I’m publicly taking and publishing the required exercises in Seth Godin’s Professional Freelancer Course on Udemy. The required exercises force you to ask: “Am I Taking This Path for The Right Reasons.”
I’m publicly taking and publishing the required exercises in Seth Godin’s Professional Freelancer Course on Udemy. The required exercises force you to ask: “Am I Taking This Path for The Right Reasons.”
I completed the first five (5) lectures and first exercise this past Saturday morning. It’s great stuff taught by The Godfather Himself: Mr. Seth Godin.
Happy 2015! Hard to believe a new year's already here?
I found many interesting and thought-provoking articles to share this week. Thank you for supporting the Social Media ReInvention Community. Enjoy your brunch!
Seth’s and Joe’s articles make me think what I can do as a proud dad and father to two young daughters. I want the best for them. I want them to have the same opportunities (and more) my parents created for me and my sister.
The current order displayed in the aforementioned bullet points portrays the percentages of women in Silicon Valley leadership positions (from highest to lowest). Guesstimating the overall average percentage: ~25%. The numbers become more discouraging when analyzing the percentages of women by individual company — less than 20%.
Other regions of the United States should capitalize on this opportunity to aggressively positioning and transforming their cities into hubs where female company founders flock to create their own companies.
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. If you disagree, I would love to hear from you. I’m also here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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I love reading books. They’re my secret weapon for accessing critical thinking. Here’s a short listing of my favorite books / authors who inspired me and exhausted my Kindle in 2014 (by the author’s last name in alphabetical order). Note: Some of these titles are pre-2014.
Seth calls out our schadenreude, spectator sport culture, and it’s power in curbing intelligent risk taking (except in Silicon Valley). When It’s Your Turn is an in-your-face, call-to-arms, entrepreneurship manifesto. The battle cry rallies around showing up everyday, to create and ship our art. Now’s the time to revel in that uncomfortable place of “this may or may not work.”
I’m moving into a new career as an entrepreneur in an early stage startup, That’s a scary leap after corporate life. But, those simultaneous feelings and fear are the right place to be:
I’m late in reading this classic marketing book. I hope to meet Seth, shake his hand, and talk marketing strategy. That requires fluency in Ideavirus terminology (i.e., sneezers – both promiscuous and powerful, the hive, persistence — not the one related to effort, vector, vacuum, amplifier, smoothness, etc.).
Technical prowess and technical insight aren’t enough. Creative storytelling and written communication carry equal weight (direct quote from Everybody Writes, page eight):
What’s harder is to find a book that functions for marketers as part writing and story guide, part instructional manual on the ground rules of ethical publishing, and part straight talk on some muscle-building writing processes and habits.
What’s also hard to find is a book that distills some helpful ideas about the craft of content simply and (I hope) memorably, framed for the marketer and businessperson, as opposed to say, the novelist or essayist or journalist.
I wrote this book because I couldn’t find what I wanted—part writing guide, part handbook on the rules of good sportsmanship in content marketing, and all-around reliable desk companion for anyone creating or directing content on behalf of brands.
Everybody Writes teaches disciplined practice to elevate and sustain our writing skills. Ann’s book reads like cozy conversation with her while enjoying a great cup of coffee or a couple of frosty Sam Adams beers (keep in mind, she’s a Bostonian).
Ann poured her heart and soul into this work (or as she says “gave birth to a Volkswagen”). I guarantee you’ll benefit from her knowledge, talent, and heart.
If Tribes is the strategic and conceptual framework for digital leadership, Platform is the tactical roadmap for its successful execution. Creating and managing a personal brand is imperative in a crowded marketplace and recovering economy. Michael’s book unpacks the why’s and how’s of building a digital platform — i.e., the collective fans who subscribe to and follow your blog, email newsletter, podcast, Twitter feed, etc.
He explains step-by-step how he built his influential online presence and to power his career as a publisher, educator, and public speaker.
Art takes many forms (e.g., words, pictures, spreadsheets, presentations, sculptures, music, photographs, process diagrams, or anything we create with pride). These remarkable books capture Austin Kleon‘s philosophies and experiences on creating and promoting art. These fun, short reads answer two common questions among artists, writers, entrepreneurs, or marketers:
Question 1: How Do I Create My Art? Answer: Steal Like an Artist
Question 2: How Do I Promote My Art? Answer: Show Your Work
Austin’s writing and storytelling teach “how to get out of your own way.” Yes, creativity and innovation are messy. They’re hard and time-consuming. Manage those frustrations / fears so you focus on creating and shipping. Struggle produces. Struggle inspires. Steal. Show. Repeat.
