Quick, think about the last time you ran into someone you haven’t seen in a while – it could be a high school classmate, friend of your parents, that distant relative who show up every once in a blue moon. Got it? Good. Now, what is the very first question they ask you?
“So, are you still singing/acting/dancing/[insert appropriate artistic verb here]?”
People want to know what you’re up to. (You’d probably be pleasantly surprised to find out who’s interested.) After all, you were the one with the big dreams, setting out to conquer the world and going against convention. We want to know how you made out with those pursuits. So do us all a favor – START A BLOG.
I personally love reading blogs written by people I know. (Hint, hint folks, send 'em my way.) My favorite thing to do is to start at the beginning and watch as the “story” unfolds. It’s so much easier than trying to decipher cryptic status updates, and I feel way more connected to their lives. Let’s face it, no matter how hard we try, it is simply impossible to keep in touch with everyone the way we’d like to. Plus, I’m now at the age where my colleagues who did manage to stick it out are starting to do some really cool things professionally.
But why a blog, you ask? Well, consider the following advantages:
[Note: If you don’t want the whole internet to know what you’re up to, you can always set it to private and only allow people in by permission.]
· It’s free, takes all of 30 seconds to set up and you don’t need to know a lick of HTML (although it is helpful). So much easier than updating a regular website – trust me on this one!
· Write as much or as little as you want, as often as you feel like. (Just don’t let it go too long in between updates – there was a reason why we wanted to read this, remember? Plus, it’s a little annoying when every post starts with, “Sorry I dropped out the face of the earth for awhile, again…” )
· Share pictures, videos, and audio clips without having to worry about space requirements.
· You don’t have to keep track of a zillion emails, or manage subscription requests. If they’re genuinely interested, then they’ll read it. And if not, then they won’t come back.
· Easily set up a Donation button linked to a PayPal account. Some folks may be inspired to help you out.***
***A couple of important things to keep in mind if someone does decide to give you money: 1) Unless you are a 501(c) organization, anyone who donates is not entitled to a tax deduction. 2) This does count as taxable income for you; therefore it must be reported it on your taxes and you’ll need to give Uncle Sam his cut.
Besides keeping the world up to date on your whereabouts, blogging has some very practical business applications too:
· Linking your blog to your website increases your search ranking.
· Interacting with others in the blogging community creates exposure to networking opportunities you otherwise may not have found.
· Depending on how much detail you put into it, it can double as a log of your practice regiments, audition metrics and/or anything else you want to keep track of.
· It serves as a place to showcase transferrable skills which may not otherwise be apparent to those considering you for traditional employment opportunities.
Probably one of the most important things you can do with your blog is cultivate a more educated audience. Bring them along on the journey as you work through new pieces. Point out nuances you discover in the score and provide examples of stylistic differences with YouTube clips. If there is a particularly tricky technical section that you are struggling with, tell them about it. They’ll be so much more excited when they watch you nail it in a live performance. This is especially important for family and friends who want to support you, but honestly could care less about your chosen art form. A little knowledge goes a long way in helping someone develop an appreciation. Whether or not they actually ever get to the love stage is another story.
So what are you waiting for? Get going and start blogging away!
