Month: February 2024

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Huracán vs Zeus

Late one night, a gentle breeze filtered through palm leaves and settled on a peaceful Taino village. Beyond the forest’s edge, the ocean was bathed in light from a full Caribbean moon. The sweet aroma of cacao mingled with the earthy scent of the hot cassava cakes Kiana prepared as a bedtime treat for her daughter. Around them, the village was alive with waves crashing ashore and the distant voices of men and women talking loudly.

Midnight snack

Kiana’s daughter blew over the ceramic cup holding her hot cocoa. She anticipated the sweet taste of sugarcane juice which her mother had stirred into the beverage. She took a sip and then savoured a piece of cassava cake. The warm snack felt as comforting as the embrace of her kind and gentle mother. A fire flickered near them, as if waiting to hear a bedtime story. Kiana, with a tender smile, began weaving a tale to explain the tension swirling in the village around them.

Huracán asks Zeus for Athena’s hand in marriage

“Once upon a time,” the kind mother began, “the powerful storm god, Huracán, once dreamed of a world united in peace and harmony. To accomplish this task, he journeyed to Mount Olympus, where lived Zeus, King of the Gods. There, Huracán told Zeus of his grand campaign. And, to show that he was sincere, he asked for the hand of the goddess Athena, daughter of Zeus.” Kiana’s daughter giggled when her mother stopped to explain that Athena had sprung fully grown from the forehead of Zeus, and was never a little girl like she was.

Dowry

“As Huracán stood before Zeus,” Kiana continued, stroking her daughter’s hair, “he proposed a union of families, cultures, and traditions. But Zeus could only think of acquiring more power and wealth on Earth. So he demanded a dowry of a land rich and untamed. He knew that our islands were most dear to Huracán, who would not be happy to part with them. Reluctantly, his future son-in-law agreed, believing his territory would be protected as long as his union with Athena endured.”

A new storm

“The union was happy, faithful and prosperous, and our islands continued to flourish as a paradise blessed by divine love. But Zeus grew tired of peace and unleashed a new storm. Over many years, explorers and fortune hunters sailed towards our islands. Huracán did his best to turn them back, throwing up fierce winds and heavy rains to crush their boats.

Eventually, his protectiveness over his territory started a family quarrel. But Huracán was no match for his powerful father-in-law. Zeus prevailed and the sea, which once united our people, became a battleground for rival treasure hunters from the North. Huracán’s dream had come to nothing.”

Winds of change

As Kiana spoke, the sounds of the night harmonised with her words. “Now, my child,” she said, “this story prepares us for the winds of change, as they are always blowing. We are too weak to hold them back, but we can trust our inner strength, and the spirit of our people.” The child’s eyes grew heavy as Kiana softly hummed a melody. She could hear the villagers discussing how they would resist the invaders.

Outro

Under that night sky, with the aroma of cacao still lingering in the air, Kiana watched over her daughter as she slept. The villagers would stay up all night, anxious as they were about the challenging times ahead. As the cool breeze wrapped her child in its protective swaddle, the gentle mother asked the old gods for an end to their hardships. Then, over the waves, she cast the melody so it would echo through the generations.

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Main Character Energy: How you can use it as an artist or writer

As creatives, we face the constant need for an effective strategy for sharing our work online. I thought about ‘main character syndrome’ and I believe that the ‘energy’ might offer useful principles for building brand recognition.

Have you ever heard the term ‘main character energy‘? It’s one way to describe charisma or chutzpah. Main character energy is a combination of bravery, confidence, and attention-seeking. You need the right amount to get people to listen to you. Unfortunately, many creative people are anxious and introverted, so in the spotlight, they can become overwhelmed quite quickly.

You know that someone is doing too much self-promotion when you get exhausted from seeing their name or avatar in your news feeds. When you become oversaturated, you’re now looking at ‘main character syndrome‘. You’ll see it with celebrities who pay click farms to keep their names trending on social media. And, you’ll also see them on podcasts whining about the toxic parasocial relationships caused by that very same overexposure they engineered. In other words, if posting to social media gives you a hit of dopamine, or you feel compelled to hit the ‘post’ button every ten minutes, you are no longer doing business.

The ‘look at me’ problem

Apart from famous people whose thirst for attention becomes toxic, we can easily think of everyday people with main character syndrome. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “main character syndrome is defined by a series of behaviors in which you see yourself as the main character in the story of your life. You are the protagonist and everyone else is often a sidekick or a villain.” One example that springs to mind is the mother-in-law who insisted on wearing her wedding dress to her son’s wedding.

Oversaturation, in my opinion, works best for objects or dead people. I’m thinking of the Mona Lisa or the Palace of Versailles. Or historical figures like Elizabeth I or Nelson Mandela. We recognise them from iconic images representing them at the height of their fame. For living individuals, icon status is difficult to attain because authenticity is a vital part of an artist’s brand management strategy. In spite of this, to remain relevant, many famous people do bizarre things so we can stare at them.

