1,000 true fans

One of the founders of Wired Magazine did an essay yesterday on the way an artist or filmmaker can assure themselves a living without chasing the hopes of a blockbuster or other low-margin, high volume dreams. The idea is this: 1000 true fans. If you can get 1000 people lined up who will buy pretty much anything you produce, you’re set for a decent, liveable income. In fact, if you’ve got 1000 people who will buy anything you make, then you are sure to have many more folks who will buy some of the stuff you make. So 1000, as an estimate, might be kind of high.

I am suggesting there is a home for creatives in between poverty and stardom. Somewhere lower than stratospheric bestsellerdom, but higher than the obscurity of the long tail.

Sounds good.

Implementing it is the hard part. He’s very clear that the 1000 true fans model can only be applied when you’re willing to have direct connections with your people, either on-line or through Facebook and etc. Email with them, give them special access, etc. I’m more than happy to communicate back with everyone who comes through here, but I know I really need to start putting out my good stuff, and I haven’t done that.

Reading this essay strengthens my resolve to start releasing my novel, Debt & Faith, as a podiobook. It’s much better than my existing book, Casa Del Queso, but also far longer. Maybe I’ll do one of my shorter books about cults, first, and let Debt and Faith wait a little while longer. This is all a matter of building, of course, since I still haven’t tried to sell anything at all.

1,000 true fans, though… it seems do’able.

[NOTE FROM 2020] I really wanted to not rescue this post. It embarrasses me. But then that made me feel like I had to save it. To be honest with myself. It’s painful though.