Heartwarming compliments about my e-book
June 24th, 2008
My e-book, “How to Call Attention to Your Music”, just got a wonderful compliment from Ari Koinuma.
… his ability to cut through the muck, fluff and BS to the core of things. He’s able to distill issues down to its core essence. Just read that thing, and marvel at how concise that is.
Then I get this great email about it from Boundless Gratitude, that I think sums up my writings better than I ever have!
Now let me get this straight, my brother. Are you telling me that effectively marketing my music is basically a diligent, disciplined and focused process of making more friends, caring about them and showing them that I care?
Am I understanding you correctly, or am I missing something? If I go all out to make really good music AND to really enjoy my fellow human beings at the same time, does that mean that I either get paid or die of starvation (but with a big smile on my face because I was having such a good time)?
Give it to me straight, partner. Don’t pull any punches. Because right now, I’m thinking that the joy I get out of making music will grow exponentially when I get real about “marketing” it, because the marketing will be just as enjoyable as the music! (Sure, the money I make should grow too. But the money is so small right now that it could go exponential and still be invisible. :-))
If you haven’t read it yet, please do. It’s free. 
Thanks for that.
I’ve already passed it on to a couple of friends.
It’s a great book and I’ve already passed it on to my bandmates + I’ve plugged it on London related Facebook live music groups. I like the bit where it says “life is not like college…it’s more like high school”
“Find what you love and let it Kill you”- What an absolutely brilliant way to explain what passion is. Another great piece of work man. Thanks for the inspiration.
[...] It’s Right here [...]
Congrats, Derek.
I passed these notes (and your doc link) on to a few of the artists I’ve produced recently.
Your wisdom and experience help in so many ways… thanks.
Derek,
I love that you wrote an e-book and I can’t wait to read it all, but why did you use a vertical/portait page format? PDFs are read on computer screens which are almost always in horizontal/landscape format. It would be so much easier and more pleasurable to read this if it were oriented properly!
Seth makes all of his PDFs in landscape.
-Greg
Greg, I agree, I like to read PDFs on-screen in landscape mode, too.
But in this case, the essays that created the PDF had been online for a few years already, so the PDF was really created for those people that don’t like to read on-screen, and really want something to print.
Dear Derek
thanks so much for the free ebook,it has made me really sit up and take note of my career.I just wanted you to know that we thanked you in our album cd sleeve credits here-
http://www.cdbaby.com/krosswindz4
Do drop by place next time you come for accounts in Calcutta.
warm regards
Vikramjit(Tuki)
Thanks for the explanation, Derek. It certainly does make sense the way it is if it’s meant to be printed.
Now that I’ve had the time to read it, I think it’s great. My favorite part is the bit about people calling their sound “totally unique”… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought and said the same thing.
Your analogy of people’s attention with the cloud and the knife was excellent also. The idea is very familiar, but I’ve never heard it told more effectively than with this analogy. It makes it so clear.
Keep up the fantastic work!
Hey! We sound totally unique. Errr maybe not….It’s really funny but whenever I ask fellow musicians or other bands (I guess the small unsigned ones in my case) about their sound I never really get a straight answer about their sound. I really have to try and dig this information out!
My point of reference for their sound and genre is much clearer when they mention other popular bands of their genre. That immediately gives me a top level point of reference on their sound and if I am interested in that genre I will check them out.
I just wanted to say thank you for being such a great help with this crazy music business stuff - for spelling everything out in the clearest way possible, and for being warm and personal while doing it. Every time I read one of your ideas about how to promote your music, I feel like I’m getting the perfect advice from a really smart friend.
Also, thanks for emailing me whenever you have something new to share. You rock!
I just found this and posted it for my freelance WRITERS. They need to get this too… thanks for a great ebook.
Hi Derek, happy to be here and say “thank you” for your great e-book.
Your effort was really appreciated from me and gave me new energy to keep trying to promote my music.
Really an excellent work and… I love your writing style!
Your Italian friend and fan, Corrado
I mentioned this to you before, Derek, but I’ll say it again. I love having all those articles of yours that have been around on the web in one big formatted PDF. I also think those little doodles rule. Many thanks!
Right on! Who did those doodles anyway? You? What can’t you do Derek? You have a great attitude and a wonderful way of inspiring people.. Thankyou, Kathena Bryant
Kathena:
Thanks! The doodles were done by Heather Q, not me. I can’t draw at all.