My feeling is the only way to increase your odds, is to totally dive into the business. Fearless and unphased by the fact that you may not be able to eat today or tommorow. I know your referring to cuts, but its pretty much the same thing.

Here's my rough list of increasing your odds:

1. Be great, work hard at your craft and learn how to write, play, sing, perform, even though some people say you cant improve...you're born doing all this....ahem

2. Start young, like 18 or even sooner, where you have all the time in the world to "f" around traveling from place to place, to do showcases and gigs that wont pay a dime. Most artists and writers like myself included just wrote from home and somehow expected something to happen by mailing in demos. Do all this while living with Mom and Dad until they finally kick you out.

3. Dont find something to fall back on, cause you will fall back. Treat getting money for your music as an absolute must, you will die without it. Amazing what can happen when people do this.

3. Meet people, network, knock on doors. Read, listen, learn.

4. Ask yourself if you are really willing to do all the above. Most of us are not