Those who follow my writing know that I'm a big fan of Seth Godin, the prolific author/blogger on the new way of marketing.  I'm used to seeing him online or reading his books but he rarely makes the newspapers. It's not where his audience is.  Until last month, when he announced that he would no longer be using a traditional publisher for his books and it made the Wall Street Journal. Photo by Joi.

This is big news for an author who seems to publish a new book every 18-24 months.

His blog readers number in the hundreds of thousands, based on great content that Godin has churned out, year after year.  His community is well-established and loyal.

This idea of self-publishing has been in the works for nearly a decade. I remember seeing Godin speak nearly a decade ago at a conference in Boston. At that time, he was talking about self-publishing and breaking down the monopoly that publishers had with authors. 

The point?  We are the beneficiaries of changes that have been in the making for a long time. Let's not squander the opportunity.  It's never been easier to spread your ideas. It still takes the hard work of building a community. The difference is that there are powerful tools to help you engage kindred spirits and there are fewer gatekeepers.