Thank goodness that’s exactly what Judy teaches! Her book will change my life. Invest in yourself by buying and studying How to Be a Power Connector. It will change your life too.
Traction delivers a clear, how-to method supported by real-world, actionable insights. Gabriel‘s and Justin‘s interviews and case studies describe the successful execution of Traction’s Bulls Eye Methodology. Bulls Eye focuses on the second most important aspect of an early stage startup’s life cycle:
Critical Success Factor Number 1: Create, release, test, iterate, your product or service (hopefully, a good one solving a current problem)
Critical Success Factor Number 2: Get customers by experimenting / testing, measuring, and ultimately focusing on one customer acquisition tactic
Critical Success Factor Number 3: Max out the customer acquisition in CSF Number 2 and repeat Bulls Eye to find another customer acquisition tactic
Please share in the comments the digital marketing and entrepreneurship business books you read in 2014. What did you love about them? How did they inspire you?
I’m here to learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. Let’er rip!
I hope everyone had a good week and is enjoying Christmas parties and celebrations with friends and co-workers. Here are your share-worthy links. Enjoy your brunch!
Seth’s Latest book is Remarkable. It’s beautifully illustrated in color and has the look and feel of a slick, high-gloss, soft-cover magazine from the high-end fashion world. Visually, this book is unlike anything published by Seth Godin:
Mitch asks if Seth believes it’s the most beautiful expression of Seth's emotional labor. Answer: Yep!
The Seth Godin says on the record it’s taken him “120+ essays, 5,700+ blog posts, and 18 books to realize this result.”
He remarks: I can’t believe I waited this long to publish in color
The podcast turns instructive between Mentor (Seth Godin) and Student (Mtich Joel) midway through their conversation. It’s a personal moment between two people sharing a mutually genuine respect and friendship. Hint: Even people like Mitch Joel feel the powerful self-doubt The Resistance imposes. How Seth Godin counsels and reassures Mitch Joel during this segment says it all about Seth’s character and class.
But then I remind myself of one thing: With the 6 Plus—or, for that matter, a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or Nexus 6—I don’t need a tablet anymore. If the 6 Plus can save a bit of money, why not dedicate a fraction of those savings to accessories?
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I'm Over Age 50 and I'm Trying to Reinvent Myself. What the Hell Do I Do Now?
You're Not Alone in Feeling That Way. A lot of people ask themselves that question. I'm a few years shy of THE BIG 5-0. And, I've been asking myself that question since 2009.
But, If I Can Develop Influential and Powerful Validators, YOU CAN TOO
This post describes examples from my ongoing social media reinvention journey. Since 2009, I've learned a couple things from blogging, connecting with like-minded people, and distributing content in different social media channels.
4 Gifts to Give Others to Power Your After Age 50 Reinvention
Gift #1. Write Public Fan Letters
Read Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. Pages 108 to 109, "Write Fan Letters," and Chapter 2: "Don't Wait Until You Know Who You Are To Get Started" from Austin's book are amazing. From page 109 of Steal Like an Artist:
"Maybe your hero will see your work, maybe he or she won't. Maybe they'll respond to you, maybe not. The important thing is that you show your appreciation without expecting anything in return."
Expect Nothing in Return. That's why public fan letters are the ultimate gift. If you genuinely care for someone and want sincerely express your appreciation and respect for her art / work, that's all that matters.
Writing Public Fan Letters is the Most Rewarding Experience. Just writing them feels good. I know from personal experience. That's why it's my favorite way to say "thank you."
Bonus: Your Heroes Might Write Back. Publicly. Remember, this is a gift with no expectation of reciprocation. But, it's still pretty cool when your heroes reply back.
Ann Handley Blog Comment on Her Public Fan Letter
Ann Handley Twitter Conversation on Her Public Fan Letter
Gift #2. Comment on Thought Leader Blogs
Blogging Isn't Dead. But Everybody Likes to Say It Is. That's why blog commenting re-emerges as a new opportunity. Most prefer the "snack size" comment of a tweet or Facebook update. But, let's be honest. It's hard to find relevant insights in 140 characters or less.
