I received a question via email today from one of my loyal readers and I thought I would answer it here on my blog.

Question for you: You’re a published author. And you keep a blog. Has an editor or potential publisher ever objected to your keeping a blog about your work, not liking the way you promote it and/or yourself, for example?

Has anyone ever said “Kill the self-publicity, and leave the PR to us?”

Just wondering…

My answer:
Oh, how I wish someone would say, “kill the self-publicity, and leave the PR to us.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works these days. It’s all about building a platform. A platform being a website, a blog, a fan page on facebook, a subscribers list of followers, et al. From everything I hear and read, editors/publishers/agents see an authors’ self-promotion as a necessity. Some agents even ask that you send a marketing plan with your query letter. I would guess this really cuts down on their submissions, but it also is a sign of the times.

The rub for me, as well as a great deal of other writers, is that I am an introvert. I thrive off of the creative process of writing, the coming together of a story, and having a rich inner life. But if you actually want to put your creations out into the world and get read, you have to promote yourself. Unfortunately, I think this weeds out a lot of excellent writers who aren’t willing to play the game and do their own self-promotion and marketing.

The good news, however, is that the world wide web can actually be a haven for introverts. You can do a lot of marketing online now, even book readings via web cams, all in the privacy of your home office. It is a paradox. As an author, you can be both hidden and exposed.

I will admit that the extroverted tasks of marketing and self-promotion are a growing edge for me. But it’s been a good exercise. I’ve made a lot of friends online, from all over the world, and we try to help each other out. I am also accessible to my readers. I get emails weekly from someone who has enjoyed my book. So I guess the situation is however you perceive it: a blessing or a curse. For me, it is both/and.

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