GM! GM! GM!
It’s 6 am. You wake up and go onto your Twitter. You scroll down your notifications to see how people have responded to your artwork on Twitter and you are met with endless GMs almost as repetitive as the alarm that woke you up. In an act of fed-up rage, you smash your phone into pieces on the bedside table.
Of course, I am over-exaggerating to convey a point. But, when I enter the platform in the morning and browse the art while sipping my coffee, I can’t help but feel like I am living a Groundhog Day where everyone has taken the overly enthusiastic role of Truman Burbank – the protagonist in The Truman Show with his phrase:
“Good Morning! In case I don’t see you. Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night!”.
Go onto Twitter now and search for the phrase ‘GM’. What you will find is a phrase that has proliferated its way into the minds of many artists that use the platform. It’s comes mostly from artists that are involved in the Crypto & NFTs.
Social Engagement Rules the Roost
In the modern world, many artists use social media such as Twitter to market themselves and stay relevant. Unfortunately, this often leads to a lazy one-dimensional way of engagement, as demonstrated by the common phrase “GM” (short for “Good Morning”) being used as a post from one artist to another. This kind of interaction does little to create a meaningful connection between artists and does nothing to encourage the appreciation of the art itself. You might as well get create a Bot and get it to send out GM replies – or perhaps people are already doing that, who knows?!
It is understandable that artists may start to feel the social pressure to use these kinds of phrases to fit in and to maintain a social presence, however, this is a short-term solution that does not foster an environment of creative collaboration. Furthermore, this kind of engagement does not benefit either artist, as it fails to show appreciation for the art of the other, or initiate meaningful conversation.
Imagine this – you spend days, possibly weeks creating a new art piece. It’s full of meaning, you think it’s your best work yet. You’re proud of it and want to share it with the world. You upload on Twitter, and all you receive for your efforts is an abbreviated ‘Good Morning’. As artists we want people to interpret, discuss and interact with our work. In order for us to truly have a Good Morning we need a little bit more than a ‘GM’.
As a test, a while ago I went to Discord Server that is built for artists. Me and a friend decided to encourage thoughtful discussion on art related topics such as Ai so we wrote a couple paragraphs each. Not one artist joined in. The chat that followed was more GM’s. It felt quite surreal, you almost feel like a ghost. It’s something I imagine some artists feel when they put their soul into their work with no real acknowledgement of it – but hey! Have a good morning!
Opt for More Than Two Letters
Our bar for patience is evidently lowered the moment ‘GM’ is used as it becomes increasingly clear that we’re in a world where things are getting faster and more convenient to us. Advertisements went from minutes to mere seconds with the introduction of platforms such as Tik Tok. We no longer have time for one another, and us as artists have lost the ability to care for another artists work. So, how can we change this?
Whenever you see a piece that looks special, make an effort to leave a meaningful comment on the work and what you really enjoy about it. This could be a compliment, a comment on the meaning of the art, or a question about the artist’s creative process. These kinds of comments show genuine interest and appreciation for the art, and can lead to deeper discussions about the meaning of the art. Sure, it’s not as quick as a GM, but you took the time to look at the art. Saying GM is a dismissal to the artists work in what is essentially an act of blatant engagement farming.
Stop scrolling your feed looking for tweets with GM, only to respond with GM. It’s the same as Instagram likes. Eventually Instagram allowed users to hide the like count to reduce social media pressure. It’s clear that the same thing has passed onto Twitter, hunting for the most GMs to reply to it with the same two letters for higher social engagement.
The funny thing is, if it’s engagement figures you’re after – it technically works! But that is because everyone else is only going on to your tweets to say GM in response as an act of their own self interest, not yours. So what does engagement mean or what is it worth if its foundation is hollow? It’s much better and rewarding for both parties to build a solid foundation with other artists and that’s not done by saying GM.
Add Some Spice to Your Morning
If you really can’t get away from using GM that’s OK! I understand if you’re an artist that you need to play the marketing game in order to survive. It does serve as a great icebreaker to get another user familiar with your presence, but that is all it should be used for if used as a stand alone comment. My suggestion is to use it but follow up with feedback to the work you are commenting on. Forget the words great, cool and awesome. Look at the work and explain to the artist what it did for you. Ask what methods they went through, or what tools they used to make it – ask what inspired them. Just showing interest will go a long way. If you’re in it for the art, and not for the money then this should come naturally to you – you’ll build better quality connections this way.
Connect to Collaborate and Become a Better Artist
By creating a more meaningful connection between another artist you open yourself up to new possibilities. Two artists can benefit from each other’s knowledge and experience, it’s not wasted time to ask questions. This kind of engagement can also lead to collaborations between artists, creating opportunities for both to create something even more amazing and possibly even more reach, which is what these artists seem to be after most.
Instead of just saying “GM”, artists should take the time to truly engage with each other’s art. This could be the start of an amazing creative journey that can benefit artists through real friendships, and that could lead to new and innovative art.