Dare to Be Different. Commenting on thought leaders' blog posts in your industry or (the industry you're targeting for a career change) gives you an opportunity to:
Thoughtfully support or disagree with an influencer's line of thinking
Add to the conversation by sharing your perspective
Build the reputation of not only the blog author but also your reputation too (because Google remembers the blog post and your comments forever)
Long Term Consistency is the Key. I've participated in blog commenting with my favorite marketing strategy thought leaders' blogs since 2009. I've regularly and consistently shown up by participating in the discourse on their home turf. That consistency builds long term reputation, credibility, and relationships.
Connect Your Comment to an Online Profile. Always provide the web address for your personal blog, Google+ profile, or some other online profile so the author or other commenters can learn more about you. If you're consistent and leave thoughtful comments, the author and her respective readers will look you up.
Tony Faustino Comment on Ann Handley Blog Post
Gift #3. Promote Others Work on Twitter – The @ Mention
Twitter: Use the "@" Mention to Your Advantage. Social sharing buttons are now commonplace on the online sites for publishers like The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, LinkedIn, or Bloomberg BusinesssWeek. Take advantage of these tools to share and promote the work of influential authors, journalists, and media pundits.
Let Them Know You Read and Appreciate Their Work. When you promote someone's work, include her Twitter handle in the tweet. This way, the author sees it in the "mentions" of her Twitter feed. This will increase the likelihood of a earning a public response (which validates your reputation and credibility with the rest of the Twitterverse).
She might even follow you back …
Twitter Conversation with Fast Company's Lydia Dishman
Gift #4. Promote Others Skills with LinkedIn Endorsements
Endorse and Validate Others by Talking Up Their Skills. LinkedIn's Skills & Endorsements feature can help you build and promote the personal brand of any of your 1st degree connections. Go to the Skills & Endorsements of that person's LinkedIn profile and click on the skills you'd like to endorse on her behalf:
LinkedIn Endorsement Example: Select a "+" Sign
The Best Part of this Gift: Receiving the LinkedIn Notification. Your connections will learn of your endorsement. LinkedIn provides the notification whenever you log-in to the site or the email address linked to the LinkedIn account.
Surprise Someone. Receiving a LinkedIn Endorsement from someone you respect and trust is a great feeling. Make someone feel good. Endorse her on LinkedIn. You'll make her day.
The next post in this series on reinventing yourself after age 50 is scheduled fora February 9, 2014 publication. I'll describe four (4) more gifts you can give others to continue powering your reinvention.
If you enjoyed this post, here are links to other posts in the series:
I made a 2014 resolution to publish an eBook / presentation.
This presentation / eBook describes three (3) career management lessons I've learned from my Dad and applied to my own career:
1) Learn From the Best
2) Get Published
3) Get Back Up — Fast!
My Dad inspired me to apply each of these lessons in a digital marketing and social media context (e.g., blogging, participating in Twitter, reading books of marketing strategy thought leaders, connecting directly with marketing strategy thought leaders, etc.).
These lessons describe the opportunity for online self-publishing, personal brand / personal reputation management, and the teachings of different marketing strategy authors. The marketing strategy authors (and their books and blogs) that have inspired me include Seth Godin, Ann Handley, Mitch Joel, Tom Peters, and David Meerman Scott.
It's my way of showing my Dad how much I admire and respect his individual achievements (and the obstacles he overcame).
Thank you and I hope you enjoy and benefit from reading it. If you find the content helpful, please feel free to share this presentation with others.
CTRL ALT Delete Is a Gift on 21st Century Career Leadership and Opportunity Management. Mitch frames and delivers his compelling arguments in two (2) sections:
1. Reboot: Business – The 5 Massive Movements
2. Reboot: You – The 7 Triggers
Yes, his book describes corporate and marketing strategy opportunities impacting organizations (big or small). Yes, his book contains important personal branding / personal reputation implications.
But, all twelve (12) principles focus on individually identifying and framing opportunity (and having the collective or individual courage to pursue it).
