hey young artists: you are not "losing money" by not monetizing your hobby. just because someone keeps suggesting you monetize doesn't mean they (or you) understand what goes into running a business. unless you have a clear demand for your work and a gameplan to take advantage of that, the only thing you are wasting is your time by trying to cater to an algorithm or a market that simply doesn't exist. you cannot reverse-engineer success as an artist. just make your art. just make your art. your audience will come to you eventually.
now that i have more time to elaborate: i'm bringing this up again because every day on reddit i see what are very obviously teenagers pleading in borderline distress for help on how to "get noticed", typically with the intent of getting commissions. you are not only damning yourself to a lack of artistic identity by developing your work based on what you think will sell, you are also damning yourself to the very real possibility of resentment toward your own hobby when people aren't as enthusiastic as you about the results.
it's completely normal to want positive reactions and attention when you are a creative person. "create for yourself" can also mean "create things you know will make people happy, because you like making people happy". what i want to emphasize is that introducing the element of money can pollute that exchange, and if you find yourself at any point distressed because you're struggling to get a business off the ground... examine yourself with honesty and ask if part of the problem is not that you think the only worthwhile support your audience can offer is becoming a customer.
