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Advice All Music Writers Should Follow in 2019

Music Writers, Music Journalism, 2019, Advice, Tips

The music business in 2019 would be virtually unrecognizable to the music business of 2000. In less than two decades the industry we all love has undergone an extensive transformation that has emphasized access rather than ownership, created a glut of festivals, and brought into question the necessity of quote/unquote ‘music journalists.’ When algorithms can predict success better than even the most gifted ears, and everyone with an opinion can share their thoughts on social media do we have a need for full-time music writers?

The answer, as always, is yes. There may be more people talking about music than ever before, as well as more way to access music, but that does not mean the quality of conversation around the art form is at its peak. As long as great artists are creating impossibly catchy songs that ultimately never receive the praise or support they deserve there is still work to be done on the part of music journalists. There is and will always be a need for people to amplify the voice of artists on the rise, as well as a need for experienced listeners to help those short on time make useful discoveries.

While there is a lot to be said for how music blogs and publications can better themselves in 2019, there is also quite a bit you should be taking it upon yourself to do to get ahead. What follows are three tips to keep in mind as we begin to navigate the uncertain months ahead. The future is always unpredictable, but there is a lot you can do right now to increase your chances of a better tomorrow. If you have any questions, email me: james@haulix.com.

Storytelling matters now more than ever

There was time not long ago when the vast majority of music blogs created just two pieces of content: Reviews and news. The reviews were written hurriedly by young critics trying to make their name by praising or trashing talent, while the news often amounted to little more than copy/pasted press releases tweaked just enough not to be outright plagiarism. Some of this content was good, but most was immediately disposable.

Some of those sites still exist today, but most have died due to an inability to grow their audience. If the content your creating is immediately disposable then the same can be said for your site. If, however, you can find a way to create unique content that no one else can offer then you may be able to set yourself apart.

To do this, we suggest telling more stories. Find an artist you believe in, regardless of popularity, and tell their story. Tell your story about telling their story. Tell the story of their fans and why they choose to care about this artist instead of the other million-plus in existence. Find an angle that interests you and shares it with the world. Take chances. Maybe what you uncover isn’t necessarily new or groundbreaking information, but as long as it is honest and well-written, it will entertain.

Maintain your archives, both public and private

Here’s a nightmare scenario most writers never consider: What happens to your content in the event a hacker attacks the site(s) where you contribute? What happens if the owner of that site suddenly loses interest in the publication and deletes it? What happens if for whatever reason your content disappears before you or anyone else thinks to save a copy elsewhere?

The answer is always the same: Your content is gone forever.

In 2019, there are no longer any acceptable excuses for failing to maintain a personal archive. Too many sites have gone under, and too many people have complained over social media about now permanently lost work for you to fall in line with those who the easily avoidable mistake of not keeping track of your work. After all, who else do you expect to do it? No one cares more about your career in writing than you, so you must be the one to look after and ensure its legacy.

In addition to saving your work offline, we also suggest you maintain a catalog of links to the currently active content you consider to be your ‘best’ work. Services like Contently make this easy and cost-effective. Again, there is no excuse for your archives being a mess. Get it together!

You need a website

Every time we create a post offering advice to individual professionals we make it a point to emphasize the need for a personal site. It doesn’t matter if you own a blog with a hundred contributors or you contribute to a hundred blogs, every single person trying to make it in the music business should have their website. The reasons why are as endless as your imagination, but the main reason is that you need a place where you and your work can be the focus of everyone’s attention. You need a place where your absolute best work is displayed, as well as a place where people can learn more about you and whether or not you are available for freelance work. A personal website can be anything you want it to be. Just make sure you have one.

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Maintaining Your Sanity While The Industry Is On Holiday Break

If you are reading this post, then there is a reasonably good chance you are feeling more than a little bored. Maybe you’re a blogger with no new stories to publish, or perhaps you run an indie label where business has slowed in the days since Christmas. Whatever the case, you still have several days until the industry is back in full swing, if not longer. Some industry businesses do not return to a regular work schedule until the week after New Year’s Day, which for 2019 means January 7.