We All Have the Opportunity to Differentiate Ourselves and Lead. CTRL ALT Delete's resounding themes are to:
Take the Initiative
Take Intelligent Risks (i.e., Embrace the Squiggle)
Differentiate Yourself (because the opportunities are highest in THIS era)
Invest in Yourself and Buy CTRL ALT Delete. Here are four (4) important questions Mitch Joel asks about building competitive advantages to reboot our organizations and individual careers:
How Are We Building Direct Relationships with Our Customers, Fans, and Connections?
Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage. Direct relationships as a competitive advantage (versus price) is best described by these CTRL ALT Delete quotes (page 11) on how Apple executes its retail strategy:
The solution for Apple was to create a "cradle to the grave" business model where the customer is–at every touch point–directly speaking with Apple's brand. A true, direct relationship–in every sense of the word. Apple could not win on price (their computers and other devices are usually much more expensive than their competition's), so they had to win by being there for the consumer and by making these consumers a part of a more complete brand ecosystem.
At the time that Apple first launched retail stores in 2001, the common practices among retailers was to cram each nook and cranny of space with merchandise to maximize the sales per square foot. Sadly most retailers (and businesses) still hold on to the traditional thinking. For Apple, it was less about every square foot of retail space and much more about evey square inch of the direct relationship. Apple didn't start in the retail business to compete with other consumer electronics stores; they went into retail for the direct relationship with their customers. Apple's attitude was: "Why give that power to Best Buy or anyone else?"
"My dad used to always to say that he could teach anything but he couldn't teach how to feel. That's the hardest part when you have 11,000 people: How do you teach them how we feel?"
"The thing is, I don't want to be soldwhen I walk into a store to be welcomed. The job is tobe a brilliant brand ambasador. Everyone is welcome. Don't be judgmental whatsoever."
"Don't sell! NO! Because that is a turnoff."
Converse Directly With Your Connections and Followers. Don't just tweet out links and "like" stuff. Mitch's observations about building direct relationships highly applies to our personal social network connections. For example, participating in Twitter by sharing links your followers find helpful is a starting point for establishing authority and reputation.
But, if you want to "own and nurture" a long-term direct relationship, you have to directly converse with your followers. Mitch talks in depth about this concept throughout the book. These types of direct conversations are powerful and solidify lifelong loyalty and relationships:
How are You Building Competitive Advantage in a One-Screen World?
The entire chapter describes how consumers operate in a mobile, one-screen world. The only screen consumers care about is "the one currently staring them in the face."
Mitch further makes a compelling argument:The most important consumer screen resides on our smartphones.
Here are Mitch's thoughts on Twitter and the one-screen world (from page 99 of CTRL ALT Delete):
"Twitter's metoric rise and continued success have less to do with how many followers Lady Gaga has and much more to do with the fact that it was the first-ever online social network that worked better on mobile than it does on the Web. The sheer simplicity of those 140 characters of tweets makes it that much more workable and easy for consumers. Twitter's focus (from day one) was on connecting people as they were on the go. To this day, everything that Twitter does — from acquisitions to business strategy — is driven by a one-screen-world philosophy."
How are We Differentiating Ourselves as Critical Thinkers?
A Personal Blog = Personal Competitive Advantage. The Internet affords anyone with a laptop and broadband access an opportunity to stand out. But, we often allow ourselves to be defined by our current job titles and bullet points on our resumes. That's a mistake.
Mitch thinks strategically and critically. In a social media age, when most tweets or Facebook status updates provide diminishing returns on our attention, the opportunity to differentiate ourselves as entrepreneurial, credible, forward-looking strategic, critical thinkers has never been higher.
3. Making it easy for a potential employer / great connection to find you (e.g., SEO benefits)
4. Giving you practice in an important and portable business skill set — writing
5. Proving you're technology and Internet savvy
6. Informing people first-hand how you're driven to learn new skills
Isn't Blogging Supposed to be Dead? Hardly. As Mitch points out in the section, "Your Life in Startup Mode," a personal blog describes important aspects about ourselves that a resume fails to represent:
(page 227) "You're writing to exercise your critical thinking skills."
(page 225) "But for the purpose of this book, I'll define a blog as an online journal of your work. The spirit of the blog is to create a living and breathing resume and portfolio of how you think and work."
(page 224) "I still believe that a blog is a canvas that allows you to think, share, and connect with an audience."
(page 228) "Because if you care enough to blog, it means that you have something to say. If you have something to say and you're blogging it, it means that you want to share and connect.Ultimately, the world needs more people like that."
