Gregor Collins
Actor/Writer/Producer

If you happened to be strolling around Silverlake about 18 days ago, which I’m sure you weren’t, you might have seen a tall, turtleneck-wearing Irish guy sitting outside fondling his double-Kingburger as if it were a beautiful woman. That guy was me, and I was at Fatburger, and by the way, since we’re on the topic, I don’t care what anyone says, it’s the best burger in the Western Hemisphere, and yes I’ve tried them all, even the ones you’re sure to send me in a pending, impassioned email. So to save you a few clicks, here you go – gregorcollins@gmail.com. I’m open 24/7.

Already in the throes of an impossibly-euphoric place man-handling my mound of meat, my mind wandered to an even deeper state of bliss to discover other sexy thoughts, like the general shape of things in my career. I performed the routine checks and balances, how effective I thought I was being with the way I was promoting myself, and how satisfied I felt with the return I was getting.

I was far from expecting lunch guests, in fact my face was so drenched in delight and I was so happy to be alive and able to experience such a monstrosity of goodness, that it would have been an embarrassment for another human being to see me in this state of weakness. But, as life goes, someone showed up, and then another. Once they were settled, I decided on my next article, which you’ve already begun.

If you’re still thinking up excuses not to promote yourself, consider the careers of my two Fatburger Guests…

Fatburger Guest #1: Mr. Albrecht Durer. He was a 15^th Century painter, printmaker and engraver, considered – in his 20’s, mind you – the most talented artist to come out of the Northern Renaissance. The perfection he achieved with his prints and drawings has not, to this day, been eclipsed, and he is a member of an elite group of luminaries who have, literally, mastered their craft. And do you know what else he mastered? Hustling. That’s right. He was his own agent, his own publicist, and his own businessman. Others hustled – you had to in an age of no phones and internet – but Durer’s was on a notably more potent and progressive level. His genius didn’t land him on a couch waiting to be discovered, or championed… instead it landed him on a horse traveling around Europe hocking his own art he made with his own hands.

Fatburger Guest #2: Mr. Placido Domingo. At 70 years old this man is still out there promoting his greatest love both on and offstage, making it his undying mission to inspire fresh patrons of opera. On many occasions he has even chosen to be his own agent and broker his own deals. From what I’ve read about him (I’ve also met him twice, and it wasn’t just a hello and a handshake), his unmitigated respect for his craft and his tireless ardor to be on the front lines promoting his profession, for a man of his stature, is simply unmatched, not only in the world of music but across all creative fields.

So if two artists considered monumentally influential figures in history were, and are, not above promoting themselves and their art, what’s your excuse? I don’t believe it’s possible that you truly love your art if you aren’t willing to market it yourself, and create your own opportunities. Do you think Mr. Domingo does it because he feels obligated? Because his team of “suits” forces him to? No. It’s because opera is his soul, and his soul is opera. If your art and your soul are not synonymous, then, frankly, what’s the point? And stop thinking of self-promotion as a dirty word, as if it implies desperation and amateurism. You have a voice, now go out and give it to the world, and don’t wait for someone to give you the microphone, because they won’t, unless you’re lucky, which, odds are, you won’t be.

Don’t get me wrong. Build your team. And if you’ve already built that dream team that would rival Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, consider yourself one of the lucky few. Once you’ve built it, though, I implore you to forget you have one. Like Durer and Domingo, own the keys to your own kingdom. No one will ever care more about your career than you, and if at any time in your life you can think of one person who does, you may want to consider a career for which you will be the primary Caregiver. Perhaps even a Caregiver.

Be bold and unafraid! If you find yourself alone in a perceived sea of inactivity and solemnity, know that you are not alone. You have millions of kindred spirits around the world at your fingertips finding their pursuit just as difficult as you’re finding yours. Connect with them. Form a network of positivity and empowerment. Even in these “Do It Yourself” days, you need more than just you standing in your corner.

Lastly, if you aren’t using social media primarily for promoting your art and the art of your colleague’s, you are missing out on nothing short of a revolution.

It is my belief that if you’re an independent artist and you’re not constantly walking around wanting to buy a beer for Mark Zuckerberg and the Twitter guy, then you’re not using social media as effectively as you should be.

I’m not saying there aren’t a million other ways to get to the next level in your career, but let’s put it this way – I seem to meet an artist a day who, after I tell them what I use social media for, they look at me as if I were a genius. That should tell you something. Not using social media as a tool to give your art to the world is like not putting on shoes before you leave your house. They’re sitting there in front of you by your door, they’re free to put on, and your feet and your life will thank you.

So now that we’re on the same page, when promoting, please don’t be obnoxious, do it with integrity and style, always with love and respect, and don’t be selfish. Reach out to others, and reach out to them because you genuinely care about the human race. Even more than the product you’re offering, people will invest in you as a person. In a sea of mindless ‘re-tweets’ and blindly-accepted friendships without meaningful conversations, rise above the rest and give people a reason to want to invest their time in you.

Okay, enough of this boring promotion talk. Let's talk burgers:)

Gregor is an actor, producer, writer and Fatburger-Lover in Los Angeles. His new book, I Just Met a Girl Named Maria, about his epic friendship with renowned Holocaust refugee, Maria Altmann, will be released this year, and his new feature, Goodbye Promise (www.goodbyepromise.com), is set for a summer release. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, or through his website, www.gregorGcollins.com.