I have had the pleasure of reconnecting with many people in the past couple weeks and there are others I owe follow-ups to. It has me thinking of my time writing in the music industry as I fight to build this new identity as a horror author. Which was always my goal since my late teens, taking numerous wonderful detours in other avenues to build my rep.

I’ve preached it before and I’ll do so again. Your network is everything and always do someone a solid as often as you can, never with the intention of getting one back. When you are honest with yourself and with others and you give where you can, it’s astonishing how the universe drops goodwill back into your lap.

Right now, I was given some tremendous advice from a colleague as I beat my brains out trying to market my books. I turn, I was solicited by a friend looking for advice on how to navigate the music industry as a newbie. I was glad to give, in my limited capacity. It was how I rose to the level of success I enjoyed covering music and film. You do the solid, build the network, be genuine. Be cool.

What I have to tell myself, and yesterday was a big reminder day filled with doubt and self-chastising, is I need solids as much as anyone trying to do something artistic. Yet the opportunity to give solids never dwindles and i am happy to do so when i have the capacity. Or if I have a better connection to direct someone to.

It’s the same as any business model. Network, do a solid, be the best you can, show integrity and keep the self-chastising in check. I am incredibly blessed, no matter the slow rebuild, because of my network and those who do me a solid. I promise I recognize and treasure each solid I’m given, because we’re all on the same journey, when you break it down properly. 

–Ray Van Horn, Jr.