What Drives You?

Talk with others about anything shrine-related, be it presentation, content or something else.
Laura
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What Drives You?

Post by Laura »

We all have our ups and downs; good days and bad. I know that on my bad days, I sometimes wonder what's the point? Why am I investing so much time in making shrines? It certainly gives me pause to think about why I enjoy this hobby!

Do you have bad days where you wonder why bother? If you do, what gets you to change your mind? What snaps you out of it and drives you to continue working? Maybe a good discussion will be helpful for some people who find themselves in the same position! :)
Lethe
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Lethe »

Hm... I don't get to the point where I question why I'm doing this or what's the point of shrining, since putting my thoughts on things I enjoy into words is something I love doing (though it is true that getting an entire shrine together is far more than that, and requires significant effort). I do, however, have periods where I think: "I'd rather be playing video games or binge-reading manga at the moment; I could have spent this week on relaxing instead of making myself shrine through discipline." In fact, I spent the last one and a half weeks goofing off with video games precisely because I had to take a break from discipline lol.

Here are some things that can snap me out of your described state and general downs in motivation:
  • remember and reread the lovely input you've received on past works of yours, especially from people who have visited the same site and commented on it on more than one occasion
  • revisit your own sites and read through them, especially pages that you like a lot; also look at the overall size and message of your site
  • work on something small, either a small project or just one part, one fraction of a project; show that small piece to others
It helps to recall that people have attentively read something you've created, something that can be and is revisited, and something that is no small feat. You also have to remind yourself that this is something you're capable of accomplishing and something that can bring joy to others. We often talk about shrines as self-serving and we want praise and acknowledgement for them, which is true. But any fan product is also something to be enjoyed by fellow fans (and in Amassment's case, also beyond that, because any community activity is lovely to see), so when you're asking yourself what's the point of it, perhaps it can help to know that for every fan product, some fans out there are jubilating because they get to see a unique take on something that they love.

For me personally, I like the thought that I've built something lasting, and I keep wanting to see more lasting things.
Both despair and ecstasy are part of the elements that compose a person.
Destinie
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Destinie »

I definitely have days where I wonder why I make shrines at all, then I have days where I haven't done it in a while and I get the itch to do it! I can never bring myself to stop because I think there is a lot of good feelings that I get from being in the fansite community. My general feelings are:

• When I finish a shrine I get a sense of accomplishment. It's the same if I finish reading a book or beating a video game. I completed a thing and I feel better about that.

• I feel happy when other people read my sites and tell me they learned something new or it inspired them to check out the topic. I feel like I was able to positively impact someone that day.

• I remember that I made a lot of cool acquaintances and friends from having a similar hobby!

• I use shrines to practice my web design and coding skills. It keeps me from getting too rusty outside of work.

• I like having my own private space to talk about what I love instead of being involved in a bigger fandom. I've had some bad experiences in the past trying to take part in fandoms via bigger communities or journals and always felt excluded, whereas when I have a shrine I can talk about whatever I want without worrying about being flamed or shot down.

There's too much good I get out of making shrines that make me stay away from it for very long. Even if I am not constantly making new sites I like to go back and see what I've accomplished. I like seeing how I have progressed over the years and I enjoy knowing that I can share a little bit of what I love with other people on the internet. I think that is really the best part of making shrines!

I do hope that if anyone feels like they want to stop completely they should think about the positive impact they have had on other people here in the fansite community. ;)
Robin
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Robin »

Do you have bad days where you wonder why bother?

Bad days? More like bad months, or bad half-years...

I got out of shrining altogether around 2008 because the community I had shrined in for so long had splintered apart (not to mention that my life was coming apart as well under the stress of trying to become a teacher and failing). I had tried to make a few big informational shrines like I was used to doing, but it just didn't feel the same, and it stressed me out rather than relaxed me. I began to think, like so many others, "Maybe I'm really too old for this stuff..."

If you do, what gets you to change your mind?

What got me to change my mind about shrining was being out of it for 6 years and realizing I missed the community feeling of shrining, and the sense of accomplishment I had in putting together these personal dedications to my favorite things. That, eventually, led me to Amassment.