What is the Legacy and the Value You are Ultimately Delivering and Leaving?
Pages 190 and 193 fromThe Marketing of Youexplain the ultimate goal for connecting (online or face-to-face):
(page 190) "There's nothing wrong with asking for help, but you will always see a more positive result if you start by delivering value first—by being valuable to others before asking them for favors. Give abundantly and be helpful."
(page 193) "True influence comes from connecting to individuals, nurturing those relationships, adding real value to other people's lives, and doing anything and everything to serve them, so that when the time comes for you to make a request, there is someone there to lend a hand. Worry less about how many people you are connected to, and worry a whole lot more about who you are connected to—who they are and what you are doing to value and honor them(in their spaces)."
That sounds like a great philosophy towards achieving professional and personal fulfillment.
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Thank you for generously sharing your art and patiently coaching people like myself to “dance with confronting fear and the pain of vulnerability”
Ask you to re-read Reason #1 because your passion, leadership, and teaching will continue to make a lasting impact on my life
When I wrote that Tribes* review, I was going through a challenging professional period. Four years ago, I was looking for the “usual 10 steps to get yourself out of a tough work situation quickly in a crappy economy.” When I read Tribes, I kept searching for “that map” (which of course, wasn’t there).
So, I took out my frustrations on you. And, I’m genuinely sorry I wrote that review.
After re-reading Tribes at least three or four more times (along with your other important works multiple times), I finally understood that the beauty and wisdom driving Tribes (and all of your important art) is making sure someone like me finally wakes up to the all-important realization that those maps don’t exist in a book …
… because I’m the one who has to write the map.
“Those maps” reside within us. We are develop / sketch them out each time we create and ship our art. How we choose to reach our individual destinations / write out those maps is our own business. That’s what makes my map special (along with anyone else’s when she/he raises their hand to become their own mapmaker). Producing “those maps” requires our emotional labor (e.g., the daily joy and pain linked to creating and shipping our individual art).
And, if you’ve said it once, you’ve said at least 67 different times: “High-speed Internet access hooked up to our laptops, tablets, or smartphones gives us all an equal shot at ‘changing the world’ in our own unique, and meaningful way.
If we have the heart and guts to continue thrashing, failing, “poking the box*” and winking at the resistance (even when it’s mocking us, breathing down our necks and staring us square in the face), then we ALL have a puncher’s chance (regardless of the current economy).
I amended that Tribes review in September 2013, but left the original review intact. Why? I want to remind myself of what a publicly-displayed version of petty, lame-ass, “easy out” excuses looks like. I hope others will see it too so they can learn from my mistakes.
For 47 years, I would beat myself up when I’d try something different or try to learn something new. So, I’d thrash around for what seemed forever (especially in the beginning). I’d keep screwing up and it seemed like I couldn’t get anywhere. The resistance convinced me I was wasting precious time.
But, I wasn’t wasting time — I was learning.
Yet, somewhere along the way, I heard the resistance laughing (and relishing in my struggles). I could hear it f**king taunting me.
That’s what stopped me from following-through and shipping. That’s why I stopped trusting my instincts.
But, you, woke me up. It took me 47 years to conclude that the journey to creating genuinely, memorable, remarkable art isn’t supposed to be easy. I’ve finally learned after 47 years of beating myself up (and subsequently complying) that my instincts were trying to inform me to take calculated, intelligent risks at various stages of my life.
And, this time, I’m actively listening to those instincts …
Picking oneself to create really inspiring, emotional labor-driven, memorable and remarkable art*, means taking risks and accepting and dealing with pain, humiliation, embarrassment, and failure.
Most importantly, you’ve made me realize that the pain, humiliation, embarrassment aren’t bad things. Yes, these things hurt and wound our pride (at times very deeply) but that’s part of the contract if I want to live the life of an artist. Yes, I will take these failures and embarassments personally. Yes, it’s going to hurt (but it’s not as painful and life-threatening as the resistance wants me to believe).
The beating myself up ends now. The obsession for perfection ends now. How the hell am I supposed to create remarkable art if the only thing remarkable about me is a unique ability be my own, worst enemy.
Thank you for waking me up to realize that the dirty work / crap work / stuff that gets zero glory / the shit I resented doing is a true linchpin’s bread and butter. Because, I see now how that shit holds a team together, and it enables me to move the team towards the goal line and score in difficult situations (where others can’t).
