D'oh

[mizarchivist]

So, Magpie says they're not able to take any of my work on consignment. They say that polymer clay doesn't sell well there in their experience. They sent me to Blue Cloud, which is artier. I'd heard of them via n0ire, anyway, so this makes sense. I've also not yet followed through on any Lexington boutiques quite yet. They're more upscale than Magpie, so the likelihood of being told "no" seems more likely than not.  Yeah. I'm not fond nor good at dealing with this part of art. Rejection sucks. It feels like a boot to the solar plexus. Reject my art, reject me is what it boils down to. I prefer limited amounts of rejection at a time, so there shall be no full-scale campaign waged on twee boutiques.
In the meantime, I need to acquire supplies to jazz the finished product: paint pen to sign them all and enamel paint to give the insides a more finished look.
If any of my fellow local crafters have any plans to do craft shows this summer, I have more time than usual to devote to such things, so if you want to go in on a table, let me know. Or something.
EDIT: fast and leadless rejection from Blue Cloud. I bet I can get a hat trick by the end of the day. A friend works at a place that has in-house craft fairs every few months. Yeah, I can tell. Hat trick day.

Comments

[tisana.livejournal.com]

You get serious points for being brave enough to try, though. That takes eggs.

And yeah, maybe the reason I never try putting my work out there for sale is that I really don't want to have to hear "No." There's such an investment in something you make, you don't want to hear that it's not good enough for someone. It's little bits of you! How can it not be good enough?

[mizarchivist]

Thanks. It's good to hear that just trying is a tough thing. I have been feeling a bit bratty and childish for feeling so bummed by the obstacle of "no."
It is little bits of me. I do pour way too much of my emotions and such into my work.
I feel grateful that I have folks I know who like what I do well enough to put their money where their mouth is, however the big leap is when strangers find value in what you do. It transcends. I believe the friends like my work really and for true, but still. They're also (happily) biased.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

It's not the right context, but it can apply. This is one of my all-time favorite single webcomics: The Tao of Rayne (http://www.leasticoulddo.com/comic/20050525) (one of a handful).

[mizarchivist]

Very good point- thankee!
I *am* pleased that my friends value my work enough to occasionally buy it. If I do get one "yes" from a retail outlet, I'll be over the moon. I've still not heard from 2 of the 4 I'd sent introductions to, so hope still lives.

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there in the first place.

I am very glad to have the pieces that I do and I enjoy them very much.

[mizarchivist]

Thanks. Like I told Tisana, it's good to hear that the act of trying is in and of itself a brave thing.

It is always very cool to see my stuff being worn by other people. I see it at work and at parties, but now also at the diner on my Saturday pre-grocery breakfast. It alwyas feels like a symbol of my tribe's acceptance of me.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

"full-scale campaign waged on twee boutiques"

Ooo, there's an idea with potential. And potential explosions.

[mizarchivist]

You have succeeded in making the grumpy girl giggle out loud. Thank you, darling.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Reject my art, reject me is what it boils down to.

Oh, hon. I hate to hear you set yourself up for hurt like that. I'm afraid that you might either need to distance yourself from your art or develop a tough skin if you continue to peddle your crafts.

::many hugs::

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

I'm re-reading this and it might have come out sort of condescending, which was honestly not my intent. I'm worried about you because I know that you pour your heart and soul into everything you do. It's scary to put yourself out there (I know) and it would be awful if you were hurt because of other people's lack of Vision. You are wonderful and talented and other people's purchasing decisions (which may be based on all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with whether or not your art is good) shouldn't have power of you.

I know, easier said than done.

[mizarchivist]

I was not feeling condescended to. You're right: I have to toughen up or not put myself in the position, given my attachment to my work.
I mostly feel like I just need to find the right group and/or environment. The problem is, I'm not willing to invest a lot more of my time to make that happen, so I have to be willing to have it not go as fast as I'd like. Because you know me: ever so patient. Oh wait... that'd be someone else. Thanks again, m'dear

[mizarchivist]

You are not wrong. I'm going to keep trying, though. There's a reason why I don't do sales for a living. Or even do cold calls for political groups. Multiple rejections in a short span of time makes me physically ill in the anxious/freaked way.

One of the reasons why I love the con art shows is that I can put myself out there at minimal cost and now minimal effort and walk away. The one time I tried dealer's row at Arisia, wow. A lesson learned on what not to do when you're emotionally involved. I do MUCH better selling at the flea for LBD. If someone walks away from that I don't feel so slighted.

Safe to say I won't be making crafting the way I earn my living. Let's just hope my friends and relations REALLY like decorative tins, because that's the default present til I find the magic selling point. Hee hee. ... heh...ugh. *thump*
In the meantime, I will try for thicker skin.

[lizzielizzie.livejournal.com]

I've felt as you do about my work. And I still get infuriated when some morons says, "$25?? Who would pay $25 for THAT??" Ignorant fools.

I've finally started getting to the point where, when someone walks away from my stuff, I say, "their loss!" It sounds egotistical, but I've decided I don't care. :-)

[drwex]

I completely understand the feeling of being emotionally invested in one's creations. Of course you "know" they're not you and rejecting them isn't rejecting you-the-person. But damn that's how it feels.

I will also agree that being willing to risk rejection is a brave and good forward step.

If you like, I'll share with you the proposed solution that I gleaned from a writer's workshop when discussing this very problem in relation to fiction we had written.

[mizarchivist]

what the hell. Share away. I just added the new info to the original post of another rejection and one more to go.
This totally sucks, especially when there aren't even leads.

[drwex]

In a word: agents.

What we were advised (and I did for a while) was to find someone else and be agents for each other. This other person is attempting to place and sell your works and you are attempting to place and sell theirs. If you succeed you get the standard 10% cut.

By exchanging services in this way you have a reasonably equal level of motivation to succeed (if you slack off selling their stuff they might slack off selling yours). You also achieve the level of detachment that is necessary to get rejections and move on. As you noted, it's much easier to sell LBD stuff than your own. You might feel sorry for your friend who isn't selling his stuff but you don't feel it as a personal rejection - or so the theory goes.

Each person agrees to supply her agent with stuff to sell and lists of places to try out. In return the agent agrees not to bother you with trivia, but promptly inform you of successes. Asking for intermediate updates is up to you.

I tried this experiment myself with a co-writer for a few months and although I didn't generate any sales (nor did he) the practice was enough to get me out of my deep funk over every rejection. YMMV of course. I also found that by hearing the reasons for the other person getting rejected I was learning how to improve the potential for sale of my own stuff.

[mizarchivist]

That is a good idea. I have had the thought several times that I'm not cut out to sell my own stuff.
So on a day that sucks less than this, mayhap I'll find another crafter who is in the same bind.

[sebastian-tombs.livejournal.com]

a belated good luck!