how to get the word out?
Storytellers and other artists—not to mention anyone trying to make a living from what they love—hate to "market themselves." After all, if they wanted to be in marketing, they would have chosen a different career!
As a result, we tend to be overwhelmed or helpless as soon as we consider our own need to find supporters in the world. We even forget that there are people out there who are hungry for what we have to offer, and often have no idea how to find it.
the good news…there is a way
Fortunately, the skills we have as artists are many of the same skills we need in order to be supported as artists. We can imagine a better world, including a mutually-supportive throng of those who wish to be our allies. We thrive on community, as long as we have enough time alone. Most of us yearn to share our work with others.
a "newsletter" can be very short
Once artists understand the power of the email newsletter to help them stay in touch—easily and inexpensively—with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of eager supporters, they face the next stumbling block: what could I possibly write about every month? Already weighed down with adminstrivia, they imagine a newsletter as a "term paper" due every month.
But your newsletter can be as short as a single paragraph. In fact, brevity is a virtue, since so many people find their inboxes stuffed with info. So, think brief! What is one tip you could send people who care about your work? What is one caution you could share with folks who might make some common mistakes?