A Cinderella story
When one writes a weekly essay, even if that goal is self-imposed, one writes pretty regularly. I’m not complaining—I love writing. When I read interviews with writers who complain about how hard it is and how it’s such a grind, I can’t identify with that outlook. I almost mutter under my breath, “then why do it?” but I know better. If one is a writer, one could more easily perform their own root canal than stop writing. So, I know it’s challenging for a lot of writers, but I’m not one of them. If it were up to me, I’d write all day, every day, while the chipmunks took care of the housework, the robins and hummingbirds hung the laundry and the bunnies handled the food prep. Because I’d have to be living in a fairy tale to be able to simply write all day long and think that I could support myself. (Unless there were squirrels, too.)
Making a living writing as a writer now requires so many responsibilities outside of our (or at least my) comfort zones. Like talking to people. We have to “reach out” to podcasters, influencers, Facebook groups and convince them to review our books, share our links, have us on as guests. Before social media most of the work for authors promoting a book fell to the publishers. Not anymore—with almost 4 million books published each year, writers bear the brunt of what used to be the job of a publicist or a team. (Don’t worry, Susan Orlean, not you.)
The last person on earth equipped with the skills to go out there and hawk their own work is a writer. Yet, we have to promote ourselves and ask people to buy us cups of coffee or become a founding member or subscribe for more content. I don’t even know how to regulate my so-called content in order to create some arbitrary payment schedule. Ugh. Other daunting P-words on my To-do list are: pitching, peddling, pre-ordering, plugging and polishing.
The coin of the writers’ realm is exposure—which depends on others sharing, liking, commenting on what we put out there. “Exposure doesn’t pay the bills” but writers continue to implore their readers to do so. It’s the best thing we can do (for our “career”) and it’s the cringiest thing we have to do (for our personalities). Asking other people for help--ick.
But I’m about to do it. I’m going to . . .(my shoulders are already tightening up) ask for something. Not money, but for some of that exposure. If you could take a look at some of the links I shared below and see if you have a place to share them or know someone who might be interested in any of it, I’d appreciate it. I’ll only do it this week—unless you ask me to do it again. In the last year, I’ve published a couple of books and some corresponding articles and participated in some podcasts. I want to share it with you, but I think I also need to remind myself that I write about more than grief.
Not that I don’t want to keep writing about grief. It has integrated itself into my life and I have to write about it to stay true to myself and my loss and to keep Annie with me. So maybe this is a little shameless self-promotion, but I felt like you’d be okay with it. I talked myself into thinking that you’d want to know what else I occupy myself with besides Silver Linings.
Besides keeping all those woodland critters busy.
Here are of some of the articles and podcasts I’ve been involved in recently. If you do check any of them out, let me know! And don’t forget to like and/or subscribe to the people who helped me get my work out there. Sharing is caring!
And thanks…as always. xo
Thingish with Lindsey Salatka
People and their Poems with Sandy Carlson
The Memoir Land Author Questionnaire with Sari Botton
The Alchemy of Writing – on the Brevity Blog
Should I Edit an Anthology? – on Women Writers, Women’s Books