What a hip hop collective can teach authors about promotion

There is power in numbers. We hear that said, but when it comes to being an author, we often think about it as a uniquely solitary art form.

Something like: Author sits in room at desk for months or years banging out the great American novel, mails it off to publishing house who immediately recognizes the absolute genius of the work, and soon after, said author becomes a national sensation, the book a bestseller, and life becomes a series of publicity stops where cheering fans clamor for autographs and said author acts humble and touched, waving silent thank yous to adoring fans, a la Beatles invasion circa 1964.

Well, ok, that's how it is in my head anyway :)

But that's a dream, not reality. In the actual functioning world of art, writing and creating a book takes a team with an editor, publisher, cover artist, and marketer, along with many others along the way, not to mention the personal support required from spouses, friends, family, commuinty, etc. My question today for us authors is: Why do we tell ourselves we are individuals toiling away in a shuttered room trying to put lightning in a bottle when we could be embracing the amazing community of writers and creative support teams around us?

Goal Music Group

To see what that would look like, you need look no further than Goal Music Group.

For an example of this in action, check out their latest release, a song called Carpe Diem, ft. Shishani. Right there in the title, they acknowledge the woman who sings in the song. It's credited to G-DO & XCEPTION, acknowledging both the lyricist and the producer. Watch the video and you will see a guitar player obviously integral to the sound. That's 4 people you can see are part of the project without even listening to the song yet.

It's community. It's creating something together that acknowledges and embraces individual contributions as parts of that whole.

What it means for Author Platform Building

1. Acknowledge: Public gratitude is powerful. It's good for the artistic spirit, and good for the marketing outreach at the same time. When you say thank you, people will appreciate it and want to work with you again. When you share something you worked with someone on, they'll share it too!

2. Collaborate: The artistic and creative output will be different if you work with other people in an active way. That expands what you are good at and what you can point to as part of your work examples.

3. Promote: When you release a book or any related content, you have dozens of people who will be as excited about it as you are. That's a big initial surge. And in the weeks and months to come, you will each ride the emotional/interest/motivation roller coaster at different speeds, so you can pick up the ball if someone else drops it, and vice versa.

4. Professional Resources: Everyone in a project has a network of people they call on for support, professional help, etc. You have access to all of their networks when you collaborate.

5. Emotional Support: It's not all just about marketing and sales. When you are in it with other people, you have shoulders to cry on, ears to listen to you, and a crew who understands how much work went into a success to celebrate with!

And then there's Wu Tang Clan...

For another great example from the hip hop world of the power of community, you may remember the Wu Tang Clan. A group of rappers and producers who banded together, released an album as a group, then used that as the springboard for solo albums, another group album, more solo albums, etc.

They outline the general business philosophy on "Can It Be That It Was All So Simple" in an interview included on their first album:

[Interviewer from some British magazine]
So what's like, I mean what's like your ultimate goal against in this industry

[Method Man]
Domination baby...
We tryin to make a business outta this man... 
We tryin to make our [music]...so that when our children...got somethin for theyselves.

[Ghostface Killah]
We ain't tryin to hop in and hop out right quick? Know what I'm sayin?
We out for the Gusto and we gon keep it raw.

And indeed they did just that. In a supportive collective that honored both what they did together and their creations as individual artists, going platinum around the world and building a hip hop empire that grew far beyond but always remained based in the music. 

What are you doing to embrace your community as part of your author platform?


Image sources: Goal Music Group / Wu Tang video still /stairs via Rubber Dragon on flickr