I was a bit under the weather this past week, more Vlogger Interviews next week!
On October 3, 2011, my niece's sci-fi e-novella,
"Echoes," was published on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Obviously, I'm a proud uncle, and I'm
hoping that the untold multitudes will plunk down their $2.99 to give "S.P.
Blackmore's" sci-fi book a try.
I'm also happy and inspired to see the latest example of what I
think is going to turn into a wave of newly-empowered entrepreneurs venturing
into the world and creating futures impossible without the power of social and
mobile technologies.
Just a couple of years ago, most people I knew really weren't
sure what or even if online media, social media or "new" media was
relevant to their own personal dreams. Today, many of those same people are beginning to
understand the potential, and are hard at work finding - or perhaps inventing -
their own way through a brand new, intimately accessible business model. Just as one can't build a house with a
gift of untested tools, most are
still figuring out how to build their world - learning and improving day by
day. It's no longer a question of
"if" there's a way to succeed digitally - it's a question of
how.
Success still takes talent and hard work - it's the access to
opportunity that has changed.
The passing of Steve Jobs, I think, says it all. It's a massive passing of the
torch. His vision,
innovation and enthusiasm created accessible technology that, in turn, is
making it possible for a near constellation of dreamers to innovate and create
as he once did - and making a living doing what they love to do.
And it's all just beginning.
Thanks for the plug, Rich!
ReplyDeleteRegarding how fast the industry is moving...you're absolutely right. A year and a half ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of self-publishing. It just wasn't something I ever considered; my idea of self-pubbing involved paying huge sums of money and getting ripped off by a vanity press.
It all seemed to change overnight. It's definitely no longer "if," it's "how" -- and figuring out how to utilize these tools is a huge part of it. I'm sitting here thinking about the future and wondering what we're going to say in ten...hell, even five years, when we look back at your observations about online content. Look how much changed in one year. Going back five years...was YouTube even around then? (I honestly don't remember, I don't think so...at least, I don't recall using it). Five years before *that*, the idea of streaming movies digitally was a pipe dream. Music was purchased in CD stores.
It's a wild, wild world. I do wonder who will pick up the torch from Steve Jobs--or if this is something he's handed off to us as a group?
hmm.
The world of connection and communication has transformed into something I think was hard to imagine 10 years ago. The legacy of Steve Jobs will be to keep dreaming and most of all, keep doing your dreams. Many people are still afraid of technology and the social media. I imagine they think some horrible person will know something personal about them and then what?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I encounter so many professional business people and educators who are so afraid of social media, such as twitter, believe it to be silly and frivolous. They don't understand how it works. Since twitter has almost no filter aside from its 140 characters, one has to separate the trash from the things of value. (No different than life really) I have found so much on twitter of value, and yes, I am a tad reluctant to admit this. It also can be the black hole of how you use your time since information is available in prolific amounts. Nonetheless, we are where we are and we should continue to move ahead.
I agree with Rich that talent and hard work are still needed. It is unlikely that someone can tweet themselves into a career with no substance. At the same time, I believe one must follow their heart and their dreams and above all, don’t let anything anyone says or does take that away from you.
I find myself profoundly impacted by the death of Steve Jobs, much to my surprise, as he is not family or a friend. I believe it is what he stood for or rather how he lived his life. My enthusiasm for my dreams is renewed. Thank you Steve Jobs. You continue to make an impact.
In addition, I have downloaded “Echoes” and begun to read it-very intriguing! The reality and possibilities here are very exciting.