Fair warning for indie artists: this episode may cause an extreme bout of optimism about the future.

And not because the big institutions are coming to save us.

And not because the government is funding art as if it’s a societal good.

And not because somehow the American economy now works.

Nope! None of those things, as far as I can see, are on the horizon.

But this week’s episode of Let’s Go Again with guests Joshua Morgan and Mike Labbadia is going to change your life with all the power of a guided ayahuasca experience because it imagines a way to redistribute power back to indie artists available to us right now.

Here’s what you get when you press play:

* The new work of the indie artist is not to “break through” but to put themselves “in context”.

* Ideologically aligned projects might be more powerful than production companies.

* Your artistic identity doesn't need to make sense.

* The new mode of organization is not found in institutional hierarchy, it’s found in the ideas shared between like-minded artists.

* When artists align, the validation of previously isolated experiences creates a flywheel of self-motivation.

* Long-term alignment among artists can lead to financial returns, prestige, momentum, and creative growth.

* To work in a collective does not mean you have to give up your individuation.

* A running debate about whether or not I’m FBI. 😂

* And of course, more.

The episode vibe is as follows:

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

💎 The Creative Risk Podcast & Patreon where you can find a HUGE backlog of brilliance starring Joshua Morgan and Mike Labbadia. Also follow them on the socials: @creativeriskpod

🔥 The Metalabel platform. Lol again not an affiliate, just la-hove it and believe in my bones it’s the future.

📣 Tell me in the comments: does the idea of collective group projects speak to you?

✨ If you like this episode… text it to a friend! ✨

Want to connect? TELL ME ABOUT YOU HERE

Want to figure out where you are in your personal artistic timeline? TAKE THE QUIZ

ALERT THE PRESSES.

You can make a body of work that reveals you to be an unpredictable genius pop star at age 42, if you so choose.

Do you so choose?

If this is the year you want to stop grinding against the rickety machine that someone else built and always breaks down right before you’re supposed to get paid…

and instead you want to heroically hurdle yourself into space at rocket-speed toward your biggest goals like Matt Damon launching himself off Mars in nothing but a spacesuit and a tarp…

Then you’ll need to make a paradoxical move.

What’s a Paradoxical Move?

A paradoxical move is, as Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz explains in this week’s episode, an intentional break in the pattern of your personal thinking. It’s going left when you’d usually go right.

But it’s not a grind. And it’s not random. It’s actually fast and somewhat effortless, super strategic and exceptionally fun.

I wanted to talk with Michelle about this because she introduced me to this concept back in 2021, and there’s literally no one smarter I could ask to explain it to me.

Michelle isn’t just the founder of Holisticism or the host of The Twelfth House or the creator of SPACIES or the brain behind sublimatrix — a Matrix of Destiny cipher or a consultant that offers incredible status quo-changing experiences to her clients.

After almost a decade of running a very profitable company, she could sit back and let the hits keep coming. But instead, she’s soon going to UCLA to pursue her PhD.

So truly, there is no one better with whom I could ask about making unknowable, unexpected, and career-intensifying moves than Michelle.

In this episode, we discuss:

* The spectrum of age and how it changes your understanding of the creative process

* The way independent artists can use institutions as a way to make their body of work at a faster rate

* Infinite Games vs. Finite Games (thanks Yancey Strickler & Joshua Citarella for the inspo there!)

* How to discern what you think is cool when you feel indoctrinated by the culture

* How to become more unknowable and more unpredictable and evade AI from co-opting your brain

* And how to use paradoxical moves in your career to find way more opportunities and get where you want to go much faster

The episode vibe is as follows:

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🔥 Metalabel’s New Creative Era podcast (if you like this episode, you’ll love their whole first season)

🪩 Price Pritchett’s book, You Squared

🍿 Kinsley Vs., my independent web series

⚾️ Ted Hope’s Q&A with Carson Lund about his new movie Eephus: "When trying to express the intangible parts of your mind and soul..."

I can take on 2 more clients for my currently-running 1:1 experiences in May.

