Category: sethwCategory: sethw

From a recent round of Email Guidance, talking to someone about how to get their music featured in video projects:

My buddy Nolan Green writes about one of his songs being used in a Netflix show, “Twenty-one years after the track was recorded.” Over TWO DECADES, and all because someone working on the show was a fan of his work.

Get your work featured in projects that are at your current level. Learn how to email the video makers and game creators who’ve only been at it for a year or two.

Learn how to communicate and work with the people at your current level.

Social media has us believing that if we start something, with enough finesse and cold emails and crossing our fingers people will be begging to work with us, but the fact is so many people working on the big projects already have people in mind, and chances are you’re not one of them.

So go work on projects with other people. It’s not “fake it til you make it,” it’s “do the work you want to get hired for.” Prove you can do it by already doing it.

Great question from Evolet Yvaine via Substack.

Q. I’m just curious if any of your interviews are with fiction authors. Or if you’ve had clients who are fiction authors and how they’re navigating getting off social media.

A. Honestly, no, but I bet if I had some more conversations with fiction writers we’d get a little closer to the answer. Like, there is just so much to explore in this area, and so many beliefs to bust through, and so many ideas to bat around, but it takes time, trust, and some good old faith to see it through.

If you’re interested, you can get a 30 day trial for just $10 and join any of my 3+ weekly Escape Pod Zoom calls to talk about this sort of stuff with other creative folks!

A friend of mine got a promotion at work. Talked to another friend who got a “word of mouth” referral, and it meeting a new client tomorrow. A local business owner is moving to a new location, and we talked about the headaches involved (and the return of their delicious chocolate chip cookies).

Was chatting with another friend who has wanted to start doing 1:1 client work, and they just got their first booking. Had a Zoom chat with someone I met on an Akimbo workshop call back in 2019, and we bounced around good vibes and stellar energy.

The more I think about Social Media Escape Club, the more I realize it’s all about the personal connections. It’s not just about the conversations, the encouragement, the support, the regular check ins, but the depth of those interactions.

Social media promotes more views, impressions, likes, and replies. It’s the glut of “happy birthday” comments left on those automated LinkedIn and Facebook posts, instead of the warmth of someone who texts or calls you on your big day.

Lots of well paid people sit in meetings all day plotting new ways to keep us exhausted and tied to the idea that without social media we’re nothing. Their livelihood (and two summer homes) depend on you making another post, using another hashtag, editing another vertical video.

They want you lugging a mic stand into the woods instead of playing a gig on a Tuesday night.

If you’re not spending time on their platform, why would they help you promote your gig? That’s why they want your “native uploads.” You’re rewarded with likes and “views” from people you don’t know, can’t meet, and maybe don’t even exist.

During an interview last week I spoke with someone about musicians getting email addresses from live gigs. I gave two examples I’ve heard over the years, which broke something open for my host, who burst out a whole new idea.

On a group call over the weekend, a musician was stuck in the mire of writing music, recording it, getting the word out – the never ending list of things to manage and tend to. After we batted some ideas around the group, they said the magical words: “you can really clarify your thinking by bouncing stuff off other people.”

As I said, “your next big breakthrough will happen with other creative people.”

“If you were the lone creative weirdo in high school back in the day, well…, you’d better read some books and find some magazines because you’re on your own.

Now we have websites, Zoom, internet radio, email, and a thousand messaging apps – there’s no reason to do any of this alone.

We know the villains in the current landscape. We know what we’re up against.

Time to stop playing games we don’t want to play (and can’t win), and figure out what’s next.”

Platforms can only take you so far. Time to pull great people in your creative orbit. Email someone way up the food chain. Go to the event. Ask for an introduction. Make your own luck.

Your next big break could be one email, one interaction, one person away.