Before we were able to purchase clothing from the store, it was made in home.
Yet, with the growing use of YouTube and an array of social media sites, men and women all over the world are learning how to DIY in a whole new way.
Doing-it-yourself can save money, effort, and most importantly provides consumer control.
Rapidly evolving technology, has allowed us greater control over our lives. For example, daily transportation users no longer have to wait wondering when the next train or bus will come. Now that countless smartphone apps are on the market, commuters can know exactly what time to arrive at the bus stop or station for departure.
The desire for this newly acquired control has manifested itself in other areas as well.
During a recent lunch with writer/columnist Keli Goff, we had an insightful discussion regarding the trend of music artists and writers choosing to release content independently as opposed to approaching major record labels and publishing houses. This type of route is commonly phrased: The Indie Appeal. Interestingly, I am finding that this trend is growing quite rapidly, because people aren’t waiting around anymore for someone else to give them their first big break. Instead they are choosing to make and create their first break into their reality. Nowadays, everyone is becoming a Mark Zuckerberg, and no longer is the person who was signed to a deal with a major record label or publishing house was considered to be wildly, wildly successful.
Rather, many people are choosing to create their own success without relying on others. Here are some examples below.
THE AUTHOR
Question: So what do you do if you want to market your book in a certain manner and keep your content unadulterated?
Answer: You must do-it-yourself. Self-publishing is a growing industry. So much so, that many businesses are choosing to capitalize on it. Amazon Create Space, allows authors to develop their own book layout and print books on demand. Though self-publishing affords an author control, it can also be costly and difficult for books to become successful through small-scale marketing. Nonetheless, it is a viable avenue for publishing and can be fruitful if executed properly.
Most authors’ greatest wish is to have the ability to publish their work without encountering any of the stress and the disappointment that are often associated with a major book deal. You see, HarperCollins, Random House, and Penguin Group are not just publishing anybody’s books.
Oftentimes, an author must have a developed relationship with a publishing house or have societal appeal to gain attention. Additionally, because these publishing houses are so large they often do not have the staff to provide personal attention to each author. Not to mention, when signing a major book deal authors in many cases have to forfeit creative control.
THE MUSICIAN
Question: What do Justin Beiber, Dondria, and Arnel Pineda all have in common?
Answer: Well, major record executives on YouTube discovered them all.
More and more artists are choosing to release content on sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube in order to catch the eyes, or better yet, the ears of record executives. Some artists however, are choosing to release their music through independent record labels. Popular independent record labels include Epitaph, Victory, and Matador. These labels are considered independent because they operate without resources from major record labels such as Interscope.
In reference to music, “independent” includes both unsigned artists and artists signed to independent or indie labels. The benefits both these types of artists receive are expansive creative control and the flexibility to truly produce uninhibited music without the influence of mainstream trends.
As the practice becomes more popular, Indie Appeal Artists are beginning to be considered a separate music genre. The downside is that artists signed to large record labels still have the most global appeal in the industry. “Indie artists” are often put into one category and may only attract “indie music fans”. On the other hand, mainstream artists can gain global visibility regardless of their music genre.
THE MEANING BEHIND IT ALL
Whether through books or music, The Indie Appeal is not going away. I would compare it to an addiction. One hit of the independence and freedom accompanied with DIY and you will be coming back for more.
Though the road less traveled comes with a lot of struggle, many people seem to find it fulfilling.
As I am writing this article, I am currently in the midst of developing my first book. The choice to self-publish or pursue support from a publishing house is a constant mental battle for me. But, I must admit the independent route does seem quite appetizing.
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