These are the tracks available:

* Copy & Content Sessions: helping you craft noise-cutting copy

* Mastering the Release: designing a release campaign for your work

* Scene-Building Startup: setting up infrastructure for your indie career

We can work on one of these tracks two different ways: either a one-time private intensive, or a 4-week work sprint.

Curious? Let me know what you need in 30s here…

And let’s chat.

⌨️ Tell me in the comments: What would be a paradoxical move for you?

✨ If you like this episode… text it to a friend! ✨

Hi!

IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR INDIE ARTISTS:

What’s the difference between the independent artist who spends all their brain power on trying to “hack the system” to gain more followers

and an independent artist who says whatever they want, whenever they want, how they want, with no algorithmic rhyme or reason and can still sit back and watch their career and audience grow?

If you think it’s “right place/right time” magical luck, you’d be sadly mistaken.

Or, if you’re certain *some* art is just more popular than others, that’s not it either.

If you’re guessing:

* they’d have to be famous…

* or maybe they’ve been working on it for decades…

* or they have a trust fund, so they can actually put time and effort into their growth strategies?

That’s a no, no, and absolutely not.

While some of these situations could potentially help, they’re not where real power exists. In all of those examples, the artist is still relying on outside forces of time, money, luck, or status.

But real power (life-changing power) isn’t built from time, money, luck, or status.

It’s built from attention. And what drives attention?

Writing that hooks.

If you could grow your career by using writing that hooks instead of chasing constantly-changing algorithms, would you finally take yourself seriously?

In today’s episode, I’m going to convince you of the power of writing that hooks AND I’m going to show you how to do it.

IN TODAY’S EPISODE, we’ll answer these questions:

* Why is writing the most important skill for indie artists?

* How does writing that hooks push your career forward?

* Why should I spend time on writing when I have so many other important things to do as an independent artist?

* How can I use specifics to quickly hook my reader?

* How does tension work in hooky writing?

* What do the 3-Act and 5-Act Structure writing models prove about writing that hooks?

* Why is my audience’s “repetition of ideas” an important part of my career growth?

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

😬 Using surprise and absurdity in Kinsley Vs. to create a hooky writing moment. David Gow and Lauren Karaman never cease to make me laugh-cringe-cry.

⚡️ Colin Corrigan’s “Attachment in Severance” from his fantastic Substack: The Story Energies

🔮 Octavia Butler’s essay “A Few Rules for Predicting the Future” from Essence Magazine, 2000

I'm offering a 1:1 experience for my fellow indie artists in April and May. These are the tracks available:

* Copy & Content Sessions: helping you craft noise-cutting copy

* Mastering the Release: designing a release campaign for your work

* Scene-Building Startup: setting up infrastructure for your indie career

We can work on one of these tracks two different ways: either a one-time private intensive, or a 4-week work sprint.

Curious? Let me know what you need here…

And I'll email you directly with what I think could help.

⌨️ Tell me in the comments: where do you think you can add more tension to your writing?

✨ If you like this episode… please consider texting it to a friend! ✨

You’re back. I’m back.

GOTTA ASK YOU THIS:

Instead of giving up on getting an audience to see your art because you’d rather scoop your cat’s litter box for all of eternity than research SEO keywords for another second,

What if “making content” felt more like divulging secrets to your best friend?

What if content marketing was as easy for you as pickleball is for Serena?

What if your content (non-derogatory) loaded people onto a proverbial express train to your work and created a scene even Warhol would envy?

If making content felt fun, would you finally put yourself out there with your full chest?

In today’s episode, I’m going to give you a total reframe on content. And before I lose you, here’s what this episode is NOT:

* It’s not about lack mindset!

* It’s not about believing in yourself!

* It’s not about changing your self-perception!

* It’s not about your fear of being seen!

Don’t get me wrong. I love to talk about those things, too. But that’s not this episode.

Today, I’m sharing one crucial shift in the actual act of making content that will make you feel like a celebrity multi-millionaire infused with their daily vitamin IV drip. In other words: invigorated.

