Blinking Cursor of Doom. That is my new favorite phrase. Okay, I didn't come up with it. I read it in the comments trail over at Nathan Bransford's blog. But how appropriate. I couldn't write today because that fiend Blinking Cursor of Doom wouldn't let me. Damn you Blinking Cursor of Doom - I could be a bestselling author if not for you! Okay, okay. I won't say Blinking Curse of Doom anymore. ::whistles nonchalantly:: Blinking Cursor Doom. Sorry. Couldn't resist.
Anyway, an interesting topic a commenter over there brought up was self-promotion and how in this day and age an author can't merely write a wonderful book and be successful. They must also be adept at marketing themselves through networking, blogs, websites, running contests on aforementioned sites, nurturing relationships with booksellers as well as building readership through whatever means necessary. ::cue creepy organ music:: This might also involve *gasp* public speaking. Wait, I'll give you a moment to recover. Hell, I need a moment to recover. Public speaking? That's right up there with skydiving and standing naked in the middle of Wal-Mart for me. I don't even use my name on this blog for God's sake. If I can't write in plain view how can I possibly speak in plain view? Not that this is a set in stone rule, but think about the authors you read who are successful. I bet almost all of them give workshops at writer's conferences, give readings of their books at public venues, give speeches, guest blog on other widely read blogs as well as helming their own, and I'm sure a hundred other things I haven't thought of. So, the question is are you ready to do that yourself? I want to be successful but quite frankly don't know if I can do some of these things. There are a lot of blogs I frequent but seldom do I leave comments. I'm just too shy. One of the reasons for starting this blog was to get some practice articulating myself in a public forum......not that I'm a guaranteed anyone but me and my mom (Hi Mom!) will read this but still I'm putting it out there. You have to start somewhere I guess.
Btw, Blinking Cursor of Doom! Bwahahahaha.............
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2 comments:
For some reason, I find it easier to speak in front of 100 people than 3. (Not that I imagine my fans turning out in the hundreds or anything!)
I don't know if it's that authors are 'expected' to do so much more now - or just that there's so much more we CAN do, with the internet. Certainly there are authors who sell lots of books but have very little web presence. I can't think of them at the moment, but I know they exist. :)
Ack! A hundred!? My stomach rolls just thinking about it.
I think what frustrates me is there is so much we "can" do and I'm afraid my insecurities will keep me from it. And of course an agent or publisher is going to want to work wtih an author who is willing/able to go that extra mile. It's a tough business and we need every edge we can get to help get our books out there.
*sigh. I may have to settle for just being head of the Tessa Dare fanclub after she's published. Just don't ask me to speak at any events :D
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