What Am I Doing? How Am I Doing?

We’re fine.  We’re living together, my family, all 12 of us, in a big house.  We’re only going out when we need to. 

I have been doing lots of piano lessons online, so I’m not bored, really.  However, I do have more time during the day to consider my precarious state and to plan for getting out of it.  I can be relentless with such planning. 

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how effective my personal promotion has been on my website.  Periodically I revisit my presentation, my persona, my product.  This time it feels like if I don’t get it right, I might not get another chance. 

I’m always balancing between two extremes.  One:  “I should simplify my identity so I can really catch people’s attention with primary colors.”  That’s not my style, and it pains me even to consider it. 

Two: “I should be as honest as I can about who I am, what I do, and what excites me.”  And that has never worked.  I’m too complicated and have too many interests, and if I don’t filter down to something specific, I’ll continue to lose people’s focus. 

I’ve pushed the author identity back, which hurts.  I am an author through and through.  If I could never make music again, I think it would bother me less than if I could never write again. 

But most people don’t see me as an author, because the musician and educator in me is so much bigger and more present.  People who know me do not always know my books.  And I haven’t been able to establish an identity as a writer outside of my inner circle of friends. 

If I want complete strangers to get interested in me, I have to have a website that suggests an instant solution to one of their problems.  And it has to be a problem that I can solve.  And I have to be able to demonstrate that I’ve solved it many times. 

So I’ve been looking for that thing that I do and love that I can sell, that someone needs, that will give them an instant identification with me.  I’ve never worked so hard on it.  I feel the hounds on my heels. 

I have to find my audience, now. 

Beyond that, we’re fine.  We’re healthy.  We’re waiting. 

How are you?

***News From A Jazz Musician Who Writes Books***

I've been waiting a long time to share this with you:  I was interviewed by Joel Manzer for his podcast: Autisable, for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum.  I shared my experiences teaching kids on the spectrum.  Find the complete interview here: 

https://autisable.com/2020/04/01/podcast-season-3-episode-1-adam-cole/

During the pandemic I continue to post online music classes for little kids, so if you have a little kid, or you are a little kid, subscribe to my YouTube channel and you won't miss a single one!  You can get there via the video page on my site.

And, seriously.  How are you?

Adam Cole is a Jazz Musician Who Writes Books. Fantasy author, music educator and performer, Adam chats weekly on the subject of listening, creativity and living your best life. To get a free book on marketing tips for passing out fliers, getting on your own radio show, and writing a blog people will read, please go to www.acole.net and add your e-mail.

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