Why We Make 🛠

Hello friends!

I hope you're enjoying this Serial Maker newsletter! If you missed any of the past editions, make sure to check them out. And if you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend. 😀

Humans have been making things since the dawn of time. Caveman painted their cave walls, carved statues, and constructed tools. The reasons they made each vary immensely. Art, tools, architecture, music, books, apps, cooking. To make is to be human. It's important to understand the purpose behind our work. I find there are three primary reasons to make anything.

This issue is all about why we make things 🛠
 

TLDR

• For the process

• To express ourselves

• To fill a need

Enjoy the process

Taking a month to prototype, test, and validate your project is the tried and true method of launching a product. But sometimes, you just want to build for the fun of it. The process can be just as rewarding as the end result. I enjoy learning a new language, experimenting, and simply diving into interesting things— sometimes, more than the finished project. This can lead to lots of poorly planned, unfinished work. But as long as you're aware of the purpose of enjoying the process, you'll find that it's not wasted time.
 

Personal expression

Of course, making doesn't have to be commercial. Art and music can serve no other purpose than to be beautiful. Or it can make a powerful political statement. Or stir an emotion. Sometimes the audience is only truly intended for ourselves and not others. Finishing something purely for personal expression can be a cathartic experience. And if it happens to make money, even better. But don't lose sight of the intent.
 

Someone needs this

Not everything we make can be just for ourselves. Often we build things for others. But filling a need can be our own need as well. And if we need something, there's a good chance others do too. This is actually an effective way to validate an idea. The most effective products resolve a source of pain for the consumer. Consider this painful issue as you work towards a finished product. If a feature or embellishment doesn't lead to this specific solution, think hard about including it at all. Remember why you're making.


Keep making, and thanks for reading! 🙌

Hit reply to tell me what you're making. I'm looking for anyone interested in talking about their own side-projects and maker journey, so speak up if you'd like to appear in Serial Maker. I'd also love to know what you thought of this issue, and what you want to hear about in the future.

Until next week,

Craig