While we admire and applaud your dedication to the craft, we also feel we must tell you that no one person has to be on top of everything all the time. Sometimes it makes no sense to try and do so. The music business is a difficult place where most professionals, meaning those paid and those working for free alike, put in long hours to help those they believe in getting ahead. The daily grind can be killer on even the most dedicated souls, but for two to three weeks every year, there is a lull that almost everyone has agreed to maintain. It is a safe place where people can exhale and stretch and return calls to the family that they have been putting off since before the leaves began to change. That period is the one we are in right now, and it stretches from the days before Christmas until after the start of the new year.

You can work as much as you want during this time, but unless someone is telling you to complete a specific task (or tasks), we encourage you to disconnect. Yes, the company that exists entirely online and relies on clicks to keep the doors open is inviting you to detach from the very thing that keeps its lights on. Some may say such comments are an exercise in self-destruction, but we tend to disagree. We see how much time people put into their work, both on the label side and on that odd the media, which means we also appreciate how much (most) people need a break. They deserve one.

Those who find the most success in life often cite their breaks or vacations as one of the reasons they perform so well. These people subscribe to the law of diminishing returns, which states that there is a point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested. In simpler terms, just because you work nonstop does not mean your success is also everlasting. You may succeed for a while, but at some point, you will no longer be able to do whatever it is you do as well as you did when you first started. The reason for this is relatively simple: You are a not a machine. You are not programmed to do one task over and over until you break down and/or are replaced by a superior device. You are a human in need of food, exercise, and – above all else – rest.

So as you stare at this post and continue clicking over to the tabs containing your various social media feeds we encourage you to consider taking a step back, even if just for one day. Turn off your notifications, leave your inbox unread, and instead spend time doing something solely because it sounds good to you. It can be anything, from time with family and friends, to reading a book, binging a new series on Netflix, or finally learning how to make that upside-down pineapple cake you’ve been talking about for months. Choose anything that interests you, just as long as you cannot turn it into work. You want to get the music business as far from your mind as possible. Not music, mind you, but the music business. Don’t write content. Don’t draft content. Don’t even think of things as potentially becoming content. Just focus on being present in your individual life and reconnect with the person you are away from the internet. After all, that person – the one you are when existing outside the grind of the industry – is the one who started you on this journey in this business. If you lose that part of you, there is no getting it back. As Against Me once sang, “Don’t lose touch.”

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Job Hunting Tips for the Music Business

Working in the music business is a dream shared by countless thousands of people around the world, but there are no clear paths to entry. Some get their start by booking shows or playing in bands, while others take the far more traditional route of earning a degree. A handful of lucky souls manage to get in through nepotism, and an even rarer select few find success through blind luck.

While it would be nice to believe that being passionate about music and the business of selling it would be enough to land any hard worker a decent paying, it’s not realistic. If everyone who gives a damn, and I mean really gives a damn, could find work there would be as many people employed in music as there are people in bands trying to build a career with their art.

If passion isn’t enough (it’s not), then those hoping to make a career out of music need to go above and beyond what those seeking employment in other fields must do to find work. Here are some tips on getting ahead, as selected by people currently employed in music:

Learn to Talk to Strangers (Networking)

There is an old adage about the entertainment business that claims getting ahead isn’t about what someone knows as much as it about who they know. For better and worse, that claim is valid. The people who excel the fastest in music typically do so through connections with people already making waves in the industry.

There are at least four ways to meet people who could help develop (or launch) a career:

  1. Start your own business and work with artists who attract the interest of bigger, more powerful businesses.
  2. Internships.
  3. Music conferences/Industry events.
  4. Digital outreach. This one has the lowest likelihood of generating a response, but considering the fact everyone in music is connected to their inboxes at all hours of the day it’s entirely possible to build connections through well-written and engaging messaging.

Learn About Everything, Master One Thing

Most aspiring industry professionals have an idea of what they’d like to do in the business. What happens more often than not, however, is that all up and comers are asked to complete a variety of tasks while cutting their teeth in the early stages of their career. With this in mind, it’s just as important for young professionals to master one skill set as it is for them to understand how the industry works as a whole. That way, those seeking employment are able to apply their knowledge and skills to as many opportunities as they can while working to the role they wish to acquire.

