“Black Sabbath was written on bass: I just walked into the studio and went, bah, bah, bah, and everybody joined in and we just did it.” – Terence Michael Joseph “Geezer” Butler, Born Jul. 17, 1949.
Just start doing what you want to do.
Don't think about it too much.
And I don't mean warming up, or getting ready, doing it in secret all alone.
You're making something to put out there. To publish. To share. To sell. To spread.
Is it going to be good? I don't know. Do your best.
But when you finish it, give it a once over and smash that launch button.
While your growing audience is chewing on that release, you're already working on the next one.
And it's going to be better.
Because you've got the experience of the first one to roll into it.
And listen…
The ONLY way to screw up, whether we are talking rock music or marketing or art or whatever, is to get too caught up in the plan without just PRODUCING.
Skip the drama.
Don't let your ambition drive you to TRY to outdo yourself each time. Let your natural growth in skill and experience and knowledge take care of increasing the quality for you.
There.
I've just given you the secret of your first big smash, AND how to avoid the sophomore slump that makes one-hit wonders out of wasted talent.
Just start slapping that bass line and just do it.
Right now.
Thank you, Colin. I've always been an over thinker and have the bank account to prove it. Your wisdom today helped me to get back at it. Do something, even if it's wrong.
Needed to hear this TODAY!
I guess me delaying and preparing stemmed from wanting to be 'at par' with the competition. As a music critique, i often read other's reviews of music and it's like "whoa, that's good. I wish i could write like that". As a non-native English speaker, there's a kind of pressure to deliver pristine work, and for me —looking up to other established music sites— it's double the pressure. There's always this thought that "YOU'RE GOING TO FUCK UP. STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING." But now, after reading this, how worse can it get?!
"Don't let your ambition drive you to TRY to outdo yourself each time. Let your natural growth in skill and experience and knowledge take care of increasing the quality for you."
Your last two emails were just what I needed to hear. I especially love this quote above. It's too easy to get caught up competing with a previous version of yourself.