Always seek the energy of creative connection
Build awareness beyond the overcrowded food court
As I mentioned a bit ago, Michelle Warner said “get awareness off your plate and onto other platforms,” and that phrase has rattled me to the bone.
This doesn’t mean putting our “content'“ on platforms to sit and collect dust, hoping someone will magically discover it.
Oh no.
Be intentional and work with creative people in other vibrant communities. Connect with the energized souls doing good work. Those are the “platforms” you want to inhabit.
Need an example?
mentioned this in one of my recent Collaboration Station chats, working with someone she was introduced to:“We made a collaborative mixtape and broadcast it LIVE last night and discussed the song selection like we were having a coffee on a Saturday morning.”
Collaboration is an art form—approaching someone, pitching an idea, discussing how it might work, and imagining where it could lead for both parties.
Even though I’ve got 20+ years of experience doing all this, I'm always looking to collaborate.
Two collaborations I’ve got in the works:
First, remember last year when I wrote about how many bands played Furnace Fest and had an email list?
I'm doing something like that for this year's Decibel Beer and Metal Fest, but it won't be in this newsletter!
Nope.
I hit up my friend who runs a newsletter better suited for that sort of heavy music nerdery, and it will be read by an audience who will devour that sort of article.
Second, someone I’ve been following on YouTube talked about restarting their newsletter, so I emailed them. A few days later, we spoke via Facetime, and now I'm helping them get their newsletter back into gear (I'll link to it when it’s live).
You can do a lot of things to “get the word out” about your project, like making another Reel and signing up for the newest social media platform.
But consider the creative energy that could be exchanged right within your own network - and slightly beyond.
“It takes two to make a thing go right,” goes the smash hit from Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock. “It takes two to make it out of sight.”
I’m Seth Werkheiser, and I started this newsletter 883 days ago.
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Me and my Dad just started a newsletter together and it's been phenomenal to collaborate with him on it this year. It's been so creatively energizing that I think I'll try to do some other collaborations later in the year when I have more time on my hands. Thanks for the article, Seth. I'm subscribing.
Thanks for the shoutout Seth! I appreciate you for creating this authentic space for creative types to make legitimate connections with each other. I'm inspired!