What are some of your strengths and weaknesses when coming up with content for brainwash ?
My strengths are coming up with the ideas. I can come up with 20 ideas right now to write about.
It’s the follow through and execution and also understanding that what i like to read, you might not like to read and if you’re coming to my website to read things then I need to take into consideration what you’ll read. There are ideas that i’ve written that I’m like ok this isnt going to be interesting to anyone but myself. There are some pieces that I don't necessarily care for as much but people want to see it. For example, I did a skin care routine situation because people have been asking me to do one for a while. I was like I’m not a beauty blogger but ookk.. I guess. Taking that idea and using a play on words like “Lazy girls guide to skincare” and adding cool graphics and stuff like that is my way of twisting it.
How does brainwash differ from other sites/blogs?
I think in digital space, a lot of it is very click-baitey and brainwash is the antithesis of click bait. There’s nothing click-baitey about it. It’s all content that’s going to make you go “hm ok.. I never thought about that”. A lot of websites and online publications either regurgitate information that are on other platforms because it’s hot or write 140 word pieces about nothing, about foolishness. For me, brainwash is definitely a place for people who want to think, learn and explore and that’s what makes it a little bit different.
What is your overall goal for brainwash ?
I literally just tweeted this. Oh my god. So someone had tweeted “professionally what’s your dream situation ?” and I said to build brainwash as a full blown creative digital platform. Have brand partnerships, events, and create more visuals. The goal is to have brainwash become a media company and have different sectors to it. So there’s digital content that exists, there might be a bi monthly zine, some film situations that happens, brainwash events like all those different things just creating content using different mediums and different platforms to engage different people is the end goal. And then having a bunch of different people of color telling stories is just like when does that ever happen.
How can writers become a part of brainwash and what do you look for in your contributors ?
Thats easy. There’s a section called brainwash.com/contact and it gives all the information how people can submit their work. It’s not open to just writers but photographers, there’s a huge visuals section that I’ve introduced and i love a good photographer. Literally you don't have to write as long as you make cool contact. For contributors, I look for people who are willing to do the work. People who are capable of creating engaging content, people who are open minded and willing to sort of step out of their comfort zones. People with their own voice essentially. I tell people all the time that they can write about their big toe if they want. But it’s only if you write about your big toe in a way that makes me like damn, that’s a really good piece on a big toe then I’m down for it. I’m down for the idea and as long as you can back up the idea with some good writing then I’m chillin’.
What’s the best piece of advice you could give aspiring creatives ?
This is crazy. The profile i just wrote on a writer named Bene, actually just gave me advice. She told me don’t ever say the word “aspiring”, which is the best piece of advice I’ve ever gotten. It’s either you are or you’re not. If you're aspiring to do something there’s no need for you to actually do it. You can always say you're aspiring to do it and that’s good enough whereas if you start calling yourself a writer, well then you’re going to have to start writing. If you’re going to call yourself a musician then you’re going to have to start making music. So I think the best advice is to stop aspiring and just do the work. Just do it.