Use Only Relevant Information When Applying for Jobs

Any company hiring for entry-level positions is well aware that most newcomers to the music business will not have a wealth of experience. With that in mind, those wishing to apply for those roles should carefully curate their resumes to fit the job being offered. Potential employers seeking a recording studio assistant, for example, do not need to know about the two years in high school when someone flipped burgers for a fast food chain. Those same employees do not need to be told an applicant understands how to use Microsoft Word.

That said, applicants should include jobs held in high school if the skills gained or tasks completed reflect the work that needs to be done in the role being offered. Someone with management experience, for example, would be wise to detail that skill set on a resume. Those who understand complex programs, such as Photoshop, should include that knowledge (as long as it fits the demands of the role).

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How to Set Better, More Attainable Goals in 2019

Winter is here. I have tried to deny this fact since Thanksgiving, but the ice clinging to snow-covered grass outside my front door has forced me to admit the truth. Winter has set in, and before the weather gets warmer, we will be saying goodbye to 2018 and all it did (or didn’t do) for us. Are you ready for a new year? I like to think I am, but to be honest, I’m not sure.

Working online is a constant battle between what you want to be doing and what cultural trends demand that you do. Maybe you want to write a daily editorial on something that matters to you, but you also need to exist on social media, actively market your existing work, and plan for what you will do over the next several days, weeks, months, etc. Heck, I’ve been trying to program social media content to post automatically during the holidays in hopes of gifting myself some time away from screens. That work will help a little, but I know all too well I will still be glancing at my inbox periodically every day during my so-called “time off.” I bet many of you will do the same.

So there I was, avoiding the cold and contemplating the coming new year. The one thought running through my mind over and over was what it was I wanted to do in 2019 that I have as of yet been unable to accomplish. I’m sure many of you have or will find yourself internally debating this same question in the days to come if you have not already begun to do so. Most of us never thought we could get a foot in the door of this business, so usually we’re pretty happy just to be here in the moment working on whatever is immediately in front of us, but we owe it to ourselves to look up and think about what could lie on the horizon. It took a world of belief in yourself to get this far, so you – and I – can’t stop now.

Here are a few things I encourage you to  ask yourself when contemplating the places you will go in the year ahead:

Is what I’m doing right now making me truly happy?

No one gets into music because they dislike music, but just because you’ve gotten your foot in the door or found a role that helps pay the bills does not mean your journey has to come to an end, or even stall. We have all spent our lives being told that next to no one makes it in the entertainment business, and because of this, we have a tendency to not want to risk what little success we have already found. This may be good for the sake of security, but in the grand scheme of existence, all you are really doing by not chasing after exactly what it is that you want to do is restricting a part of yourself. You are preventing yourself from becoming the person you feel you were meant to be to please someone or something other than yourself. That may provide short-term happiness, but it will create longterm regret. 2018 should be the year you focus in on what makes you happy and pursue it with all the strength you have in your bones.

Am I making the most of my time?

Laziness is a disease that infects us all to varying degrees. What few people will tell you is that the extent laziness impacts your life is entirely in your control. Just like how we all have a habit of settling for the first opportunity that comes our way we also have a habit of wasting time we know could be better spent focusing on our goals. Maybe you tweet too much (guilty), or perhaps you scroll Facebook even after complaining to everyone you know about how awful Facebook is these days (also guilty). Maybe you sleep until the last possible minute every morning and rush to work without eating a good breakfast or exercising (guilty again). Whatever the case, there are things you do on a regular basis that deep down you know is nothing more than a waste of time and resources. Identify those elements in your life and set to minimize them in the new year. I’m not saying you shouldn’t relax, but if you feel something you are doing is not right, you need to listen to that sensation and correct your path.

How can I work towards my goals without sacrificing something I need (work/money/etc.)?

Reaching almost any goal requires some kind of sacrifice on your part, but you have to be smart about what you sacrifice or else you may get yourself into trouble. If your passions lie outside your current workplace and you have no other way to make money, then you probably shouldn’t quit your job to pursue your dream full time. Dreams require money. Life requires money. You have to make sure your needs are met to have the mental clarity needed to pursue your passions. I like to say people should sacrifice within reason, or sacrifice what they are able, as long as it does not interfere with their quality of life in such a way that they are doing harm to themselves and/or their families.

