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I'm a hobbyist photographer and I've had many well-meaning friends tell me I should turn it into a side hustle. Monetization just couldn't be farther from what I find rewarding about taking pictures.

I do woodworking as a hobby. When people ask me how much it'd cost to make something for them, I always give a "Fuck off I don't want to" price because I don't want to but if they want to pay the insane amount, I will still do it. No one's taken up my offer lol

I have the same strategy! Normally I just laugh but when they persist I do the math and that usually gets them to back off.

This has happened so far with: sourdough, bread loaf, homemade salsa, and several other things that used to be fairly common skills that now are treated like black magic.

It’s been detrimental to my art. I literally stopped trying new things because of this mindset and now I’m having to unlearn it in my 30’s…

I can understand the viewpoint of wanting to share a passion with others, but I think the modern era tends to put financial and social pressure over actual personal fulfillment. Certainly doesn’t help that the social online world is very hostile towards anything they barely know.

Is it bad that I imagined this being said by Spamton

Totally. If someone is able to make art they enjoy AND make a living doing so, that's awesome! But the trick is not prioritizing "soul-sucking but profitable" over "soul-enriching but unmarketable." And that's what I realize I'm bad at and need to work on.

I heard a story on NPR a few years ago about how when parents try to encourage their kids pursuit of interests they came to on their own, with various rewards, it ended up undermining their interest in those things.

'Hey, that's a nice folder of family photos, be a real shame if we convinced you to pay us to keep and access it'.

Yes!

and it's sad when you're forced into it for survival and not even just to make a side hustle, it really is depressing. wish we could have fun hobbies that didn't even have to be monetized.

Competition, likewise. Hey, I see you lift weights/run fast/bake great cakes. How about you do that in a contest, making your fun something that has to peak on a certain day! No thank you.

I tend to write at a bar because it's somewhere that isn't my house. People often ask about my stories and I've lost track of how many times I've experienced this. It always feels so patronizing, too. As if I'll respond, 'Gods, you mean people will actually pay for art?! I never thought of that!'

My parents dont understand why I don't show them or anyone else in my family my artwork. Maybe if they shut the fuck up about stuff I already know and leave me to my own business 🫥. It's especially bad when it comes from people who don't even know what kind of art you like or make.

This was me and Magic, I loved learning & performing for my friends... Then was convinced to do it as a career. The stress and anxiety got so bad I packed it all in... It's been 15 years and I think I'm just about ready to try pick up a deck of cards again

God this is so real

this is written like spamton g spamton dialogue

oof

But…but… “think about the economy” 🙃 Genuinely feels like there’s a movement of people doing hobbies for the sake of doing them atm and im so here for it!

Are you talking about the Argos’ kicker job? 🤔

I build elaborate cardboard box buildings for our cat and folks keep saying I should sell them and I'm like haha no.

Yeah, I think that's why I can't write for myself anymore, I've had writers block for the last couple years. I was a professional writer for enough years that now I think I need to get fairly compensated for the work, which is true, but if I like doing it anyway I should just do it...

Coriolanus

I had someone ask if I'd ever consider teaching a jigsaw puzzling class because I was doing a mini puzzle at a bar. Why no, I do not want to turn my sublimely untethered from work or obligations hobby into a side hustle, thanks.

literally saw a comment on tiktok the other day that was "i'm a traditional artist looking to branch out into digital art, is [advice from the tiktok] a good starting point?" and someone replied "don't go into digital art, it's overpopulated" unrespectfully who asked,

Pennies I tells ya!

As someone is slightly interested in picking up guitar myself. I'm curious did you go for electric or acoustic?

"If you're good at something, never do it for free." - the fucking Joker, the Villain of the movie the line is from (whose life philosophy is refuted by the events of said movie), talking about killing Batman, the protagonist, to a room full of other antagonists

H-hey, its not my fault that nobody will hire me... :<

Exactly

Mind = blown

THIS!!!

I remind my mom about this every other year or so

I make a Christmas card design every year and get it printed to send to friends & family. Every year, like clockwork: "you should sell these!" Okay, but. I don't. Wanna!!! It's a gift made with love. It's already hard for my brain to finish on time. Why would I turn that into a horrible grind???

There's a great a Ryan George sketch about this, I'll try and dig it out.

Exactly! I saw through this trap in college, when I switched from jazz studies to journalism after about 2 weeks. I realized I'd much rather be a good drummer and like playing drums than be a great drummer and absolutely hate it

Trying to make photography a career I could enjoy 12 years ago, has made me lose a good deal of passion for it. I still enjoy the occasional nature candid shot, but the spark is small now for photography. Getting better, but it's taken so long.

bsky.app/profile/moon...

100% about me/job though 💔

It literally took me about four decades to realise making music is fun and rewarding just for the sheer hell of it, no thanks to my high school music teacher. I’ve since learned just hooking up headphones and noodling away on a synth or whatever can absolutely be a portal to my Happy Place

you're halfway to #Enlightenment brains love life (relate) but must eat life (profit) emotions arise out of that paradox to explain reality choosing peace is smart. try grieving what you eat as lost relationship, thinking in stories of causes and effects, and your brain will light up in new ways

That is good and wise! I think people are bad at acknowledging when they're actually happy. I was going to say 'actually content' but written down it had a much more depressing interpretation :(

there is, and it's called universal basic income!

There is! It’s called slowcl.app This is actually such a good way to describe exactly why I built it.

😫

YES! Also, unironically saying the words "passive income" should launch you into space

Don't make your hobby your main job. Find a secondary job you enjoy a little so your love for your hobby get stronger.

(Undiagnosed bc money and afab) AuDHD, living in the boonies and with my aging relatives, my art is kind of the only possible route left to me because everything else burns me out and/or puts me in unreasonably unsafe positions. The pinch points? I can't keep a media presence consistently.

The old adage of "if you love what you do then you won't have to work a day in your life" is the biggest crock of shit ever

Literally my father whenever I try something new or meet a new person.

When you cook for your people, then the secret ingredient is love. Cooking as a career is different, it's a craft, it can be as fulfilling as any such work. When you cook for a side hustle, it's neither - it's an obligation that absorbs your free time.

But there's also a halfway option: making whatever it is for sale at the local school, church, community sports club, charity whatever fair to help raise funds (for the library / steeple / supplies etc). Though the product would need to raise more than your manufacturing costs for it to be sensible!