The things you cannot influence
How creating your own podcasts, events, and publishing ventures can rapidly grow your audience and supercharge your creative career.
Hi,
In a world where so many opportunities seem out of reach, whether that’s landing a big publishing contract or scoring a coveted podcast appearance, it’s easy to feel like success is always in someone else’s hands. While it’s true that a lot of things are outside your control, there’s a ton in your control, too. Counterintuitively, the best way to land those coveted opportunities is to nail the things inside your control.
You cannot influence whether you are accepted into an anthology. You can create your own anthology.
You cannot influence (much) becoming a NYT bestselling author. You can sell 10,000 copies of your book over several years.
You cannot influence being invited to a conference (aside from showing up on their radar). You can buy a table and show up as a vendor and you can start your own conference.
You cannot influence being a guest on that first podcast (beyond pitching yourself). You can start your own podcast.
You cannot influence being hired to write for that magazine. You can start your own magazine.
You cannot influence getting that publishing contract (aside from submitting). You can start your own publishing company.
Weirdly, doing the things you can control make the things you cannot control so much easier.
Starting an anthology makes it way easier to get accepted into anthologies.
Starting a virtual event makes getting booked for events much easier.
Vending at shows makes guesting at shows much easier.
Starting a publishing company makes working with publishers easier.
Building a podcast makes guesting on podcasts much easier.
Stacking these things together makes standing out in a crowded field easier, and the more you stand out, the easier it is to do everything else.
In my career I have:
Hosted or co-hosted over 300 episodes of podcast
Written over 1,000 articles for my own blog/magazine
Hosted or co-hosted multiple virtual conference and in person events
Written 40+ novels and 1,000+ pages of comics for my own publishing company
Recorded dozens of courses and workshops for my own label.
Built my own archetyping system.
Exhibited at hundreds of events.
All for myself, in return I’ve been:
Guested on hundreds of podcasts
Guested at dozens of shows.
Signed over 50 publishing contracts.
Worked with hundreds of authors.
Worked with tons of brands and labels.
People pay me to do things because I paid myself to do those things first, showed I could do it, and demostrated mastery of it. In doing so, I attracted people that cared very much about those things and gained the respect of those people, so that when it was time to build lists of who to work with, I was an easy answer.
The more of these things you can do, the easier it becomes. I think I’ve done enough at this point that I can do just about everything in publishing, video, audio, and print. I have not only done things, I’ve done them at a high level for a long enough time that people know I’m solid.
I can deliver quickly, without complaint, and am very malleable to notes, as long as somebody else is paying me, though even with my own editors I’m pretty easy, I think. My copy comes in clean, without much editing needed, and I can deliver on a deadline. It might not be the best article ever, but it’s going to be at least solid, every time, and it will usually be between good and great.
I can show up on audio, video, or print, and know how to pitch stuff on top of just being charming, and I understand why somebody needs something because I’ve probably done it myself. I know what works because I have done things that work successfully and consistently.
Plus, I have a mailing list of close 50,000 people built in fire over decades, who trust me, so why would you not want to work with somebody like that?
I will tell you that 10 years ago I couldn’t even get booked on shows by begging. Even five years ago I couldn’t buy a ticket to many shows. By focusing on things I can control, I have become much better at booking the things I cannot control.
What do you think?
What’s one project you’ve started that gave you unexpected opportunities, and how did you make it happen?
When it comes to building your own platform, what’s your biggest hesitation—and what small step could you take right now?
Which of your current skills could you transform into a new podcast, event, or publication, and why?
Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed this one, I highly recommend checking our archive, with over 900 posts about how to help you build your own author career, including our course, fund your book on Kickstarter. You can take it for free with a seven-day trial, or give us a tip if you want to support us without committing long term.
