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Gatekeepers. Whenever I hear about people getting stuck on gatekeepers it just grinds my gears. The whole idea of having an executive assistant to someone more important decide whether or not their boss would like what I have is nonsense. I get that assistants have a better knowledge of their boss than I do, but I’m not about to be beholden to someone’s whims when they’re not even the person I need to talk to.
We live in a self-publishing world. With a few clicks of a button you can upload your work for the world to see and, if you’ve built an audience already, you really don’t need anyone but your tribe to get it out there. The access to technology, the access to crowd-souring projects, the ability to just create something with the bare minimum, these things have opened up the entire world of creative storytelling to just about anyone with a cell phone and a plan.
The key to success is wanting to succeed more than you fear failure. If you want it, in this day and age, you can have it. Asking permission is the first roadblock you’re going to have. If you give someone the authority over you to say no, you’ve given away your success to the whims of others. If you want to succeed, if you want to make a movie, if you to publish a book, you can just do it.
I’m not saying it’ll be easy. I’m not saying you’ll have a huge budget and be able to land A-list actors, but you know what, I’m gatekeeping you with that statement. NOTHING is stopping you from getting that budget, nothing is stopping you from getting that actor for your project. Nothing is stopping you from reaching out to your favorite director and getting in contact.
Twitter, Facebook, social media, personal websites. These things have made getting in contact with people a lot easier. Getting heard is so much easier now than back in the day. Make noise. Make impact. Be bold. Reach for the brass ring. You’ll get what you want if you want it hard enough and you’re willing to do work.
Don’t let anyone tell you no.
You make your own yes. Go get it.
