Creativity is a delicate and ever-evolving thing. As an artist and writer, I constantly explore new ideas and experiment with different mediums to push the boundaries of my creativity. However, the diverse nature of my creative pursuits can become overwhelming and cause me to feel scattered and unfocused. That's why I have chosen to segregate my creativity by splitting up my projects into two separate websites. In this blog post, I will be sharing my personal experience with this approach and explaining the benefits it has brought me in terms of organization and focus.
First and foremost, let me introduce you to my two websites: Payhip.com/KenLawArt and Payhip.com/JustinCainBooks. The first one is dedicated solely to my artwork, while the latter houses all of my writing projects, including fiction and nonfiction short stories, as well as my brain games. The decision to create two separate websites was not an easy one, but after much contemplation, I have come to realize that it is a good idea for several reasons.
1. Focused on Two Different Audiences
The first and most obvious reason for splitting up my creativity is to focus more on each audience. As an artist, my audience is different from that of a writer. People who are interested in buying my paintings are not necessarily looking for short stories or brain games. By having separate websites, I can cater to the specific interests and needs of each audience without causing confusion or clutter. My art website has a different aesthetic and design compared to my writing website, which helps to create a distinctive difference for each and adds cohesion to each website.
For example, on my art website, I have a simple and clean design with a minimalist color scheme because my paintings should take center stage. My writing website has a more playful and vibrant design to reflect the creativity and fun of my brain games and short stories. By having separate websites, I can create a strong and consistent expectation for each, making it easier for you to remember and recognize my work.
2. Streamlined Process
At first, it seemed to be the right choice to have my short stories and games listed with my artwork, but it was actually more work and had its problems. Categorizing my creative process for you became cluttered and disorganized. As mentioned earlier, having too many different projects under one umbrella can cause me to feel scattered and overwhelmed. By separating them into different websites, the categories for painting and writing are separate, too, allowing for a better browsing experience. This not only helps me to be more productive but also allows me to give each project the attention and effort it deserves. Furthermore, having separate websites also makes it easier for me to keep track of my progress and deadlines.
3. Streamline Menu Items
Because the two creative processes are separate, it simplifies the menu items for each site and allows visitors to browse more easily without getting lost in a sea of unrelated content. The main menu for each site now only displays the relevant categories for that specific creative venture. For my art website, visitors can now view my gallery, contact me about commissions, and easily find my online store with just a few clicks. On my writing website, readers can dive straight into my latest short stories or brain teasers without any distractions. This streamlined approach makes the overall user experience more enjoyable and increases the likelihood of you spending more time on each site, which is always a win for me.
In conclusion, I have found that by dividing my creative projects into two separate websites, I can maintain focus and organization in my work, making the experience more effective and catering to my audience's specific tastes and interests. My art website, Payhip.com/KenLawArt, now stands as a testament to my artistic visions and visual storytelling, while Payhip.com/JustinCainBooks houses the realm of my written words and mind-bending brain games. This separation has streamlined my creative process, allowing me to produce better work and provide an improved user experience for those who visit my sites.