What can I do to improve life for those around me?

If your bucket list for the new year reads like the agenda of a person who has the world’s biggest ego, then your brain is leading you down a broken path. Happiness in life comes from much more than personal gain. You know that saying about how it’s cold at the top? People say that because they often reach the pinnacle of their personal journey and realize they have left behind the people, places, and things that mean the most to them. Victory doesn’t have to be a lonely thing, but you have to be conscious about your actions if you wish to lift up everyone around you in 2019. Helping others often improves happiness far more than personal accomplishments, and it does so while developing better relationships with those who mean the most to you.

How will reaching my goals for 2019 help me in 2020 and beyond?

Life is about the journey, not the destination, so you shouldn’t be looking at 2018 and thinking it will be the last year you ever have goals. Knowing where you want to be in two, five, or even ten years can help you figure out what you need to do in the coming months to achieve your long-term goals. Once you reach them, set more and repeat the process over and over again until you die. Life is for the living. Keep your head up, your hopes high, and never let a bad day, week, month, or even year deter you from chasing after the things you want.

It’s important to note that not all goals have to be long term. If you want to eat the world’s biggest slice of pizza or work your way to running a 5k those things can be done in a relatively short amount of time. My advice is to balance the big goals with smaller, more easy to accomplish ones so that completing those tasks will help keep you motivated to fight for the bigger picture.

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A cure for writer’s block

If there is one thing that unites musicians and the people who write about them it is the constant struggle to maintain their creativity. It does not matter if you are a blogger or fronting the world’s biggest band, there will be times in this life when you are not able to create at a level you feel is good enough. Call it writer’s block or some mental hurdle; the name doesn’t matter nearly as much as the recognition this resistance is both real and universal. Everyone who attempts to create anything faces these struggles, but that understanding doesn’t make your ability to complete your work any easier.

On a recent episode of his podcast, comedian Joey ‘Coco’ Diaz was speaking with fellow comic Tom Segura about longevity in stand up. Both Joey and Segura are headliners in comedy today, but it took years of hard work and thousands of jokes to reach that level. Still, both men constantly find themselves at a creative impasse. While talking about this on air, Diaz mentioned advice he once received from legendary comedian Paul Mooney when discussing his creative hurdles. Mooney’s advice was summaries in three simple words: get entertained.

I know what some of you are thinking: Get entertained? But I have deadlines! People are counting on me to finish this thing, and it needs to be something great, and it needs to be done now!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re so stuck that you’re reading articles like this about overcoming mental blocks, then the chance of your work being completed to the best of your abilities in the next hour or so is highly unlikely. You have thought about the thoughts you are trying to think too much, which is to say you’ve begun to work yourself in circles. You’re chasing ghosts of ideas you thought you might have at a time other than right now and no amount of searching is going to make them miraculously appear.

Your brain, like your biceps or any other muscle, can only work so much before it needs to rest. To work more efficiently your mind needs exercise, which in the case of creative people includes inspiration in the form of experiences. You are the total of everything you have experienced up to this point, and those experiences have now become both your source of inspiration and – hopefully – income. To continue feeling inspired to create you need to keep taking in new experiences. I say this not just for your work, but for your sanity. You can drive yourself crazy starring at an empty canvas, or you can go out, see or hear or touch or taste or smell something that moves you, then immediately feel the need to create once more purposefully.

That may read like common sense to some readers, but the up and comers still trying to get their foot in the door will think it’s crazy because they’ve been taught this industry does not allow for breaks. Who has time to watch a television show, let alone a two-hour feature film, when emails are flowing like water at all hours of the day? Add to this the need to maintain social channels, which can require posting up to (if not more than) ten separate feeds on any given day, and we haven’t even addressed the actual work any creative is trying to accomplish. Writing songs or stories takes time, but so does finding inspiration, and far too often we forget that fact.

You are only human, and your brain is just a muscle. To perform at your best, you have to rest and exercise, but physically and mentally, on a daily basis. It’s both that simple and that hard, but like any other meaningful routine in life, it is worth the effort.