I had poked around at Amassment during those out-of-it years but never joined before August 2014--at first I thought the site/forum was for fanlisting makers instead of shrine makers, and I also couldn't see many of the topics/posts because I wasn't a member yet. I was wary, because I wasn't sure I wanted to make the plunge into a new community that might not accept me because I was

1) old as farts (relatively speaking, with the average age of webdesigners being early 20s)
2) not into anime/manga/gaming much anymore
3) didn't feel much like going crazy in depth with info anymore

(Battling back from depression sucks, y'all...just FYI)

But when I finally did join, WOW. Just the sense of community and welcoming got me to change my mind about shrining. I dove right back in like I had never left a shrining community, and I feel like I'm 20 years old again exploring fandom with my crew.

What snaps you out of it and drives you to continue working?

- Knowing that if I don't make a shrine for this random subject I like, probably no one else will, and that would be sad
- Wanting to try out a new design/development trick I have seen in the community
- Learning more about my subject matter (because shrining is like teaching, and teaching is learning twice :D)
~ a dream is a wish your heart makes ~
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Destinie
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Destinie »

Knowing that if I don't make a shrine for this random subject I like, probably no one else will, and that would be sad

OMG this is what drives me to keep some of my sites up sometimes! XD
Crystal
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Crystal »

wolfrun wrote:Do you have bad days where you wonder why bother?
This has been me so much lately. I've been battling a nasty wave of depression lately so my productivity has plummeted into doing nothing but playing video games. As I write this reply a thought comes into my head as to why I make shrines.

Anyone I talk to often knows how passionate I can get about things. Sometimes it's almost borderline obsessive (as my sister is constantly reminding me). Thing is I have no one irl I can geek out with about these things. My sister always just rolls her eyes at me and goes "meh" so that conversation dies fast. Some things I can geek out about with my Dad and Mom just doesn't understand it at all.

So what drives me to make shrines? To get my geekery out into the open so I don't explode! As I said I am a very passionate person and I just want to share these things with other people. What better way to do it than make a site for it?
Robin wrote:1) old as farts (relatively speaking, with the average age of webdesigners being early 20s)
Pfft! I think a bunch of us are old farts so you fit right in. Now get off my lawn!
There are shadows before us - but only because the light is at our back.
melzillah
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by melzillah »

I took a major break from shrining a few years ago and I honestly regret it. So you can say that I definitely had a few bad years! It's really a way (for me) to connect with people and to keep up with changes in design and coding. I love visiting other shrines and seeing how passionate people are! Knowing that I just hope that I can create something that other people will enjoy as well.

I view shrining as a creative outlet - much like drawing, writing, etc. I honestly NEED this, it keeps me motivated in other areas in my life. A few months ago I was so depressed that I wasn't creating or building anything and would just beat myself up over it...it felt like all the drive left my body. Now I make sure to take at least a few hours every week just for shrining :) It's really "me" time and I have a little ritual I do (some coffee in the daytime, relaxing music, snacks, candles) just to make it extra special and relaxing. Sometimes I'll just make layouts when I don't feel like writing. I just try to make it enjoyable for myself so it never feels too stressful or like "work".
Robin
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Robin »

melzillah wrote:Now I make sure to take at least a few hours every week just for shrining :) It's really "me" time and I have a little ritual I do (some coffee in the daytime, relaxing music, snacks, candles) just to make it extra special and relaxing. Sometimes I'll just make layouts when I don't feel like writing. I just try to make it enjoyable for myself so it never feels too stressful or like "work".
<3<3<3<3<3 AWESOME <3<3<3<3<3

also, candles?? Mannnnnn that is luxurious <3
~ a dream is a wish your heart makes ~
withinmyworld.org
melzillah
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by melzillah »

Robin wrote:<3<3<3<3<3 AWESOME <3<3<3<3<3

also, candles?? Mannnnnn that is luxurious <3
LOL those Bath & Body Works coupons get me every time!!
Robin
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Re: What Drives You?

Post by Robin »

melzillah wrote:
Robin wrote:<3<3<3<3<3 AWESOME <3<3<3<3<3

also, candles?? Mannnnnn that is luxurious <3
LOL those Bath & Body Works coupons get me every time!!
THE STRUGGLE IS REAL LOL

/dragging myself back on topic

I will say that atmosphere has a lot to do with how well I shrine/how much motivation I have to do so. Now that I actually have a DESK and it has CLEAR FLAT SPACE...omg space for shrine notes, omg no more hunching over the computer and getting a headache <3
~ a dream is a wish your heart makes ~
withinmyworld.org
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