Lynda Williams's Blog: Reality Skimming, page 7

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 31, 2014

Di Mon finds a “naming word” for Ranar. From Part 3: Pretenders, by Lynda Williams.

Lift Off to Fame – Future Bottleneck?

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: STS-115 by Paul Williams, on Flickr

Reading Starting From Zero by David Gaughran prompted me to think about the changing nature of the skill set required by a creative to reach his/her audience in the crowded modern scene. “Be a genius and land a a big publisher” used to be the dream for writers. Now there’s the option to be a genius and master social media marketing, instead. 

So what new skills or breaks will the big winners of the future need?

Assume a surfeit of talented creatives Z in field X {writing, music, movie making, etc.}, and for the sake of argument let’s focus only on those after Big Fame — a condition that precludes success for all.

What might the new discriminating factors be? 

I thought of: 

Have the staying power to give away loss-leader for longer than the next guy. Become famous, in short, before charging for anything, because there’s so much of everything available for free.
Start famous. That is, even more so than before, people made famous by the contagion of being connected with pre-existing fame (e.g. children of the famous) will get an amplified boost in the fame game.
Start as a video game. Or more likely the future equivalent. Likely to imply deep pockets behind the creative work, as the old standard of “find a big publisher” required. 
Possess mental talent X as yet unknown, that lets you mind-meld with your audience in cyberspace. :-)

 

 

 

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 30, 2014

A bit of Ameron character development from Part 4: Throne Price, by Lynda Williams and Alison Sinclair.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 29, 2014

Amel tackles the tough world of real life politics … even with a best friend. From Part 6: Avim’s Oath, by Lynda Williams.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 28, 2014

Amel and Maverick muse on Reetion ethics, from novella Mekan’stan by Lynda Williams.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 27, 2014

Quote from Amel’s poem about his hypothetical true love, from Part 3: Pretenders by Lynda Williams.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 26, 2014

Nestor weighing up bad choices, from “Nestor’s Blood” by Hal Friesen.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 25, 2014

Di Mon and Ranar succumb to mutual attraction after Di Mon’s failed attempt to solve his problem by killing Ranar, from Part 1: The Courtesan Prince.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 24, 2014

Dela dealing with culture shock over the sudden and bloody Vrellish way of settling things under Sword Law, from “Meet the Relatives” by Lynda Williams.

Okal Rel Quote – Aug 23, 2014

Alivda relieves pre-fight tensions through bantering with Herver about their non-relationship. From Part 9: Holy War, by Lynda Williams.