So the next time you find yourself banging your head against a wall while trying to create your next masterpiece try taking a step back for an hour, night, or even a couple of days. See a movie, go on a hike, or just put on your favorite records. Spend time remembering why you love the thing you do so you can then share that love with the world at large. We’ll be here, ready and waiting to experience what you decide to share.

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What Artists Can Learn From The Marketing Genius of Heart Attack Man

Music marketing has changed. Not long ago, artists hoping to stand out would turn to blogs with strong followings to premiere music and share insight into their records. That approach still works today, but with more artists and blogs than ever before, the return for any one piece of content has dramatically been reduced.

These days, artists hoping to make themselves known in a crowded genre need to be more creative than their peers, and that task extends beyond songwriting. Artists today also need to be producing engaging content, primarily social media updates, that generate interest in their music that extends beyond their follower content. That is because going “viral,” if you will, can do more to help someone grow their audience than any premiere or song release.

In 2018, one group making better content — and songs —  than practically anyone else in the alternative space is Triple Crown Records’ group Heart Attack Man. Take a listen to their music:

Hailing from Cleveland, Heart Attack Man consists of four young men whose presence on Twitter and other platforms has helped to catapult their unique take on rock and roll into the hearts of music fans and industry influencers around the world. Through clever videos and self-criticizing memes, the band has managed to develop a reputation for creativity that has encouraged many (including this author) to check out their music. Here’s one example of their social media presence, which was used to promote a recent show in Ohio:

At the time of publication, the video above has over 52,000 views (original tweet). The band only has roughly 3,300 followers on Twitter.

Heart Attack Man creates a lot of great content that isn’t meant to sell anything as well. Here’s one example, which takes aim at the repetitive nature of ‘music journalists’ in 2018:

That video has nearly 8,000 views (original tweet).

Heart Attack Man does not post a new video every day, but they are continually adding new content to their social pages that have the potential for widespread engagement. By making light of the industry as they know and experience it, the band is bringing people into their world and allowing them to join the unpredictable nature of working in music.

The catch to all of this is that you cannot duplicate what Heart Attack Man is doing and expect the same results. The reason these videos, as well as their other content, works for them is because it’s developed from their personal experiences. There is an authenticity to their creativity that we, as an audience, recognize without thinking about it. The only way to find similar success in your career is to develop marketing materials that are equally authentic. Use your experiences, thoughts, and opinions to shape the way people engage with you on a day to day basis. If they relate, the chance they check out your music will be great. If they don’t, who cares! There are plenty of potential fans out there.

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How to keep shirt costs low without risking the quality of your merch

There are many ways to get attention for your band, but regardless of what tips and tricks you may have picked up throughout your experience in music, there is nothing that can impact your careers like a great hook or brilliant melody. This is not a theory or a thought, but instead proven fact that has worked for artists trying to make it in every corner of the music business. Everything else that follows, from touring to merchandise, must take a back seat to songwriting.

All that aside, artists still need to make money. Music sales have dipped across the board over the last decade, and with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music on the rise, it seems like the amount of money most artists see from their new releases will continue to dwindle for the foreseeable future. Great music still sells, yes, but only a fool would rely solely on the strength of their music sales to support themselves in the entertainment business. Merchandising beyond albums and singles is an absolute must in today’s music business, and the one item every artist can use to generate income while trying to craft that perfect song is a t-shirt. There are a billion ways to customize shirts, some far more expensive than others, but by considering the following tips, you can keep costs low while furthering your marketing:

BASIC TIPS

  • Two-sided designs cost more than those with a design appearing on either the back or front.
  • Shirts requiring the use of many inks (colors) will cost more than those created using a single ink.
  • Dark fabric often costs more than light fabric because more layers of ink must be applied for the design to stick

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Large designs can make a significant impact.


Why incur the cost of creating a two-sided shirt design when you can make a more meaningful, more cost-effective impression with a large, single side design. The vast majority of printers charge the same rate for a design measuring 3”x5” as they do for those measuring 12”x12”. That said, not everyone is a fan of big designs so it would be wise to check with your fan base before moving forward with any plan.

Stop printing on both sides.

The occasional two-sided shirt design can be cool, but trying to cover both sides of every shirt you create will only raise the overall cost of merchandise. Using the knowledge you gained from the tip above regarding design sizes, artists should think twice before incurring a potentially unnecessary extra expense.

