Keep Things in Perspective and Manage Your Expectations
I’ve had this take for a while now about, “What do you mean, you don’t know who John Cena is?” It’s sort of my example for putting things into perspective. As much as I’m abundantly aware of the WWE superstar turned movie (and TV) (and pop culture) star, there are people in various parts of the world – and various walks of life – who simply don’t know who he is, what he does, or why he’s famous.
To someone like me who is a big fan of his, I’m appalled that people could possibly not be aware of him.
Milestones: Make Memories and Build Momentum
Two weeks ago today marked the release of the 700th hosted/recorded episode of my podcasting career. If you’re wondering why I’ve waited until now to write a blog about it, I challenge you to instead look at how much mileage you can get out of a similar milestone that you might reach in whatever you’re creating.
Taking Home More Than Songs and a Swag Bag
Yesterday was the final day of the 38th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. Last Wednesday in the weekly e-newsletter, I wrote that I’d just come back from being at that event in Alabama, yet it’s so big that it was still going on!
In that email, the above statement was part of an item about a “Promoting Your Music Career” seminar that I had put on, now nine days ago (pictured above and documented here too).
Indie Musicians: Admit and Then Get the Help You Need
On Episode 434 of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player Blue Foley talked about the conscious decision he made at one point in his career to not go down the path of a recording and touring artist. When he said that he just didn’t have the ego for it, he explained how he meant that.
Karin Ann Makes a Positive Out of a Negative with “You Make Me Miserable”
Hosting the “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast every week, not to mention working with clients who make and perform music, and, with that, traveling back and forth to the likes of Nashville and Los Angeles, I have a front row seat for the challenges of writing a good song.
Time and again I hear songwriters talk about the many variables that go into creating something memorable that, hopefully, is going to have success and staying power.
Breaking Down YouTube Video Strategy
Since I don’t have a huge office with a massive roster of employees running around making all the magic happen, it’s hard to believe that last night marked just two weeks since I’d returned from the Florida panhandle and the 12th Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival, yet already one episode of “Now Hear This Entertainment” recorded there has been released, another has been edited and is ready to drop the day after tomorrow, AND a recap video has been published on YouTube.
You’re Stuck on What to Create Next – And That’s Okay
This social media, let’s-all-create-content world that we’re living in can certainly be a good thing AND a bad thing. Just one example of the latter is that there could be a tendency to create content just for the sake of creating content. That could result in some really dull content.
Takeaways from Songwriters Festival
From late afternoon last Wednesday to late last night I drove a combined total of approximately one thousand miles, immersing myself in the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival in the Florida panhandle. For those of you that have been reading this blog and/or listening to my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast long enough, you know that I’ve been attending that event for many years.
A Case for Better Podcast Etiquette
While the names will be withheld to protect the innocent, as the saying goes, maybe they shouldn’t be, is my thinking here. Don’t misinterpret this as public shaming. It’s just that you have to wonder if that’s what it’s going to take for more accountability in podcasting. Or maybe I should say, a greater level of respect for the medium?
Marina Maximilian Nails it with “Lord Save Me”
Over the weekend I was having a conversation about hearing music that you identify with a certain period of time. It could be generational and/or it could be a specific occasion or maybe something you were going through.