About the Book:

An essential guide for filmmakers, musicians, writers, artists, and other creative types.

Back in the 20th century, the path to creative success was clear: just get signed by a record label, picked up by a publisher, or discovered by a movie studio.

But in the 21st century, those entities not only spend less time hunting for unknown talent, they invest less in promoting the artists already on their roster.

So the responsibility for building an audience now falls squarely on the artist's shoulders.

Fans, Friends & Followers explores the strategies for cultivating an online fan base that can support your creative career, enabling you to do the work you want to do and make a living at it. Based on dozens of interviews with the artists pioneering new approaches to production, marketing, promotion, collaboration, and distribution, it presents strategies that work - in a straightforward, jargon-free way.

Fans, Friends & Followers by Scott Kirsner features explanations of the tools, techniques, and new business models that work best, along with more than 25 artist interviews. Featured artists include YouTube star Michael Buckley (“What the Buck”); the animators behind JibJab, Homestar Runner, and Red vs. Blue; video artist and blogger Ze Frank ("The Show"); comedian Eugene Mirman; singer-songwriters Jill Sobule and Jonathan Coulton; OK Go frontman Damian Kulash; filmmakers Sandi DuBowski (“Trembling Before G-d) and Curt Ellis ("King Corn"); writers Brunonia Barry ("The Lace Reader") and Lisa Genova ("Still Alice"); and artists Tracy White, Natasha Wescoat, Dylan Meconis, and Dave Kellett.

About the Author:

Scott Kirsner is a journalist and blogger who writes about new ideas and their impact on the world. a graduate of Boston University's College of Communications and the New World School of the Arts, in Miami., he edits a blog that explores the way technology is changing the entertainment industry. He writes regularly for Variety and the Boston Globe. Scott's writing has also appeared in the New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Wired, Fast Company, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, BusinessWeek, and Newsweek, among other publications.