Self Promotion

I know that I have a mixed audience for this journal, and that the lion’s share of you are not at the promotion stage of your writing. However, there was a very good post at Jim Hines’ journal speaking about some ethical guidelines about self-promotion that I rather liked. As a result, we link.

This is going to be an issue I have to think about, as I actually have a book coming out in September. Sonya has been pretty good about promoting Cats Curious and Cat Scratch thus far. How will I have to help?

One of the things that will help Hulk Hercules is that it’s a book for kids, and it’s got some educational content. School connections and visits seem like a good idea. I also have some friends with a book store in Michigan who want me to come for a signing, and there’s a nice local book store where we may be able to place our effort. I’m sure Sonya has more ideas as well.

Carts before horse for me, however, as we still have all that editing, rewriting, proofing, all that.

Jim has some rules here that seem golden. Don’t be a dick and have fun seem the most relevant. The idea that you must keep writing is also important. There must be another book in terms of long term effort. And of course, don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or squicky to support your book.

To my way of thinking, if you comport yourself like a professional, enjoy what you’re doing, and make a sincere effort to be honest and open when you interact with other publishing professionals, that’s half the battle.

Of course, since I’m such a noob, I’m always happy to be given hot tips by my more experienced peers. That would be Jim’s number 8. Learn.

Well. This office ain’t gonna pack itself.

Catherine

Originally published at Writer Tamago. You can comment here or there.

Publishing Gets Beaten Around the Head

For the most comprehensive round up of the damage of yesterday I’ve found, you might visit this entry from Stacy Whitman’s Grimoire.

If I were a pessimist, I would say that it is a very bad time indeed to be breaking into the industry, or to be a newly published writer.

But I’m not a pessimist. I am grateful yet again for my day job, which, although I grouse about it occasionally, I still believe in the good mission of. As a matter of fact, given the current economy, I believe it is more important than ever that I am here, working to teach English to people who want that language skill, or to help displaced workers find a new venue for work. Yup, I love that my job means something, and although all writers would rather be involved in publishing all the time, I can take comfort in the security of my work, and help other people to re-invent themselves in a harsh world.

That said, I see NO reason for a writer at this stage in my career to be pessimistic. Come what may, I write stories, and I’m committed to that now. I have lots of stories inside of me, and they’d best be coming out. While I look forward to the day I am represented, marketed, and published, and I will continue to make those efforts accordingly, I am mostly about writing stories and sharing them.

Some of the writers I admire most are writers who circulated their works at times of censorship and in times of exile. These writers understood that the message was important. I will grant you that publishing is a great way to get that message out, but it is not our sustaining life blood as writers. Writing is. Story telling is. Supporting each other is.

So, please don’t think that your opportunity to publish is a thing of the past. It may happen slower now than we would like. However, in the end, people will still want stories, however we get them out there. The world needs storytellers more than ever in difficult times.

This office still isn’t going to pack itself.

Catherine

Originally published at Writer Tamago. You can comment here or there.