I'm still trying to find my way around: building "name-brand" recognition (aha! this story looks like a genuine Jean Roberta - might even be worth $50 U.S.) or doing self-promo without feeling like a complete idiot. I'm also still wrestling with my love of various genres, i.e. if I were rich enough not to be moved by the profit motive, I would want to write non-fiction, drama and poetry (now far in my past) as well as fiction. I'm wondering if these dilemmas might be related. I've been wondering if my new column on the website of Erotica Readers and Writers, which goes live on July 1, will accomplish anything other than give me another soapbox, parallel to this one. (Maybe not, based on the awestruck silence which greeted my announcement, several posts back.) I've tried posting excerpts to several romance-flavored Yahoo groups at the urging of a publisher (who also has 3 loops I was urged to join), and even in a short time, it started driving me berserk. I could sincerely take an interest in other writers' blurbs and excerpts if there were fewer of them and/or if I didn't have a day job, any other commitments or a need for sleep. And I can't expect anyone to read my blurbs/excerpts/free stories, etc. if I won't read theirs. As it is, the din of writers promoting their work to other writers reminds me of the stack of competing resumes I had to sift through once in a hiring capacity. Everyone (according to themselves) was a "self-starter" who could "think outside the box" (and their fluent use of cliche demonstrated this talent) with a "proven track record" and competence as a "team player" (further signs of unconventionality). Feh. I still want to put more time into researching a non-fiction book project I thought up several years ago, but am terrified of having to start over from scratch trying to get something published in a genre where I am completely unknown. I can well believe that CB's writing life could drive weaker minds into the loony bin (praying for her/your continued sanity & wit).
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-04-21 08:17 pm (UTC)I've been wondering if my new column on the website of Erotica Readers and Writers, which goes live on July 1, will accomplish anything other than give me another soapbox, parallel to this one. (Maybe not, based on the awestruck silence which greeted my announcement, several posts back.)
I've tried posting excerpts to several romance-flavored Yahoo groups at the urging of a publisher (who also has 3 loops I was urged to join), and even in a short time, it started driving me berserk. I could sincerely take an interest in other writers' blurbs and excerpts if there were fewer of them and/or if I didn't have a day job, any other commitments or a need for sleep. And I can't expect anyone to read my blurbs/excerpts/free stories, etc. if I won't read theirs. As it is, the din of writers promoting their work to other writers reminds me of the stack of competing resumes I had to sift through once in a hiring capacity. Everyone (according to themselves) was a "self-starter" who could "think outside the box" (and their fluent use of cliche demonstrated this talent) with a "proven track record" and competence as a "team player" (further signs of unconventionality). Feh.
I still want to put more time into researching a non-fiction book project I thought up several years ago, but am terrified of having to start over from scratch trying to get something published in a genre where I am completely unknown. I can well believe that CB's writing life could drive weaker minds into the loony bin (praying for her/your continued sanity & wit).