IN TODAY’S EPISODE, we’ll answer these questions:

* What qualifies as content and what qualifies as art?

* What is the function of content for indie artists?

* What are the different quality levels of content that artists should focus on?

* How do you make boring “content marketing” into something more dynamic and easier to produce?

* What are some examples of artists who are using this strategy and how does it work across industries?

* Can content be part of your body of work without selling out or copying everyone else?

* Will your art suffer if you focus on content?

AND DON’T MISS:

More Lore Less Bore, from the Twelfth House+ Podcast (A good place to start if you’ve never written a manifesto.)

Vulfpeck’s website. (Purists through and through!)

🥳 Join 60+ creative folks who have already signed up for this…

I’m teaching a free one hour class tomorrow, Friday March 28th, at 12pm EST / 9am PST called HOW TO WRITE SO PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION.

What class will cover:

* How to use emotional accuracy to make people guzzle your writing like a freshman doing a keg stand.

* The one trick to stop your audience mid-scroll whenever your writing pops up.

* How to transform a boring social media caption or stuffy cover letter into a POV-defining calling card.

* Why you’re missing emotional heat, and where to increase it.

* How to magnetize your audience in a way AI could never.

If you can’t make it in real time, you can still get the recording if you RSVP. Hope to see you there!

⌨️ Tell me in the comments: how does making content usually feel for you?

✨ If you like this episode… please consider texting it to a friend! ✨

Fellow compatriot of the Independent Class! We meet again!

BIG IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR YOU:

What is the difference between an independent artist who is speaking into the void and feeling bitter because even their mom has stopped liking their social media posts 😟

and an independent artist who is regularly revved up by their own ideas, has weekly brain-exploding back-and-forths with their community, and is generally HAVING A GOOD TIME WITH MARKETING because they’re building a scene around their artistic work and seeing the fruits of their labor? 😊

🍝 One is throwing proverbial spaghetti at proverbial wall and one is surgically building a scene because they KNOW WHO THEY ARE TALKING TO.

In today’s episode, we’ll get into that second option. There’s also a quick exercise so that by minute 24, you’ll know exactly who you should be marketing to, and ya know, you can get to it.

IN TODAY’S EPISODE, we’ll answer these questions:

* Is “niching down” the only strategy for audience growth? And btw, what does that even mean for indie artists?

* Why are demographics pointless and boring and what should I use instead?

* What will attract people to my work?

* How do I use emotion + logic to get attention for my work?

* What does the 1959 Volkswagon ‘Think Small’ campaign prove about audience psychology?

* Who exactly should be in my specific audience?

* How do I begin creating magnetic campaigns for my artistic projects?

⌨️ Tell me in the comments: what’s one specific psychographic you’re going to use to define your audience?

✨ If you like this episode… please consider texting it to a friend! ✨

Cue the air horns!

SEASON TWO OF LET’S GO AGAIN HAS ARRIVED!

This season of LGA has a very specific flavor: let’s call it Ghost Pepper.

It might sting a little, but it’s also going to clear your sinuses and reveal that your lungs have about 15% more capacity than you originally thought.

The deep breaths will just be that deep.

With this season, I have one very specific intent: to convince as many independent artists as possible that they are holding a stacked hand. And then, to play it.

Is this Self-Help? Is this Motivational Speaking? Is this Warm and Fuzzy Feel Good Stuff™?

No.

K, then what is?

This, as the subtitle alludes to, is a philosophical and practical guide for indie creatives. Not only will we discuss how-to kinds of things:

* tending to the long term artist-audience relationship

* figuring out your content plan vs. art plan

* how to write cold emails that you actually feel PROUD OF

* the revenue *right in front of you* (on THAT table, yes)

* making industry connections in a way that doesn’t induce a shame spiral

But ALSO things like:

* how applying an intentional infrastructure to your career is a safeguard against crazy dystopian uncertainty

* building new worlds, universes, and thought patterns in the collective so we can have nice things again

* the role of the artist in society

* the way making art ends up making social media and other annoying non-negotiable things both irrelevant and negotiable

And a plethora of other surprises along the way!

