I understand where you're coming from, but it's important to remember that creators are not machines.
We don’t just churn out content on demand, 24/7, without rest. As much as we love writing and making art, we are human first.
We have lives, responsibilities, and sometimes an overwhelming number of messages to go through. It’s not as simple as sitting down and instantly producing something new every time someone asks for it. Creativity takes energy, time, and, sometimes, even the right headspace.
People often forget that consuming content is easy, but creating it is a completely different story. A 5,000-word story might take you 30 minutes to read, but for the person writing it? That could be days or even weeks of brainstorming, drafting, editing, and revising. And that’s assuming inspiration even comes easily. Some days, writing feels effortless. Other days, just putting together a single paragraph feels impossible.
And here’s the thing—most of us do this as a hobby. We don’t get paid for it. We write, draw, and create because we love it, not because we owe anyone content. The majority of us have jobs, classes, and real-life obligations that demand our time and energy. We’re already balancing so much, yet there’s this expectation that we should be constantly producing, constantly engaging, constantly available.
Engagement matters, but expecting instant responses—or assuming that being ignored is the same as being unappreciated—is unfair. The truth is, we see the messages. We appreciate them. But responding to every single one isn’t realistic or possible.
And when creators feel pressured or guilt-tripped, it drains the joy from creating. Instead of being something we love, it starts to feel like an obligation—a chore rather than an act of passion. It’s exhausting to feel like no matter how much effort we put in, it’s never enough.
Should someone who’s going through a rough time be expected to sacrifice their well-being just to post? Should we have to drop everything just to reply at the speed that’s expected? That’s not how it works.
So yes, interaction is important. But so is understanding that we are people, not content machines. Sometimes, we just need a break. That doesn’t mean we don’t care. It just means we’re human.
