The Problem With Writing
Marketing. Ugh.
The problem with writing is that you have to market and sell books.
Ugh.
I have known this since 2005 when I first sold Julia’s Chocolates.
Write a book, market a book. That, dear ladies and gentlemen, is the literary deal.
Side Note Here for a Sec: When Innocent Husband read Julia’s Chocolates he was supremely, silly-shocked. As in, “WHO ARE YOU, CATHY?”
There were some crazy scenes in there with women engaging in some slightly unhinged, though healing, moonlight-induced “activities,” which probably brought on his unbridled feelings of mystification and bafflement.
It was like he didn’t know who he was sleeping with anymore.
In fact, one time he put down Julia’s Chocolates and said, his voice constricted, “You thought of, uh, all of this?” He paused. “By yourself?”
Oh yeah, Innocent Husband, dear. I did. Perhaps I’m not who you thought. Surprise!
He blinked in confusion at me through his glasses, like an owl. I tried to look svelte and mysterious, like a sexy spy. (That was hard.)
But I digress. I, personally, would rather write books, talk to myself, chase ostriches, dress up like a caterpillar for a week, or loudly and authoritatively announce in a crowded elevator, “We will now be leaving for Planet Uto. Please hold on and prepare for light speed force,” than market my books.
Alas, not marketing is not a possibility in our rockin’ and rollin’ (read: brutal) publishing world.
Marketing your own books, to me, is almost embarrassing. You have to get off your bottom, waddle on over to your computer, wrestle with the social media dragons, and say, “BUY MY BOOK.”
Or, LOOK AT ME. I WROTE A BOOK.
(As if writing books is something special. It isn’t. It is a job like any other occupation. Teacher. Vegas dancer. Doctor. Pet psychologist. Horse Whisperer. Nurse. Stripper. Electrician. Fairy. Plumber. Ghost. Landscaper. Fortune Teller. Taylor Swift.)
Or, you must announce, in a non-irritating voice, MY BOOK IS A MOST EXCELLENT STORY! YOU WILL LOVE IT.
I have no idea if anyone will love my books. I hope so. I truly hope you do, and I am grateful to every single person who has ever read any of my books.
I grew up in a family with lovely, strict parents with certain “behavioral expectations” of their children who thought that bragging was a deadly sin.
Promoting yourself, boasting, just might send you to hell in a hand basket. It also indicated that you had poor manners, which was another deadly sin and soon you’d be dancin’ with the devil.
Poor manners were unacceptable.
So writing and marketing my books, minding my manners, and not promoting myself, ever, so I don’t have to go and dance with the devil, have all clashed together like a hurricane, and perhaps, a field full of cows in my tired mind.
I need to finish editing Ten Kids BOOK TWO. I need to start writing Ten Kids BOOK THREE. I need to finish writing this Substack newsletter. I need to watch a reality show to take me away from our country’s reality.
But now, I have done a wee little bit of marketing right here. Ta da!
Frankly, I feel practically virtuous. Surely deserving of lemon cake with buttercream icing.
Back to my Pathetic Marketing Message: If you need a book for you, or for someone else, here are a few of mine. All on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
ALSO, call your friendly librarian and ask her to order them, then you’ll get them for FREE.
Wishing you all the best, time to read and time to think, time to play in nature and time to try something new and cool.
Cathy
I have a book, published under another name, that isn't moving. I like to write. I like the research. But I don't like marketing.
I agree that it is so hard to put yourself out there to pitch or sell books.