Sweet Strategies: Building Your Artist Foundation

Early Strategies for Growth and Connection

Hi friends! I’m here to share some Sweet Strategies with you! Making the shift to get serious about your writing or being teaching artist is exciting, but navigating the business side can feel overwhelming. Prioritizing a few key strategies from the start will help you build a strong foundation. I’m talking about community, collaboration, and finding ways to share your work authentically without burning out. Here are my top tips for emerging artists looking to grow while staying true to themselves.

1. Network and Build Your Community

Networking isn’t just about numbers; it’s about building genuine relationships with people who “get it.” Show up in spaces where your people are—whether that’s local events, workshops, or virtual meet-ups. Building familiarity creates a trusted support network you can rely on.

• Create Community Agreements: Begin crafting your own community guidelines early on to set the tone for how you want people to interact with your work. I call mine a "Community Framework Agreement," and it reflects the values I want my space to embody.

2. Embrace Mutual Aid and Resource Sharing

Starting out, every little resource counts. Sharing tools and collaborating with others lets you do more while saving money.

• Teach Together: Co-host workshops with others in your field. It’s a chance to blend audiences, share knowledge, and broaden your reach.

• Share Paid Tools: Split the cost of resources like Zoom, Canva, or Grammarly with trusted peers (HEAVY ON THE TRUSTED PART) by sharing logins. It’s a simple way to cut costs and keep quality high.

• Swaps: Consider swapping event access with peers. You attend their events or workshops for free, and they do the same. It’s a great way to build skills and connections at no extra cost.

3. Establish a Social Presence Without Burning Out

Trying to be everywhere online can be exhausting and ineffective. Instead, choose one platform to focus on where your target audience is likely to hang out (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc.).

• Streamline Your Posting: While being active on one platform, you can still post to others using Meta’s free tools or platforms like Later to manage multiple accounts. This way, you maintain a broader reach without the added pressure of being present everywhere.

  • When possible, set your accounts up as business accounts. This will give you access to insights and analytics that can help you plan when it’s best to post to reach your specific audience.

*Post Edit Note: I mention meta in this article BUT I have since divested from using it as much as I can. There’s tons of alternatives though, find what works for you.

4. Create Your Own Online Space

Having a digital “home” is essential. Whether it’s a website, a newsletter, or a simple blog, this should be a space you control. Build a base where people can come to learn more about you and find out what you’re working on. When social media trends shift, having your own space ensures your audience can always reach you. I mean, just look at what happened with tik tok! Don’t put your eggs in one basket. Shameless plug: Make sure you’re on my main mailing list outside of substack. Also, if you were listening along to the audio, my apologies for the changes, but I had to mention tik tok as it fit this section so well but happened way after my recording

Sweet Assignment

Ready to build your foundation? Here’s a simple assignment to get you started:

• Make a list of 3 people or communities you’d love to connect with and see where you can support or engage with them. What kind of community agreements might reflect your values?

• Identify one tool or resource you could share with a trusted peer.

• Choose a primary social platform and plan one post or story that introduces who you are and what you’re about.

• Create or refine your digital home—whether that’s updating your website or starting a mailing list (I use Mailchimp but there’s plenty of places to build your list). Add something that speaks to who you are and what your work is about.

Starting out with these steps will give you a solid foundation to grow and connect in ways that feel true to you. Happy building!

SWEET TArTs will be released every other Tuesday! That’s the plan, at least—sometimes life happens. In the event I’m unable to get a new TArTs out on schedule, I’ll make a quick note on my Substack to keep you in the loop. Looking forward to sharing tools, tips, and insights with you every other week as we grow together in the art of teaching!

About me:

Talicha J. is a Black queer poet and teaching artist, nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize. She was a 2024 Collaborating Fellow and now serves as the Curriculum Coordinator at The Poetry Lab. Her debut collection, Falling in Love with Picking Myself Up (2015), led to a national tour and helped grow her presence as a poet.

In June 2024, she released her chapbook, Taking Back the Body, which won the Beyond the Veil Press chapbook contest. She also curates writing and editing sprints, leads online generative workshops, and hosts a monthly publication submission space. Her work has appeared in or is forthcoming with Plenitude, Fahmidan, Peach Fuzz, Lucky Jefferson, Just Femme and Dandy, Button Poetry, and more.