#don’t mind me just getting misty-eyed that people are feeling beaten down and tired

[mumms-the-word]

recently I’ve seen several of my mutuals expressing desires to delete every creative thing they’ve done or take a break from their creative projects (some of them indefinitely) or just take a break from tumblr and other social spaces. some of this is due to burnout and some of it is due to hate and bigotry, which breaks my heart

friends I get it, I’ve been there. the burnout, the depression or anxiety, the imposter syndrome, the adhd shame of moving on to another project and abandoning another, the dull days where you’re just not inspired or the days you overthink the notes/kudos/attention on your work, i get it 1000%

but don’t delete your work! you’ve worked hard on it, and people will find it! a slow-growing following is still a following. a post that only gets 5 notes is still valuable and still capable of getting more as time goes on. one day someone will find your blog or your work and scroll through it for two hours. they might not like or reblog everything but they’re seeing it and enjoying it. if you delete your work, how will they enjoy it?

slow growth (for you, your blog, your post, your fic) is just as valuable (if not more valuable, in my opinion) as going viral in an hour

take a break when you need it. set aside the creative thing if it’s only bringing you pain or stress. but don’t delete it. if nothing else, the posts of the past can be your waymakers to see how you’ve grown and improved. don’t let the numbers convince you of what’s valuable. the numbers don’t matter in the end

I know I’m just one creative, a tiny drop in a vast ocean of other voices, but I’m telling you, speaking from experience, don’t delete the work you’ve done. Sometimes you can never get it back and you’ll regret not being able to watch it unexpectedly grow, or look back at it and see just how far you’ve come <3

I see you. I see your pain and your struggles. and I see your creative works too. they exist and they are beautiful and they are valuable

please don’t let numbers convince you otherwise