And by small, I mean incredibly long and rambling.
Okay, here I want to discuss, not about the prices, or designs, but about owning them. I just kind of want to clarify my view about it, so you don’t HAVE to read, but I’d mighty appreciate it.
DISCLAIMER: This was NOT triggered by any specific person! I had been itching to write this journal for a very- VERY long time now(several months), and now I’ve decided that it’s the time!
AND EVERYTHING I SAY HERE IS NOT DIRECTED TO ANYONE. PLEASE DON’T MISUNDERSTAND! I am just stating my opinion on these things. You don’t HAVE to agree. I’d be happy to hear opinions about this, but please don’t conflict.
So- let’s begin!
The main topic I want to talk about is, “hoarding characters” and “rotting designs”. Because I see a different meaning to these terms than a lot of people do. I’ve been passively observing this manner for some time now, and sometimes it makes me shiver when I hear that a character is “rotting” or “gathering dust”.
In my opinion, it’s not rotting. If it nicely sits in its own folder of “designs for me” or a kind of a database, it’s not being useless or misused. It’s there for everyone to see! I will now tell my view of my hoard of characters. First of all, have a look here- charahub.com/user/Dragoono I created a Charahub (it’s a site where you can gather your characters in one place, and easily develop them), and decided to put all my bought and made designs there. A little database, to keep track of my characters. In one evening I started putting all of my adopted babes in there, and in the end, I ended up with 36 characters! (Atm I actually have 42, because I need to add 6 new ones haha) I didn’t know the exact number, so I didn’t expect it to be that large! At one moment I felt like, “Damn, poor things just sitting there…” but very soon I went “NOPE! THESE BEAUTIES ARE MINE!” They are NOT rotting there. They are NOT gathering dust. Because guess what. I HAVE THEM! It makes me feel so happy and proud to see that I am the owner of so many marvelous creatures made by other just as marvelous artists! I’m very proud to call them mine. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have a personality/bio made. They are my children! And I happily check by the database to look at them again!
So, if you see a buyer having a favorites folder, where are designs for them, then please, don’t jump to conclusion and say that they are rotting there. They all might aswell be loved, just quietly for no one else to see. Saying that someones characters rot can be very offensive, Jus’ sayan!
But ofcourse, we all appreciate seeing our made designs used and drawn. I mean, we did spend so much time and effort on them… and now they are in the wind… WRONG AGAIN, BUSTER! You, most likely, just SOLD the pretty thing. You gained profit, which was the original idea, no? Ofcourse there’s nothing wrong with that, but please, remember, that you are the one who gained something in the end, if the buyer doesn’t use the design. He was the one who wasted his money to something he doesn’t make use of. But you got some $$$ in your pockets.
“But maybe someone else wanted it, and they’d have used it!” Well someone else was first. Sorry xD
But you’re still sad that the design is gone? Well then maybe you shouldn’t have sold it :I You could have kept it in your safe hands, where it could be still used.
If you want it to be used, a BIT more than usual, maybe try doing a Draw to Adopt instead. The only problem is that those are hard to host, as you need to be fairly popular for them to be successful. But still, the idea stands, and it really isn’t an excuse.
I am going to say what I feel like I notice when people are unhappy that their sold designs are unused. And please, this is not meant to offend anyone.
Maybe you just need to think, and maybe admit, that you are a bit greedy there. “Use your characters!” “Don’t let them rot!” “Draw them!” Are you suuuuure that the main reason isn’t that you want art? Because, trust me, I know the feeling way too well. I was once the same. It’s amazing to see how others interpret a design you’ve made. But in the end, it’s just greed for art. Someone drawing a design you made, is more or less the same as someone drawing your character. The only thing is that the art is not for you, but you see your design drawn, not someone else’s. And yes, I can admit that. I once really wanted for people to draw my designs. That was one of the main reasons why I made adopts, but now I’ve learned, that we go in adoptable business for the pay, not for the art from buyers. If you want to have your designs drawn, just so you’d see art, then maybe just give it away to someone you know who will use it.
With all this, I am not saying that THIS IS THE ONLY WAY. There are different views, and I respect that. And I understand why you feel like that, but this is just so you maybe think again about the whole thing.
There’s one really big disadvantage in saying that characters rot. ESPECIALLY when you mention it while you sell them. All these texts about “don’t collect them, but use them!” “Don’t let them rot!” “Use your character!” they are really, really intimidating. It simply scares customers away. And later you probably would feel like, “Why didn’t anything sell?!” All these things sound like threats. Maybe not that direct, but close to that. I for one have felt this “threat”. I’ve got a beautiful character from someone, and the person is the “You should use your character! Why do you buy it if you don’t use it!?” type. And it scares me to even talk to the artist. I’m afraid that they see me as some kind of a bad guy, that I got a design from them, and that I like to appreciate it in my own little secret privacy. Thanks to that, it has made me not buy any more designs from the artist, even though I drool over them xD.
(another disclaimer: If any of what I said sounds super serious and angry, then understand it’s not, I’m more or less explaining my thoughts in a happy and humorous manner! <3)
So to recap:
- Don’t always think that bought, and undrawn characters are misused. Some buyers truly appreciate their hoards.
- Consider your priorities and remember why you actually make adopts. For the money, or the art?
- Don’t intimidate buyers by exhorting them to use/draw what they buy. It can scare customers away, if not even watchers!
- This also goes for those poor souls who say that their characters rot. Don’t worry, if you love them, then they don’t gather dust! >u<
- Overall, think of YOUR priorities, not someone else's :>
Ah man, I know that by now you’re sick of me saying this, but remember, what I’ve said here is just my view, and it may sound like it, but I am not meaning to push others to think and do what I do about this!
Just let this give you some thoughts and insights of how it can be a bit different and more positive!
Yeah, this turned out really long. But it seems YOU got this far. SO HAVE A COOKIE! 
Heck, you can have two! Or a jar! Or a box! FUG DAT have two boxes! You deserve it! <3 x)
Feel free to share your opinion on this! If you did read this, but don't want to really discuss it, atleast tell me you did read it. I'd love to see who is awesome enough to take on my rambles x3
I hope you’re all having a great summer!
Cheers!
~Dragoo
