Inspiration Versus Copycat

Being an artist and maker can be a challenge.  I exist somewhere between creative drought and creative monsoon.  There are days that I can’t stop the ideas for new projects from flowing out of me and then are days that I fight the urge to pull up Pinterest or Etsy and just copy something I see.  Who would know, right?  If I make the project with a vintage twist, no one will be the wiser, right?  I’d get something cranked out to fill a spot in my shop and I might make some money.  Win all around—except that it isn’t a win at all.  

I know that in this day and age, I can easily search the web and sites like Pinterest and Etsy for projects.  I also know that lots of people are making a few bucks simply cranking out the projects they literally copy from online.  But the truth is, there is a huge difference between inspiration and copying a project.  Inspiration leaves room for you to see something deeper—to see the spirit of a project.  It is organic and the final product reflects you as the artist.  It’s your heart and your soul.  Inspiration is where you find that “sweet spot” where what you love and what you do for a living meet.  Copying is simply a version of the original.  It lacks originality.  It lacks ownership.  It lacks soul.   And the truth is, anyone can just copy a project.  It takes the vision and spirit of an artist to see inspiration and then create something altogether new. 

I think one of the biggest misconceptions brought about by the Internet is that if you see it online, it’s free for the taking.  It’s the very thought process that leads to the second biggest misconception that taking someone else’s work and simply changing it up a bit makes it your original work.  That’s not true at all.  That area is what copyright lawyers refer to as the “gray area” in our industry.  It’s the zone where you could in fact get in trouble for calling your glass block design an original work when all you did was change the color of vinyl you used and the font.  It’s the zone where you might never get caught, but ethics need to reign rather than the lure of money.  It’s the realm of our business that makes the distinction between artists and copycats, or what I refer to as “cookie cutter” products. 

I’m guessing that at this point, several people are yelling at me through their computer screens.  And that is OK, because I’m about to get even more real.  I want to be successful in my business venture.  I’ve learned over the past four years or so that I was meant to be an entrepreneur, but that does not mean that I am willing to compromise my integrity to reach my goal.  I flat out refuse to copy the work that someone else took the time to dream up.  They put their heart and soul into that vision—that art.  It’s not my right to take credit for their work because I am not willing to spend some time stretching myself and reaching outside the box to think up my own art.  And moreover, it’s illegal.  Spending time coming up with my own projects takes me no more time than it does to hop online and get sucked into the time waster known as Pinterest.  OK, some days it’s fun to totally zone out looking at anything and everything, but I have things to do, paper to use, and glitter to spread all over the house. 

I own two Cricut Explore machines.  I literally have access to tens of thousands of design options that I purchase commercial and personal license for by buying a yearly subscription Cricut Access™.  The hard work is done—SVG files are there for me to make into original designs that reflect my heart and soul.  In addition, there are at least a handful of reputable SVG cutting file designers in the market like Dreaming Tree, SVGCuts, Kadoodle Bug, and many more.  I literally have zero excuses for not making my own projects.  ZERO.  I know many of you have the same machine and you pay $99.00 per year for your subscription.  So let me ask you this:  why are you wasting your hard-earned money on a high quality die cut machine and another $99.00 per year if all you are going to do is copy someone else’s work?  (That’s a real question.)  I work hard for the money I earn and my husband works hard for the money he earns.  I am not about to waste a penny of it.  I’ve literally paid for both of my machines just by making things that I used to run to the craft store to buy. 

