Brandon H. - Free to Create
Writer and Illustrator
DID: 2018
The truth is, I’d probably have be doing what I’m doing now, regardless of whether or not the internet existed. But thank goodness it does.
All of my life I’ve wanted to write, I've wanted to draw, and I've wanted to make things. I have had an intense passion for all things media for as long as I can remember. The pursuit of this passion has brought me to a number of media-adjacent positions in traditional, nine-to-five jobs. Some of these I’ve enjoyed, others I didn’t. But, when it came right down to it, none of them were a perfect match. So, I struck out on my own.
“Significantly, my decision to go independent has made me much more proficient and productive. Apart from being stifling, I found these “traditional” jobs—even the good ones, to be inefficient. Through an over-adherence to procedure and management, they wasted both my time, and my potential, making me feel undervalued and less accountable to what I was producing.”
When doing something on my own initiative, I am encouraged go the extra mile. Not because I’m getting paid to do so, but because I want the thing to exist, and be as good as it can possibly be.
Instead of devoting eight-hour days anonymously toiling way at work I can make no claim to, I’m happy to spend nights and weekends working on projects I’m proud of.
So, clearly, I value my independence. But where does the “digital” come into play? Primarily, it provides opportunity.
Instead of re-working my skill set to suit a given position, I’m free to pursue my own interests.
If a market exists for it, then I can find it online. This notion was accelerated in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tectonic shift in how society views the workspace has made it so I am less limited by geography. For example, if an opportunity arises in Los Angeles, I’m just as capable of sending an email as someone who’s physically located in the city.
In just one year, I have been accepted to film festivals and art galleries on four continents. I’ve negotiated a book deal in New York, while editing a literary website in California. I’ve participated in theatre, and went on promotional podcast tour, all from the comfort of my own home.
So, to sum up, I have always been independent by nature, but the digital space has finally allowed me to assert myself.