Lately I have become jealous of unpublished writers,still living their lives in their own imagination or working on their craft. Last week, I stole a few moments to work on a new novel that Iam excited about, but for the most part my passion has become lost in the murky world of marketing.
It turns out that if you actually want to make aliving with writing, you have to find ways to get people to know your name. Of course I knew that, but I didn't realize how painful it would be to get over my innate shyness and talk to people.
Them: What's "Touch of Fate" about?
Me: [Panic mode on!] It's about a woman who canpredict but not change the future.
Ironically, it's almost easier if they don't sound interested. When they do sound interested, I immediately switch into "Will they like it?" mode.
The best times are when people tell me they do like it. I get this big, goofy grin on my face that doesn't go away for hours.
So I struggle on, not for money (God knows I don't expect to make any on this first effort.), but for those moments of praise and the big goofy grins.
Meanwhile, I long for a time when I can go back to mywork in progress and spend some time in my own head, not worrying about name recognition or even what other people think.
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Comments: 8
Thanks!
Amie
Have a good new year's holiday!
Amie
Kill Me Sweetly Chapter 2
THANKS!!! It means a lot to me!
A lot of my writing friends really thought that when I had a book out, that would be IT...the book would be instantly available in bookstores across the nation and we'd be negotiating for movie rights. Alas, not so. But still...I do get to fight for the chance now. :=)
Amie -- I'll try to take a look at your chapter this weekend.
I think I know how you feel. At a book signing in Spokane at Barnes and Noble I could have sold a lot more books if I would have been aggressive enough to tackle people as they came in the store and sell myself and my books. I often just sat there waiting for them to approach my table and all too often they ignored me.
Promoting yourself and your books is difficult for people who are kind of shy. I imagine most of us writers are shy, or we would be politicians making speeches around the county about how great we are.
We write our innermost thoughts and feelings with out giving much thought to the fact we are going to have to promote ourselves.
The only thing that saved me, I think, was my stack of bookmarks. I've decided they're the best marketing tool I've come up with so far. When people came by, it was easy to say, "Would you like a free bookmark?" Almost everyone took one, too.
Char