IN TODAY’S EPISODE, we’ll answer these questions:

* What do you actually want from “breaking in” to the [insert your industry (mine is film) here]?

* How’d people be artists in the 20th century?

* How’re people being artists now, in the 21st century?

* What do we have to embrace/reject to be a 21st Century Artist?

* What does writing have to do with getting attention?

* What’s the big mistake when it comes to posting your work?

* Is teaching the only way to make money as an indie artist?

* Why is a POV so important for indie artists?

* What is the ultimate goal of working outside of the system?

One last thing, if you like this episode…

Please consider texting it to a friend. :)

Okay!

That’s it!

Enjoy!

We're telling the future! Spooky stuff! Once a quarter, we're taking a look at the trends popping up in art, business, and marketing and understanding how to use them in our indie art.

This quarter we're diving into the Authenticity Trends marking every corner of the online and media landscapes. But don't worry, to hop on these trends, you won't have to overshare on social media. It'll be much easier than that.

REFERENCES:

Hollywood Reporter article about the Duplass/Netflix deal: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-rights-mark-duplass-mel-eslyn-series-penelope-1235890593/

IndieWire article about the Art Directors Guild: https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/art-directors-guild-ending-production-design-initiative-program-1235002230/

FREE STUFF:

52 REVENUE STREAM IDEAS FOR INDIE ARTISTS — No more struggling artist cliches. Get the list: https://queensbirdfilms.myflodesk.com/52-rev-streams

TAKE THE ARTIST TIMELINE QUIZ — Where are you now and where are you headed next? Take the quiz: ⁠⁠https://fkfsueqdh05.typeform.com/to/aZt25ckK⁠⁠

LISTEN: THE BREAK BREAKDOWN — Season 3, Process: How We Made Kinsley Vs.: ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thebreakbreakdown⁠⁠⁠

Want to request a specific topic? Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

FOLLOW US HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠**@letsgoagainpod**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For you, Dear Listener:

If you’re listening on Spotify — we want to hear from you:

• Answer this week’s Q&A and poll


• Leave us a voice message and tell us your thoughts about this episode

If you liked today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating & review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Let’s Go Again is hosted by Courtney Romano.

This is a project from Queens Bird Films.

ABOUT QUEENS BIRD FILMS:

Queens Bird Films is a production company telling stories to make life fun. With irreverence, depth, and a bit of whimsy, we make things for people who want to fall back in love with life.

See the films, series, and podcasts we made for you here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠queensbirdfilms.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the NEWSLETTER: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/QBlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch our films & series on YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://youtube.com/@queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow on INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Courtney on TIKTOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@courtney.romano

There you are. Facing the cursor. Waiting for Lady Inspiration to strike. Knowing that your precious creative alone time was bought and paid for by racing through your tasks at work, ignoring calls from your mom, silencing the group chat, consuming illegal amounts of caffeine, and forgoing lunch.

But now that you have the creative alone time? Nothing. Nada.

Your brain is as empty as your ex's promises.

You're in good company. It happens to the best artists. Consistently! Regularly! But the best artists have learned how to defend against it... with systems.

In today's episode, we'll go through 6 systems, inspired by the Holland Codes, to help you structure your creative process so you can make that fresh-to-death art that breaks through and blows up.

----------------------

TAKE THE ARTIST TIMELINE QUIZ — Where are you now and where are you headed next? Take the quiz: ⁠⁠https://fkfsueqdh05.typeform.com/to/aZt25ckK⁠⁠

LISTEN: THE BREAK BREAKDOWN — Season 3, Process: How We Made Kinsley Vs.: ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thebreakbreakdown⁠⁠⁠

Want to request a specific topic? Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

FOLLOW US HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠**@letsgoagainpod**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For you, Dear Listener:

If you’re listening on Spotify — we want to hear from you:

• Answer this week’s Q&A and poll


• Leave us a voice message and tell us your thoughts about this episode

If you liked today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating & review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Let’s Go Again is hosted by Courtney Romano.

