The 1000 True Fans essay is specifically targeting the small transition region in the long tail graph where the tall head becomes a long tail. The thesis is tha

The 1000 True Fans essay is specifically targeting the small transition region in the long tail graph where the tall head becomes a long tail. The thesis is that most creators aren't going to end up in the tall head (statistically) so they should target that transition region because it offers a good living doing some artistic endeavor. At the high end of the transition region people can make a good living, at the low end they can significantly augment their day job.