It’s easy to get sucked into the “but Pinterest just makes my life easier” routine.  Isn’t the whole point of handmade goods and art to break the cycle of people thinking that they have to shop from a big box store?  Yes!  It is!  So, what are you doing to break the cycle?  What makes your product stand out above the rest?  How do you find your niche and stand out in a sea of glittered Christmas ornaments, glittered wine glasses, and lighted glass blocks with vinyl designs?  You can’t keep doing what everyone else is doing and then get upset when your sales fall flat or someone else is at the same show selling the same type of craft that you brought to sell.  Anyone in retail sales or retail marketing will tell you that you need to find something that makes you unique and special—something that says, “You want this.  You need this.  Buy this.”  Seriously.  Have you done a Google search or Etsy search for your items.  I did a quick search just now for handmade, glittered wine glasses and I literally got over 9,000 hits folks.  No wonder you’re frustrated.  No wonder people are coming to you and saying, “Your prices are too high.  I just found someone else who is only charging X for the same product.”  Friends, you can’t get mad at the consumer when you made the choice to make the same product that literally thousands of other crafters are making and selling.  That failure is on you.  Yep, I typed that in my outside voice.  I’ll say it again:  That failure is on you.  Tough to hear isn’t it?  I know—because I’ve heard it before from my mentors and I’ve said those words to myself before too. 

So, now that you’re good and upset with me—yes, I do know that some of you are upset reading this blog post—let me share with you how I avoid coming down with “Pinterest/Etsy Copycat Syndrome.” 

•   Be a constant student.  Read some of the great books out there on making, marketing, and selling handmade goods.  I am happy to share the books that have been the most influential in my journey.
• Learn the difference between inspiration and copying.  Really.  Look up the definitions, then make a sign that you can hang in your workspace to remind yourself of the difference.
• Find a mentor.  One of the best gifts that I have ever been given along my journey is a mentor.  My mentor is always there for me.  She shares her experiences—success and failures—and she challenges me to be the best version of Joy the artist. 
• Network.  I deliberately spend time at shows meeting new artists, makers, and business owners.  I surround myself by the strong ones and I soak up everything they can share with me like a sponge.  I also lean on the folks in my life with gifts in different areas of business.  My brother-in-law is a patent lawyer and he knows copyright law too.  If he can’t help me, he refers me to a good copyright lawyer.  My brother is in business marketing.  I value his input and expertise from years of experience.  And I have a friend who is an accountant and tax preparer.  I lean on her for her expertise in this critical part of small business.
• Evaluate products and designs regularly.  It is essential that you critique your product line.  What is selling?  What isn’t selling?  You can be on trend without being a copycat.  And if a product isn’t selling, it’s time for some change.  Ask yourself what products you see having longevity.  What products do you make that are just a fad or a seasonal trend?  I learned early on in the vintage market that the key to my success was to mix in vintage treasures with my handmade products and I also have some handmade soft goods like pillows.  And I produce items that are market specific too.  In a couple weeks I’m headed to my second show for the year.  I know that I have a lot of farmers and outdoorsmen coming to the show.  So you can bet I’ll be making some products that target that audience.
• Think outside of the box.  You are never going to grow as an artist or as a business if all you do is rely on Pinterest, Etsy, and what everyone else is making.  Anyone can copy a project.  And there is a place in your life for DIY projects—personal use only, not for sale.  Dig deep.  What makes your heart swell when you are creating?  What items have you made with Cricut SVG cutting files that reflected your soul?  What makes you special?  I promise—no I guarantee—that you have something inside you just waiting to come out and be expressed in art. 
• Find a creative community that encourages you.  There are a lot of great creative communities in social media that can help carry you through the evenings spent beating your head against the creative wall.  I highly recommend a strong, nurturing, and creative Facebook group called Cricut Explore and More.  I know the owner, Narelle Darley, and the entire admin team.  They are some of the most talented people that I know with lots of technical and creative experience.  The community they have created is nothing shy of amazing.  You can also join my Facebook group called The Joy of Marketing Your Crafts.  My admin, Barbara Kollmer Guy, and I have a blast sharing our business experience, tips, and tools with an outstanding community of artist and makers. 

      My journey has not been without it’s share of failures and I fully expect more.  I am a dreamer, an artist, and a maker.  And I am very realistic.  For every successful project I make, I’ve had plenty that have been thrown straight in the trash.  I muddle through the droughts and I rely on my creative village to help get me through.  And while I know that this blog post may not sit well with some of my readers, if I help even one person see their way to their true potential, then it was all worth it. 

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”   —Henry David Thoreau