The Art of Asking: How I learned to stop worrying and let people help

we only needed a few dozen at a time to sell at shows: five songs for $5.

And so you will take the coffee, because the truth of the matter is that your acceptance of the gift IS the gift. And if you’re not in a hurry, you will also draw the barista a picture, or draw a picture for his friend who’s a huge fan, or tell her about the Ben Folds song.

try to recall the enormity of that feeling every time I’m talking to a younger musician who summons the courage to play me their stuff. I bear in mind that I may be the only full-time musician they’ve encountered who’s ever directly said: Yes. You’re allowed to go do that. Go ahead.

“Minimal DIY” is the kind of DIY where you literally try to Do It Yourself. The emphasis is on total self-reliance and individualism.

And when he’s

I was beginning to learn about online abuse, but, as people started to follow my blog by the hundreds, then the thousands, I also had my first taste of crowd power, and how double-edged the sword was.

I think I asked … because I trust you enough to let you help me. I mean it.

We tried to set up an arm of The Brigade in every city; you just had to volunteer over email—to do basically anything—and I’d grant you a guest-list space. We paid with the usual currency we had on hand: T-shirts, CDs, backstage beer, shout-outs from stage, tickets, love. I announced any local shows or art openings from stage if a member of The Bri

My theory: one of the biggest reasons people usually want to help an artist is because they really want … to help an artist. Not get a fancy beer cozy. If they make the decision to help, they will help at the level at which they are able, no matter what token, flower, or simple thank-you awaits them at the other end. I emailed a pal at Kickstarter