room—they’re just the ones who stuck with it long enough to be heard. So start now. Don’t wait. Make it easy for the world to find you, and even easier to remember why they came.

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