This is a project from Queens Bird Films.

ABOUT QUEENS BIRD FILMS:

Queens Bird Films is a production company telling stories to make life fun. With irreverence, depth, and a bit of whimsy, we make things for people who want to fall back in love with life.

See the films, series, and podcasts we made for you here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠queensbirdfilms.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the NEWSLETTER: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/QBlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch our films & series on YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://youtube.com/@queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow on INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Courtney on TIKTOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@courtney.romano

From social media, to advertising, to community-building, how to make it as an indie artist is going through a massive transformation. There are so many ways to break through as an artist that weren't possible even just 5 years ago.

In today's episode, we'll break down the Big 3 Changes making this new paradigm possible. You'll finish the episode having gained clarity on how you can leverage this new paradigm in your work, and figure out some clear action steps for what comes next.

SOURCES from today's episode:

The Artist is Online: https://outland.art/maya-man-digital-performance-art/

Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel: https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/consumers/gen-z-broke-the-marketing-funnel

Crossover Success: Versatility as the Key to Innovation for Indie Artists: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/crossover-success-versatility-as-the-key-innovation-for-indie-artists-1234990524/amp/

What Are the Chances? Success in the Arts in the 21st Century: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/chances-success-arts-21st-century/

TAKE THE ARTIST TIMELINE QUIZ — Where are you now and where are you headed next? Take the quiz: ⁠⁠https://fkfsueqdh05.typeform.com/to/aZt25ckK⁠⁠

LISTEN: THE BREAK BREAKDOWN — Season 3, Process: How We Made Kinsley Vs.: ⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thebreakbreakdown⁠⁠⁠

Want to request a specific topic? Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

FOLLOW US HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠**@letsgoagainpod**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For you, Dear Listener:

If you’re listening on Spotify — we want to hear from you:

• Answer this week’s Q&A and poll


• Leave us a voice message and tell us your thoughts about this episode

If you liked today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating & review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Let’s Go Again is hosted by Courtney Romano.

This is a project from Queens Bird Films.

ABOUT QUEENS BIRD FILMS:

Queens Bird Films is a production company telling stories to make life fun. With irreverence, depth, and a bit of whimsy, we make things for people who want to fall back in love with life.

See the films, series, and podcasts we made for you here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠queensbirdfilms.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the NEWSLETTER: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/QBlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch our films & series on YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://youtube.com/@queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow on INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Courtney on TIKTOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@courtney.romano

How do artists manage their time? How do you get things done when you have a million ideas and a million other pressing responsibilities? And how does time management improve your confidence and ability to create work? All of this in today's episode about the three "Creative Neglect" time management principles to help indie creatives do better work.

Plus, your Qs about the writing process!

-------------------

TAKE THE ARTIST TIMELINE QUIZ — Where are you now and where are you headed next? Take the quiz: ⁠⁠⁠https://fkfsueqdh05.typeform.com/to/aZt25ckK⁠⁠⁠

LISTEN: THE BREAK BREAKDOWN — Season 3, Process: How We Made Kinsley Vs.: ⁠⁠⁠⁠bit.ly/thebreakbreakdown⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to request a specific topic? Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW US HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠**@letsgoagainpod**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For you, Dear Listener:

If you’re listening on Spotify — we want to hear from you:

• Answer this week’s Q&A and poll


• Leave us a voice message and tell us your thoughts about this episode

If you liked today’s episode, please consider leaving a rating & review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

Let’s Go Again is hosted by Courtney Romano.

This is a project from Queens Bird Films.

ABOUT QUEENS BIRD FILMS:

Queens Bird Films is a production company telling stories to make life fun. With irreverence, depth, and a bit of whimsy, we make things for people who want to fall back in love with life.

See the films, series, and podcasts we made for you here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠queensbirdfilms.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the NEWSLETTER: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/QBlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch our films & series on YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://youtube.com/@queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow on INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/queensbirdfilms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Courtney on TIKTOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@courtney.romano