Detractor Beam

Stop listening to the negative drone of derision emanating from the Defenders of the Status Quo (DSQ). It’s harmful to the ears. I would share examples, but I don't want to do them the favor. You know their song, though—it goes like this: "You're no good. You don't belong here. You're not a 'real' artist." "You don't know what you're doing. Leave this to the experts." "Don't even bother. You're not one of us, and you never will be." You get the idea. Those in a position of power are always afraid. They don't want to lose their seat at the table. But if they are deriding you behind your back, why do you seek their approval? Here's the thing. You don't need permission from a Gatekeeper anymore. If you want to make art, do it. If you want to write, do it. If you want to make music, do it. Go. Do your best. Then share it. See what works. Accept criticism that is given in the right spirit. Make changes. Get better. Then do it again, over and over, learning and improving with each iteration. That's how it works today. The power is shifting, and the DSQ know it. Soon, you will be the majority. Not just in numbers, but in revenue too—in every industry. Culture grows from the bottom up. The 20th century was a perversion, where it was forced down on us from above. It blared over the loudspeakers and flickered on every available screen and surface. "You will like what we tell you to like." Not anymore. People still seek compelling stories, connection, a sense of belonging. That will never change. But where they get it will be their choice now, not that of some executive "tastemaker" in some office tower in Manhattan. All you have to do is show up. Are you in? Good. I'm rooting for you. -- Is your work reaching enough people? It helps to have a strategy. Let me give you the basics. For more about: Content Strategy for Authors & Writers: http://bit.ly/articles-for-authors Content Strategy for Businesses: http://bit.ly/articles-for-entrepreneurs -- Equipment: Fender Jaguar, Garageband for iPad Copyright 2014 Michael Boezi This content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) U.S. License. Published by Control Mouse Media LLC, Boston, MA http://controlmousemedia.com Some rights reserved. Unauthorized use is a violation of applicable copyright laws. Control Mouse Media, SoundCloud hub: http://soundcloud.com/controlmouse (music) Michael Boezi, SoundCloud hub: http://soundcloud.com/mboezi (podcasts) Connect with me on Google+