[DeLa Doll] February Vibes – Updates & Stuff
I promised myself that I would ease into 2023 by using January to reflect on my goals while being gentle with myself. I’m pleased to say this was a great option because I’m ready for February and everything this year has to offer. I realized it was time to make some necessary changes and shift my focus a bit as an artist and content creator, and here’s what I decided…
Adios, OnlyFans.
I deleted my OnlyFans accounts because I wasn’t having fun and couldn’t commit to them the way I liked. I also have a problem with having to censor things I wish to promote in order to prevent…
- Having my posts or accounts “de-boosted,” “shadowbanned” or whatever other word you want to use that translates to “punished for posting things that redirect offsite or are associated with decidedly less ‘wholesome’ content.” Whatever.
- Pornbots and rotten little creeps from spamming my social media.
I’m at peace with it. I like doing cosplay pinup shoots, and I like sharing what I’m creating with people, so I will continue to do those things without the pressure of an additional platform. I’m already on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. I’d rather post whatever I feel compelled to share to these established public profiles rather than drive myself crazy trying to determine what should be free and accessible and what should be “exclusive.”
Although I do enjoy having the ability to monetize my crafts, my primary motivation for cosplaying, crafting, and otherwise creating is simply to enjoy myself and share whatever creation served as my latest hit of dopamine. In a way, I’m very much that excited little kid who just has to show someone their happy little abstract crayon scribbles, smiling stick figure families, and groundbreaking macaroni art. I honestly just don’t have a strong interest in paywalling the majority of my art or other content outside of the things I create specifically to sell in my Etsy shop and at my art booths. So that’s that!
Etsy and Artist Alley
Speaking of my Etsy shop and art tables, those are two things I’m shifting my focus to this year. In the final quarter of 2022, I had an absolute blast working as an artist at conventions and local events. It’s something I really enjoy, and I want to keep it up! For the times that I’m not able to physically sell my products, Etsy has proven a worthy alternative. I’ve been working on a new shop name (“DeLa Doll’s Stuff” is now “Digital Dollie”), new products (plus restocking the old faves like my “Dumb Bitch Juice” pins and keychains), and just enjoying myself creating new art and being inspired by the world around me. I continue to be pleasantly surprised and humbled by how much people genuinely enjoy my creations and respect me as an artist, especially since I focus a lot on original designs as opposed to fanart (though I have been dabbling more in fanart and having a good time doing so!).
Videos and Writing
In addition to freeing myself from the pressures of subscription-based monetization with my cosplay, and embracing myself as an artist, I’m also going to be focusing on my video content again. I love making videos and sharing my creative process. I enjoy editing, and I enjoy crafting scripts. Video production is the perfect combination of all the things I enjoy and excel at: Makeup, cosplay, writing, crafting, editing…it’s all there! I’ll be posting much more frequently to my YouTube and TikTok channels, as well as live-streaming cosplay makeup looks. More info on that will be available soon!
Finally, I’ll be writing and publishing more content to my blog this year! Last year kind of beat my ass in terms of writing professionally, but I’m thankful for the experience because I have a better understanding of who I am and what I enjoy as a writer. I can’t wait to show you all what I’ve been working on, and to move forward with a sense of excitement and clarity that I have never felt on this level before! Be sure to follow me here and on my socials so that you don’t miss anything! Thanks for reading and supporting this eccentric little lady in her all her artsy nerd endeavors <3
~DeLa Doll
DeLa Doll is a culture writer, cosplayer, and artist based in Florida. She has been writing professionally since 2016, with some of her work being featured on sites like HuffPo and /Film. She is an advocate for meaningful diversity and representation in media, a gamer, a mom, and an avid user of DIY hair dye.
