The "True Fan" Ladder

Wow. What an insightful article. Anyone who's a solo creator of any kind should check this out: http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php

Kevin Kelly’s outlook on how to avoid the “long tail” is extremely intuitive. It makes a reasonable argument, detailing how someone can make a livable wage as an independent producer. Kelly claims that any artist who strives to make some sort of profit from their work should obtain 1000 true fans. He defines a true fan as someone who will undoubtedly purchase any and all of the artist’s work, see all their shows, buy any merchandise, etc.

As an independent producer with 1000 true fans, making an average of $100 worth of purchases annually, gives the producer a $100,000 salary. He also makes a point that those 1000 true fans will expand the fanbase network by talking to other true fans and enticing lesser fans to follow the artist, further increasing the artist’s revenue.

While this seems like a surmountable feat, it isn’t as easy as just getting 1000true fans. He states that any producer who wants to achieve this goal would have to bend over backwards to keep those fans coming back. So, unfortunately, while this seems like a motivating theory, he notes that this tactic will either make the artist a livable wage or put them in poverty. It’s a tough decision to weigh. My opinion is that, in many cases, working 40 hours a week for steady paycheck beats being your own boss.