The latest Modern Art comic drops us into group therapy for artists—our singer-songwriter is spiraling. She’s depressed, stuck in a loop of comparing herself to others on Instagram. Everyone looks like they’re doing better. Everyone’s on tour, getting published, releasing albums, selling out shows, posting behind-the-scenes reels of their deeply fulfilling, curated lives.
Meanwhile, she can’t even make art. She’s too busy making content.
When the therapist suggests taking a break from social media, she stares at them like they’ve lost their mind. A break? From the only thing keeping me visible? From the thing that lets people know I exist?
That fear is real. We’ve been conditioned to believe that if we’re not online, constantly posting, we’ve disappeared. That if we take even one day off from shouting into the void, someone else will take our spot.
But what if that’s a lie?
What if logging off, even a little, is exactly what our art needs?
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5 Offline Ways Creatives Can Promote Their Work (That Might Actually Work Better)
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1. Create or Join Small-Scale Local Events
Readings, house shows, pop-up exhibits, open mics, creative meetups, skillshares—whatever your medium is, there’s a way to share it live. You don’t need a massive crowd. You need a room of 12 people who actually care. That’s more valuable than 1,200 likes from strangers.
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2. Collaborate Across Mediums
Musicians teaming up with writers for zines. Comics creators working with podcasters. Poets scoring short films. Creatives working together make unique, memorable projects—and everyone brings their own audience to the table. You become part of a network, not just a solo feed.
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3. Make Tangible Work (and Put It Where People Can Touch It)
Zines. Chapbooks. Hand-burned CDs. Flash drives with secret content. Live bootlegs. Folded lyric sheets. Photocopied manifestos. Hang them in cafés. Drop them in library book returns. Leave them in bathrooms. The real world is full of unexpected spaces waiting to be claimed.
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4. Use Email (It’s Not Dead)
Start a monthly or seasonal email or get on Substack. Make it feel like a letter, not a sales pitch. Share your process, what you’re struggling with, what you’re excited about. People who sign up actually want to hear from you—and no algorithm will bury your message.
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5. Make Yourself Discoverable in Analog Ways
Print a small flyer. A one-sheet. A calling card. Leave it in places where your people go—record stores, bookstores, bulletin boards, coworking spaces. Include what you do, where to find more, and why it matters. People still look at stuff. Especially when it’s made with intention.
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Social media can help. But if it’s making you miserable, stealing your time, and keeping you from actually creating—what are you really building?
This comic’s songwriter is fictional. But the feeling is real. As the guy who made her up, I’ve felt it too.
So here’s the truth: you don’t have to be online all the time to matter. You just have to make something worth sharing—and then share it in ways that don’t drain you. That’s not giving up. That’s choosing to exist in a way that keeps your art alive.
Take it easy,
James