They also spend lots of money on social media teams who come up with bizarre audience engagement strategies. They hire stylists and pay to be featured in mainstream publications. Their shortcuts might not work for you, however. And if you try to copy them by saturating your social media timelines with posts, your tactics will backfire.

Visibility with intention is a better alternative. The idea is to see yourself as a storyteller. This will make it easy for you to set clear goals for showcasing your creative work. You want to tell a story that your audience finds interesting or entertaining.

With this idea in mind, let me share with you some ways you can build up your brand identity. Read on and find out how you can “overexpose” your creative work using main character energy.

Objectify yourself

Develop a unique symbol or logo associated with your creative persona. This icon can serve as a consistent visual element across digital platforms, making your brand instantly recognisable. Create several personas and icons for each. Cycle through these as needed.

Establish a signature style that becomes synonymous with your brand. Whether it’s a specific tone, colour palette, or choice of themes, a distinctive creative style will help people to recognise your work easily.

Cultivate a mythos around yourself. Tell stories, show behind-the-scenes videos or photos, or share unique rituals associated with your creative process. Adding layers to your persona gives your work more staying power. Further, create an enigmatic online persona by carefully selecting what aspects of your life and work to share. Keep an air of mystery around your creative process and personal life. Curiosity adds to the allure of your work.

Collaborate with yourself. If you’re a writer, consider using illustrations, graphics, or video clips to showcase your work. If you’re a fine artist, find a story or poem that matches your artwork so your audience can connect with it more closely. With this technique you externalise your brand with fresh, visually appealing iterations of your work.

Release limited edition or special versions of your work. You could create a video trailer or slideshow for your artwork or writing. Or you could do a voiceover narration on one specific platform. Thereafter, images with excerpts go on your blog. Limiting styles to different platforms adds a feeling of rarity to your creative work. It also encourages discovery across platforms. This in turn enhances the perceived value of your work.

Outro: Self-reflection and goal-setting

When you promote your creative work online, main character energy is what you’ll tap into. In other words, you are making your creative work the main character in your brand story. This makes it easier for you to reinvent yourself without oversaturating your broadcast channels. It’s possible to regularly showcase your work while maintaining a sense of exclusivity and originality.

However, before starting each campaign, you’ll need to set clear goals for your online presence. Bear in mind your values and the impact you want to make with your creative work. Elevate your presentations with distinctive symbols, a signature style, and timeless themes. Your creative journey is unique, so let your story unfold authentically and your audience will embrace you.

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Narcissus and Seraphina

Preamble

In this original story, the demigod Narcissus is catfished by the Macedonian mystic, Seraphina, who tells him that she is the Egyptian goddess Aetheria. In disguise, Seraphina tricks Narcissus into gifting her his most prized attributes. The lovesick Echo follows him around and tries to warn him but he doesn’t listen.

Act I: The Radiant Prodigy

In a time where gods and mortals live in harmony, Narcissus, the offspring of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope, is blessed with awe-inspiring beauty. He has the coveted blend of divine heritage and earthly charm.

Act II: Unchecked Hubris

The life of Narcissus unfolds with unchecked hubris. He rejects his admirers, believing them to be unworthy of his affection. Seraphina, a crafty mystic, learns of Narcissus’ arrogance and disdain for mortal suitors. She invents the deity Aetheria, a lesser-known Egyptian goddess of allure. The beguiling mystic conceals her ruse well. With a voice spun from illusions, Aetheria whispers promises into Narcissus’ ears. The demigod’s belief in his irresistible charm becomes the loom upon which a deceptive veil is woven.

In his blind pursuit of godlike elevation, he agrees to marry Aetheria, in exchange for access to the source of his beauty, youth, and vitality. Thus, he unwittingly bestows upon Seraphina the power to take the essence that defines him. In truth, Narcissus willingly succumbs to his own pride. He is unable to recognise his misplaced self-worth. The stage is set for a tragic revelation.

Act III: The Tragic Revelation

Besotted Echo, cursed to repeat the words of others, follows Narcissus everywhere. Her desperate cries ring through the sacred groves. She tries to warn the demigod of the treachery of his betrothed. But Narcissus is callous as he rejects her, and she is condemned to silent agony.

When Narcissus relinquishes his charm and radiance, Seraphina returns to her true form. But it takes time for Narcissus to realise the depth of her betrayal. One day, by the riverside, as he kneels to wash his hands, he sees that he has aged by decades overnight. The vibrance of his youth is replaced by the withering decay of stolen years.

Act IV: The Desolation of Vanity

Alone and afraid, Narcissus gazes in horror upon his reflection. He sees a hollowed shell of a man rippling in the waters. Seraphina, having extracted the elixir of his beauty, has vanished into the ether, leaving behind a broken man. Haunted by his mistakes, Narcissus withers away while staring at his reflection in the water. Echo witnesses the tragedy of a celestial beauty reduced to a pathetic shadow, lost to the unforgiving passage of time.