If you want to be a great artist, you have to be a great communicator. 

To achieve this, here are three fundamental skills I believe every artist should work to perfect that will transcend genre, age, and audience. 

1. Learn to write. 

Everything starts with writing. 

Putting ideas down on the page helps me to clarify my thinking and crystalize ideas worth sharing—tweets, captions, song lyrics—all of it moves the needle. 

If you’re not writing every day, I highly recommend you start. Write poetry, keep a journal, write lyrics—write any and everything you can think of. 

A strong writing habit is foundational. 

2. Learn to tell a great story. 

Stories are a fundamental expression of humanity. We are drawn to them. 

Your music tells a story. Your lyrics tell a story. Your content tells a story. Everything you do is an opportunity to tell a compelling story about yourself, your work, or the world around you.

Whatever the format, a good story will always win. 

3. Get good a short-form video. 

If the internet is a castle, short-form is king. 

We live in a world dominated by content. Great writing leads to great storytelling, and TikToks, Reels, and Shorts are where crystal-clear writing and great storytelling converge. 

Master the first two, then put them in video format. 

Great art is communication that transcends time and place. 

If you can cut through the noise with great writing, great storytelling, and strong short-form video skills, the sky is the limit. 

Watch the original video on my YouTube channel. 

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