Living in the Long Tail
In "The Long Tail" Chris Anderson describes how, in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, markets for many goods were turned on their heads. What I have been experiencing for the last seven days supports his premise. If this continues for months (or rather, and hopefully, years!) I will have proved the theory. My gut tells me I will.
My readers know by now that I have published my first book - "Avoiding the Blues". I did not know what to expect. Yes, I imagined that mostly I'd be selling to people I know. But what started happening in the last two days has suddenly awakened me to the amazing possibility of the world we live in. Strangers have started buying.
In his book Chris talks about how, with the cost of inventory having dropped to zero for most media (music, video, written word), online retailers can now offer immense catalogues of media to consumers around the world. No longer are we limited to choosing from the narrow selection available in Main Street stores.
The old meant that Main Street was average. We bought what our friends and colleagues spoke about. We consumed what the big studios and record labels dished out. Since the number of different ideas, words and notes we were exposed to was limited, we all picked from the same narrow selection and ended up with similar libraries in our homes. By looking at a neighbour's bookshelf, or listening to their records, you would unlikely be exposed to something new and different. It just was not available.
The new is a world where diversity rules - in all of its meanings. Cultures mix, individuals express themselves, we watch amateur videos on YouTube and download music from numerous indie record labels. This is all possible because the cost of making this diversity available has dropped to zero.
Just as importantly to the low costs of inventory comes the ability for the six billion people on Earth to find others that share their opinions, their musical preferences and their love of a particular, niche or genre of video. We can all find media that we can enjoy without forgoing a bit of who we are. We can be authentic with our tastes because someone else on this planet shares them and, in the new world, you can now find them easily.
So this is a world where someone (me) can publish a book for zero dollars. OK I lie. It cost me $47. A world where someone can express themselves and create media and sell it to strangers. Where an individual's perspective can be made public and available to others. A world where some of those others will find an interest in what the individual has to say.
This is not Main Street and sure as heck is not average. This is worldly and powerful...and exciting.
Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!
My readers know by now that I have published my first book - "Avoiding the Blues". I did not know what to expect. Yes, I imagined that mostly I'd be selling to people I know. But what started happening in the last two days has suddenly awakened me to the amazing possibility of the world we live in. Strangers have started buying.
In his book Chris talks about how, with the cost of inventory having dropped to zero for most media (music, video, written word), online retailers can now offer immense catalogues of media to consumers around the world. No longer are we limited to choosing from the narrow selection available in Main Street stores.
The old meant that Main Street was average. We bought what our friends and colleagues spoke about. We consumed what the big studios and record labels dished out. Since the number of different ideas, words and notes we were exposed to was limited, we all picked from the same narrow selection and ended up with similar libraries in our homes. By looking at a neighbour's bookshelf, or listening to their records, you would unlikely be exposed to something new and different. It just was not available.
The new is a world where diversity rules - in all of its meanings. Cultures mix, individuals express themselves, we watch amateur videos on YouTube and download music from numerous indie record labels. This is all possible because the cost of making this diversity available has dropped to zero.
Just as importantly to the low costs of inventory comes the ability for the six billion people on Earth to find others that share their opinions, their musical preferences and their love of a particular, niche or genre of video. We can all find media that we can enjoy without forgoing a bit of who we are. We can be authentic with our tastes because someone else on this planet shares them and, in the new world, you can now find them easily.
So this is a world where someone (me) can publish a book for zero dollars. OK I lie. It cost me $47. A world where someone can express themselves and create media and sell it to strangers. Where an individual's perspective can be made public and available to others. A world where some of those others will find an interest in what the individual has to say.
This is not Main Street and sure as heck is not average. This is worldly and powerful...and exciting.
Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!
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