Last month the number of events and activities in which I participate increased. I’m not complaining, simply recounting. I set a goal for myself in 2020 — to increase my networking and presentation commitments. However, the introvert in me prefers the quiet of my writing space to the exhausting meet and greets required of all of us who wish to expand the reach of our work. Therefore, during this windy month, which ushers in that delectable hint of spring, I’m recalculating my marching orders for the coming weeks.
My first task is to finish the revisions on both the manuscripts I have completed. This involves a minimum of ten pages a day, preferably on each book. To accomplish this, I must curtail the obligatory Internet postings. Now that authors are required to have a social media presence, I find the demands almost overwhelming. Each workshop I attend introduces a new avenue to explore. Now it’s Instagram that has taken over as a way to promote your work. There is even a formula to follow: seek out five Insty people you want to follow. Follow and comment. Be sociable and personable. Then they will follow you, and your fan base will grow. This is in addition to web site, newsletter, facebook posts, advertising, and social engagements in the community, Help! I honestly don’t know how anyone does this without help. (Hint: some writers have PERSONAL ASSISTANTS! I’m not there yet.) So, to accomplish task number one, I order myself to cease and desist from the social media scene as much as possible during this month.
Task number two is to submit more work to journals and magazines. This involves revising said work, searching for suitable sites to submit, and deciding whether to pay. These days, even submissions cost something. I do remember when we had to pay for a stamp and mail the darn things to a publisher, but those stamps didn’t cost as much as the fees on Submittable. So, to accomplish this task, I must re-qork my budget, get a job, or spend down my savings account.
Task number three is to find covers that reflect the books I’ve written and ones that capture readers. This is more of an art than one would think. In this age of eBooks, you have approximately three seconds to capture a reader’s attention. If the cover doesn’t draw them in, all those carefully constructed cover blurbs will never work, either. Man, once upon a time, a writer wrote, sent off a manuscript, and waited to be accepted or rejected. All this marketing stuff rested in the hands of the publisher. No longer. So, to make this happen, I need to spend too much time on the Internet searching, which negates the first and second commands. OH, humbug! I think, since it’s March, I’ll just go fly a kite!
:0 Happy Writing!