Writing is one thing. Promoting it is another.
We write from such an exalted place that we expect miracles to visit us. We expect that the world will see our work as we do…as our beta-readers do. As much as we—I—would like to think that readers will automatically find their way to us by virtue of the wonderful thing we have created, they don’t. Agents don’t. Publishers don’t.
The fate of beloved past works is much in conversations between friends these days…writing we loved that, had the publishing industry been the shambles it is today, would never have seen print. The writing world is likewise filled with tales of works rejected many times be many people; works that, once their champions were found, made beaucoups de cash for everybody involved.
Lightning does strike. It just doesn’t strike everyone.
Sitting out back last Saturday night with visiting Glorious, we looked at stars and talked about being found…talked about my feelings about The Spiritkeeper (and hers), a regard so deep and wide that one had expected the thing to have glowed from within. The thing feels so right to me that I had expected instantaneous ovations. Didn’t happen. At least, not yet.
When the writing is our be-all, end-all, we expect, somehow, that the reaction will match our devotion. In the realities of publishing have made many of us consider the delightful self-empowerment of ePublishing. Which becomes a career all its own.
ePublish and promote, said Marc; that’s the way to do it.
If she does that, she won’t have time to write, said Joni.
Both are right.
There’s a reason why armies have strategists and field commanders, tacticians as well as foot soldiers. One person cannot be all those things at the same time. If we want to create our own army—to be the campaign—something must be sacrificed. I’m not willing to let that be the writing. Not at the moment.
In the efforts that will shorten the path between writer and reader, the self-promoting part is the part I’m least comfortable with. I would rather hand the work to a Trusted Other, say “Make it so” and let them do their professional magic with it. Need me to appear somewhere? To sign books, smile and give a talk? I am just vain enough to do that. But to be writer, publisher, publicist and all-around self-flogger…no.
Enlisting the army and leading it will have to wait for a bit. Until that particular kind of be-all is all the being I need.
4 comments
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March 19, 2012 at 11:08 am
mikereverb
Wonderful, thought provoking post.
Working with companies within the social media, realm, I’d say that in this climate, it’s perfectly possible, and in some cases preferable, to promote your own work.
It’s knowledge–or lack thereof–that tends to limit one’s ability to market successfully. I’d agree that letting someone else who has more knowledge and more resources at his or her disposal can lead to potentially better results.
However, the Internet is filled with individuals who have been able to find success in their mediums (video, music, writing, art, photography) simply by spreading the word virally on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Youtube, forums, etc. Again, it’s about knowing where to look.
Time writing is certainly sacrificed, but then again, doing book signings, giving talks, and other promotional efforts take quite a bit of time as well, and they don’t all allow you to connect with readers the way social platforms do.
Just my 2 cents. 😛
Thanks so much for sharing.
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March 19, 2012 at 2:15 pm
C.B. Wentworth
Marketing is something where there is a huge learning curve. Its one of those things where one thing works for one person but not for another. Timing is everything and so is luck. The good news is we’re in an era where its never been easier to self-promote. The internet gives us a huge outlet, if we can figure out the right pocket to inhabit. 🙂
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March 19, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Alexander M Zoltai
This blog, if persistently and lovingly continued, is already a promotion platform for your work…
Have you explored GoodReads??
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March 20, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Lissa Clouser
I don’t have my poetry anthology complete yet, but I’m gearing up for self-promoting already. Because even if I choose to try publication through a small press, they are a SMALL press and thus I will be responsible for some, if not most, of my promotion. But I’d say this is at least a year away. So for now I continue blogging. I am learning how to effectively use a facebook fan page and a twitter account. And all the while I am slowly amassing a group of people who are interested in what I have to say. So when the time comes, I already have a platform. Even outside of marketing yourself a platform is very useful simply because of all the things you learn from the other writers/editors/agents/readers you meet. And if I have the time and hear of a good resource for self-marketing, I check it out. May as well start the learning process now, gradually, begin making notes of possible marketing ideas, so I can enjoy and look forward to the process, rather than scurry around when I’m ready to release my book to the world. I have no illusions that self-marketing will be easy, but I think it can certainly be enjoyable to a point if we make it fun for ourselves. But like you said, never let it completely take away time for writing! If you’re not reading for the marketing yet, no harm. Just learn as you go and when you’re ready, go for it!
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