This Creator (Summit) Life
Recently, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) invited creators to a Creator Summit, which feels like a huge deal in and of itself. To be invited, that they’re opening their doors (even in a limited fashion), and want to showcase what’s going on with people who create content with their products and IP.
Naturally, once word of this got out, TTRPG Twitter proceeded to consume itself.
Wizards has made some pretty bad choices lately, so people are still feeling the sting of that, but it also seemed to spread to the inevitable, “Why were they invited and not me/others?” that every opportunity seems to have. Normal feelings, but it really got out of hand. I’m not even going to get into the “clout chaser” discussion because by now it’s been done to death and I’m honestly tired of it, even the jokes.
What got to me, and what it felt like no one was discussing, was the main details of the event. It’s taking place in Washington (state), on a Monday. WotC is covering travel and accommodations and a per diem for attendees, which is wonderful, but still doesn’t address the fact that it’s taking place on a workday.
WotC isn’t the only recent invitation like this I’ve gotten (though it’s probably the only one people care about) but St. Jude also invited me and other creators to a summit taking place over multiple weekdays, and it’s just this idea that creators can pick up and leave at the drop of a hat to appear in person someplace that bothers me. As if we don’t have any other responsibilities to contend with.
Entire thread broken out with more of my thoughts below.
One thing that’s really frustrating around the creator invites to these events is… what feels like a lack of respect for our time and most especially our responsibilities.
“We’re pleased to invite you to [EVENT] taking place [IN A MONTH] on [A WEEKDAY].”
I… have a job. 🙃
Which, it feels like a lot of places don’t bother to consider that in the first place, asking if we’re available to hop on a call or co-stream an event taking place in the middle of the day.
Maybe I need a “Part-Time Streamer” sign taped to my forehead ‘cos this can’t work.
I do my absolute best to be a professional in my creative work and treat others in kind. I understand that work hours are work hours for everyone, but there’s this very pervasive idea that content creators, influencers and streamers are always available in a way that just doesn’t make sense. Many of us maintain streaming schedules and are public about our appearances and events, and often just about what’s happening in our lives.
It should be clear when content creation is our full-time vs. not, and even so, the logical assumption that we’re human beings who have lives outside of appearing on screen seems to be missing more often than not.
I appreciate that the hosts will cover or reimburse travel, accommodations and meals, but what about the rest of it?
Is my PTO (assuming I even have any available) worth appearing at this event and not getting paid for my time? Which is likely to be used for their marketing.
I get that they’re a company too, so in most cases weekdays are work days for them too. But that’s the thing: weekdays are work days.
For most creator events and conventions, we can schedule weekend time to participate and in most cases not have it affect too much else.
But an event taking place over one or more weekdays, plus travel days… no matter how much of the base cost is covered means I’m missing work at the very least.
If I had pets, family, or someone else to look after… what about them?
I know. It means I can’t go. I often don’t.
For these two particular events, the hosts are covering travel, which is great. Let me be clear: that part is amazing. It removes a major barrier to access these events and opportunities because many creators cannot afford to spend the money to travel and stay over.
However, choosing to have these events on one or more non-weekend days adds new complications into the mix. Not that weekends are perfect for everyone, but they are generally understood that people are more likely to have flexibility than on a random Tuesday.
What’s interesting about the WotC Creator Summit is they mentioned, “In December of 2022, our team had the opportunity to attend PAX Unplugged and interact with tons of members of the TTRPG creator community.” Which means they understand the accessibility that can be baked into an existing event weekend.
It means that I try to sneak in a meeting on my “lunch break” or tell work I had to “run an errand” to take a quick call, or make up hours before/after shift because a 1-2 hr event is actually taking place in the city where I live. (I’m fortunate enough to have 100% WFH.)
After getting the 3rd creator summit/event invite (I’m not sure which one you think I was talking about) in the past few weeks taking place just about one month out, on a weekday, I’m just like… can y’all not?
Maybe arrange these events around conventions? Or just… weekends.
Going back to the “always available” assumption. I always assume that if it’s between the hours of 7am and 6pm in someone’s time zone, they’re busy. Maybe that’s a bad assumption, because it stems from my being busy during the work day. But most people understand when I tell them that my availability starts roughly one hours after I’m done work for the day, and that if we’re meeting anytime before my work day is over, I am going to be distracted by work.
Working from home has allowed me to squeeze in more creative work, but my day job is always the priority. The thing that pays the bills, provides some measure of health care, keeps me fed, etc. will, with very few exceptions, be the thing that ranks #1 over everything else.
Is this is just “responsible adult grousing” about my no longer being able to pretend I’m auditioning for an MTV reality show in the 90s and can just leave behind all of my responsibilities at the drop of a hat to go live with strangers in a house or an RV for 6-8 weeks.
Maybe.
Oddly enough, I did respond to casting calls for MTV reality shows back in the day, the first time I wasn’t willing or able to make the time commitment for filming. The second time, I was too old. I mean I’m sure it would have been a time thing too, but just… oof, y’know?
But sometimes I do have to vent about how this “creator/influencer” life is all about “opportunities” and how we’re made to feel that if we don’t do everything to be in the room and get face time and make ourselves available, that we’re just not serious about it.
It’s messed up.
Do I want to go these events and summits? Do I want to see others in my industry and space and finally get face-time with my peers? Do I have *massive* FOMO for missing out on them? Yep, I sure do.
It’s interesting that we try to compartmentalize this under “fear of missing out,” when it’s a legitimate concern that if we aren’t in the room, shaking the hands, making the introductions, etc. that we don’t exist, or at least have to work even harder to make sure people know we exist.
There may be FOMO for not getting to see cool things, or have a company invite me out, or get swag, but mainly it’s that we can’t drop everything to hop on a plane for the access.
But I also wish more were held virtually, or at least more conveniently.
I’ll happily come for a weekend day or whole weekend, hang out, learn about your product, plans and programs. Especially at an already scheduled con. But you decide have to that with barely one month’s notice on a Monday? A Wednesday?
That ain’t gonna work for me. Sorry, and it sucks. 💖
The WotC Creator Summit will have a virtual version, so creators who can’t make it aren’t going to totally miss out, however the virtual event is still scheduled as an all-day thing, on the same day. That’s not really better, but it’s something. For me, it sort of relegates this event to the same kind of background noise that I’d put on during the day while I’m working. It’s not going to be an event I can fully focus on, but at least I can experience it in some way.
At the end of the day, I don’t have a solution for this, or my solution isn’t very satisfying. I get invited to these amazing opportunities, I have to weigh the pros and cons of going or not, and usually I don’t go. That’s it. As I said, it sucks, but that’s life. I have to hope that I can focus on the creative side of my life while still balancing the responsibilities that keep a roof over my head. I’m sure I’m not alone in that, but what can you do? 💖