Use fewer ink colors.

Fans of alternative and punk music have been one of the leading forces behind a recent trend toward more color-heavy shirts. Bands like A Day To Remember and Asking Alexandria have found great success with shirts featuring cartoonish designs and many bright colors. Similar branding efforts may work for smaller artists as well, but those musicians should first consider the additional costs incurred from use of multiple inks. The number rises with each color, and unless artists plan on ordering a large number of shirts up front (500+) the upfront cost may be more than some are willing to pay for a few extra colors. Our advice is this: Keep it simple. Try and use one color whenever possible unless you know the idea you have is going to be a hit with listeners.

Order more shirts.

We touched on this a bit in the tip above, but one way musicians can lower the cost of their merchandise is to increase the number of shirts they order at one time. The price due up front will rise, but the cost per unit will drop, which in turn raises the revenue potential for your order. 100 shirts are better than 50, but 500 shirts at a time would be an ideal place to start. Of course, if you don’t have an engaged audience large enough to support such an order, then you should keep things small.

Consider offering shirts for a limited time only.

One way to cut out virtually all costs from merchandise orders is to create the exact number of items needed. Most print shops will tell you the per unit cost on whatever design you wish to print, as well as the number of units you must purchase to lower that cost. With this information in hand, artists can launch shirt designs that are available for a limited time as pre-sale only items. Once the purchasing period ends, artists can order the exact amount of shirts needed without having to make any investments out of pocket.

Think twice about upgrading your shirt choice to a fashion brand.

One determining factor in how well your merchandise will sell is how comfortable that item is perceived to be. There was a time not that long ago when artists with shirts printed on any type of fabric would sell, but in an age where brands like American Apparel exist this is no longer the case. There is a demand for high-quality material, and if you meet that demand you will give listeners another reason to consider purchasing your

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The Best Reason to Not Care About the Opinions of Others

Everyone wants to be successful in their pursuits, but there’s always a catch. The problem with finding success in the arts, especially at an early age, is that it establishes a standard that might not align with your goals. Maybe you dream of writing pop music, but your metal band takes off first. Perhaps you want to be known as a musician, but all your friends consider you a great promoter.

Breaking from the standard sounds easy enough. After all, most of us were told at some point in our adolescence that we should always strive to be ourselves. But something changes when success enters the picture. Once people like you or appreciate you for something, the risk of doing anything else can trigger fears and anxieties, you never knew you possessed.

Before you let the fear of rejection stop you from pursuing something I want you to consider death, which will inevitably come for us all. We have lost some great people in recent years, including legendary musicians such as Prince and David Bowie, but how often do you find yourself thinking — or more importantly, talking — about them in your daily life? The world may have mourned them when they passed, but how long did that last? Two days? A week?

Information is now exchanged at speeds never before witnessed by the human race, and a lot of that is owed to the rise of social media. We consume news and opinions at a rate that is almost hard to wrap your head around, and all signs point to that speed rising as technology continues to advance. If the best of all-time is only given 48-hours of attention when they pass, how long will people talk about you?

The answer, for both you and I, is probably not long at all. Our family and friends will care, of course, but their opinions probably aren’t the ones you’re worried about when considering a new endeavor.

As for the haters, those anonymous people whose opinions haunts your every ambition, they will be forgotten just as fast as the rest of us.

If we accept that we and everyone who knows us will be forgotten almost as soon as they have died, then why give a damn what people think about you now? Their opinion of you is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but how you feel about yourself and the things you pursue will last as long as you have air in your lungs.

All we have is now. Lose yourself in the moment. Take a chance on yourself because you may never have the opportunity to do so again. Squeeze the juice out of life until your last breath.

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A Beginner’s Guide To Better Networking

Networking is key to success in the music business. This post will provide tips and tricks that make networking easy

Networking matters more than you might think. Your skill level and/or knowledge as it relates to the music industry won’t mean a thing if you are unable to network. Relationships mean more in music than virtually anything else. You’re more likely to be asked who you know and what you’ve done with or for them in an interview than where you went to college or what GPA you had in school. That is because to succeed in this industry you need strong work relationships, and the only way to develop those is by networking with your peers.

