Not too long ago if you wanted to write and publish a book you had to get a publisher.
The publisher, if he approved, would get your book into the bookshop. He was the gatekeeper.
Now?
You don’t need a publisher because you can do it yourself with Amazon. Here’s my Amazon author page, for example.
If you wanted to make a movie/film you needed a movie producer or someone to ask and pay for you to make a documentary.
Now? You can start a YouTube channel if you have a mobile phone and let’s face it: everyone has a mobile phone. Here’s my YouTube channel.
If you wanted to publish an opinion or point of view you needed some place that would provide two things:
- an audience
- a way of publishing your view.
Now? There is no gatekeeper preventing you from publishing your views, observations, opinions, message to your heart’s consent.
You can start a free blog/website with WordPress.com or Blogger.com and distribute widely what you publish on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or wherever you choose.
Not all the gatekeepers are gone, however. For example if you want to be a solicitor you will need to pass the exams, and meet the requirements, of the Law Society of Ireland.
If you want to be a doctor you will need to meet requirements to get into medical school and meet the requirements of the Medical Council.
This is not a bad thing; we need to set certain standards in many areas of life.
But if you have something of value to offer or something to say take a quick look around and you will almost certainly see that the only gatekeeper is you.