Thank you for teaching and constantly reminding me “that risky is safe and safe is risky.”
Thank you for giving me the courage and commitment to do this:
Tony Faustino Commits to Being an Artist
Lastly, I’d like to leave you with the same thought that I’ve shared in my public fan letters to Mitch Joel and David Meerman Scott:
One day, I hope to have the privilege of meeting you face-to-face and shaking your hand.
Until that day, please travel safely Seth (wherever you may be),
I am not a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. I provided hyperlinks to the Amazon landing pages of Seth’s books because I want others to be inspired by his important art.
Note: Austin Kleon’s book, Steal Like an Artist and Mitch Joel‘s public fan letters inspired this post. Pages 108 to 109, “Write Fan Letters,” and Chapter 2: “Don’t Wait Until You Know Who You Are To Get Started” from Austin’s book are amazing. After reading Austin’s book and Mitch’s public fan letters, I made a list of my heroes.
Please indulge me as I periodically publish these fan letters on this blog.
From page 109 of Steal Like an Artist: “Maybe your hero will see your work, maybe he or she won’t. Maybe they’ll respond to you, maybe not. The important thing is that you show your appreciation without expecting anything in return.”
Your Turn
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you. I’m here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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The admiration, respect, and friendship expressed to people who've meant so much to your professional career moved me. You wrote those letters with such honesty. And, you had the courage to publish them online.
A professional colleague gave me your book, Six Pixels of Separation, as a gift around four years ago. She knew I wanted to learn and understand the impact of new media in marketing. Your book and David Meerman Scott inspired me to pursue blogging and to participate in social networks.
Two concepts from your book continue influencing my approach to blogging and social networking:
In Praise of Slow
The Golden Rule (e.g., Saying Thank You)
Whenever I write about blogging or personal branding, I usually describe and cite the relevance of these concepts.
I remember my fear of promotingmy book review of Six Pixels of Separation on Twitter (because I included your Twitter handle in the tweet). It was one of the few reviews I'd written at that time.
Self-doubt consumed me. Negative thougts ran through my mind like "if Mitch reads this post, what if he thinks it sucks." Or, "what if he thinks I'm misrepresenting his work."
But, you wrote the nicest comment on my post. And, you shared the book review with your Twitter followers.
Your gesture and generosity meant so much. It gave me confidence to keep blogging. I started believing I was on the right path. It reinforced I was doing things the right way (e.g., the approach you described for building a credible reputation).
And, the books and articles you read and share — Wow! I love how you share your love of reading (especially the diversity and number of books you annually consume).
I can't wait till you publish Ctrl Alt Del in Spring 2013. I know it will be great. I love the ironic play on words (because I and your legions of fans know how much you love writing with your MacBook Air). When you to made the full conversion to Apple products, that was my tipping point to invest in a MacBook Pro.
My biggest regret: not discovering, reading, and studying your book and your blog sooner. I'm not making that mistake twice. I read and study your blog every day. It's required reading in my continuing education to understand where marketing is heading.
Plus, your podcasts demonstrate why you're "the Charlie Rose" of New Media. The conversational insights and your access to New Media's A-List are beyond compare. My personal favorites are your recent conversations with Seth Godin and Ken Wong.
Your writing teaches and inspires me how to write. Every time I read your blog, I say out loud: "Man, I wish I could write like that. I don't care how long it takes — I'm going to learn to write like that."
Letterman described how "he needed a target" (because he needed something to shoot for). His ideal was Carson.
When I write, you're my target. You're the standard I shoot for.
Thank you for inspiring me (and countless others).
All the best,
Tony Faustino
Note: Austin Kleon's book, Steal Like an Artist and Mitch Joel's public fan letters inspired this post. Pages 108 to 109, "Write Fan Letters," and Chapter 2: "Don't Wait Until You Know Who You Are To Get Started" from Austin's book are amazing. After reading Austin's book and Mitch's aforementioned posts, I made a public fan letters list of my heroes.
Please indulge me as I periodically publish these fan letters on this blog.
From page 109 of Steal Like an Artist: "Maybe your hero will see your work, maybe he or she won't. Maybe they'll respond to you, maybe not. The important thing is that you show your appreciation without expecting anything in return."