But here’s the thing: Networking is not easy. To network, you have to squash whatever ego and anxiety you have, approach strangers, and engage them in a discussion. You have to step outside of your comfort zone, so to say, but if you do the rewards can be great.

No one can do the work for you. If someone did, you wouldn’t be networking. Someone else would be networking, and you would be someone that was mentioned in passing. You don’t want that. You want to be someone who leaves a good impression, one that invites future discussion and interaction.

Here are some tips to get you started….

  • Dress for the role you want. You probably won’t need a three-piece suit to network, but you do want to look professional.
  • Seek out places and opportunities to engage with others who have similar interests as you. Concerts do not count.
  • Try and stay focused on the person you’re speaking to by resisting the urge to brag about yourself. Make them feel like the most important person to you in the world at that moment, and they will not forget the attention.
  • Ask as many questions as you are able, but stay on topic. You need to know what a person does, who they do it with, and what they hope to accomplish in the future. You don’t need to know their favorite color or what they had for lunch that day. Be friendly, yet focused.
  • Only offer your business card if you are asked for it. Otherwise, request information from the person you’re talking to and accept the responsibility of following up. You need them more than they need you, so you shouldn’t place the task of keeping up with you on them.
  • If you recognize the person before speaking, make sure you know what you want to ask before approaching them. Keep the conversation casual at first, not to mention focused on them, but always be looking for an opportunity to make your request. If they decline or change the subject, move on for the time being and consider asking again once you’re better acquainted.
  • Be careful to not come across as creepy or otherwise stalking a person. Don’t approach someone if they’re already busy. Don’t stare at someone from across a room without approaching them. Don’t ask too many personal questions the first time you speak. In short, keep things casual.
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The near-mythical power of cutting yourself some slack

Time. It’s the one thing we all want that is always fleeting and impossible to replenish. The luckiest among us realize the value of time in their teen years, but most don’t appreciate it’s true nature until some great loss occurs in the mid to late twenties. Whatever the case may be for you, it’s likely you feel your time to quote/unquote ‘make it’ in music is constantly slipping through your fingers. Every day it seems there is a new, younger hitmaker finding success. That yodeling kid from Wal-Mart went from viral fame to releasing a (really freaking good) hit single distributed by a major label in under a month — all before he’s old enough to take a driver’s education course.

Here’s the thing you have to remember: You don’t have to find success at a young age to become successful in life. There are no age restrictions on happiness. The digital age has presented new opportunities for overnight success, as has reality television, but that kind of exposure the associated success comes from chance, and you cannot rely on luck to get you through this life. At the risk of sounding pessimistic, it just doesn’t make sense. The universe cares not for your flights of fancy and the things you wish you were, nor will it ever bend over backward to assist you in the day to day struggles of being a functional human being.

So, if viral success isn’t the ideal path, then the only one that remains is the same one traveled by every person working in music today. Success in this industry is, by and large, earned through years of handwork and dedication to your craft. It’s the result of treating others well and always doing your part, regardless of whether or not others did the same. Success, for lack of a better description, is the sum of everything you’ve done over the entirety of your time in music.

With this in mind, you may think you need to work harder than ever. We’ve been conditioned to believe that any waking hour not spent working on something that helps us inch closer to our goals is time wasted. After all, someone somewhere is no doubt chasing the same dream as you or I and they’re probably working on something incredible, right? That’s what my brain tells me.

The fact of the matter is that whether you pull an all-nighter tomorrow or not isn’t nearly as important as your longterm commitment to this field. Success in music, especially the kind of success that leads to a legitimate career (with benefits, etc.), takes time. There is no way around it. There is also no rush because there is no endpoint. There will never be a day when you reach a professional peak, and the sky suddenly disappears. There will always be another thing to make, pitch, sell, or whatever it is you wish to do with your life. Always.

Do not be afraid to rest. Take the night off if you need it. Heck, unless you’re getting paid to do something feel free to take as much time as you need whenever you need it. Those who are indeed called to this industry can never stay away for long, and in time you’ll feel that passion you’ve been searching for return. This journey we are on lasts a lifetime if you want it to, but you have to take care of yourself. No one else can do that for you.

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