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The global media landscape is shifting. Compared with just five years ago, the power at our fingertips is phenomenal. Take Pledge Music: an alternative to a record label, it asks fans to stump up the cash for an artist's next release. In return they get access to exclusive content, or one-of-a-kind experiences such as a private concert. Or there's Lulu: a self-publishing platform that not only provides e-book and print-on-demand services, but also offers an editor's eye and Amazon shelf space. Low-rent substitutes for the real thing these are not.

In many ways, they represent what the internet was intended for. The hackers that forged the computer revolution in the 1980s did so in the same spirit of accessibility. And while these new tools won't replace traditional models, they do offer a unique set of advantages. Yes, that includes access to finance, to marketing,k and to distribution channels, but it's also about being able to do things on your own terms. So before you send off yet another manuscript or demo tape, take a leaf from this smart bunch and consider what the web has to offer.