On a recent weekend morning, I drove to Old Town with a small box of supplies strapped into the back seat of the car: books, pens, postcards, and a few decorative items for the book sale table. "Why?" I asked myself.
Dec 16, 2023·edited Dec 16, 2023Liked by Andi Penner
Your piece is exactly what I needed to read. Thank you. It’s 1:17am, and I’m a debut author with a book coming out in 4 days. I’m deeply conflicted about marketing. I feel so guilty and torn about doing it— yet I have similar feelings for not promoting the book. Same with my Substack newsletter; I’ve amassed so many abandoned and unpublished drafts. Anything I write feels inconsequential and shamefully irrelevant.
I’ve asked myself: “Relative to world events, who needs more authors promoting more books?”
I’d like to believe that my book offers something of consequence to the world. I spent more than 7 years researching and writing it. During that time, I went through my own series of personal conflicts, including a divorce, a loved one’s sudden death, a life threatening illness of my own, and a global pandemic.
Many times, this book was the only reason I got out of bed. It inspired my hope and my drive.
Despite many personal horrors, writing my book kept me looking up and looking ahead. I’d like to hope my book will give readers a temporary yet worthwhile distraction from modern day conflicts, as well.
Ah, but how to convey this sentiment in my marketing messages?
Tomorrow I will work on my promotional efforts with all these words swirling in my heart.
Ah! There's such a fine line between "giving it away" (whether it's our art or our time and attention and good will) because we want our work out there, and having our work acknowledged in meaningful (including financial) ways.
For me, I did so much schlepping of materials for tabling and for educational presentations during my working years that now I refuse to do that! But I agree, the company of the other table-sitters can be excellent.
Writing nudges me to believe in the power of one word, one sentence, one paragraph igniting another until at last a story is born. By committing to my words, I commit to the story and the true reader it will move, console, inspire or intrigue. Every true reader--mine, yours, anyone's--is leaping a chasm between minds and mindsets. The more alarming the state of this battered world, the more important this communion of writer and reader. I'd rather give words away than leave them to die for lack of commitment. As Yeats said, "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Writing won't bring peace to the Middle East but it's the best way I've found to nurture conviction.
Your piece is exactly what I needed to read. Thank you. It’s 1:17am, and I’m a debut author with a book coming out in 4 days. I’m deeply conflicted about marketing. I feel so guilty and torn about doing it— yet I have similar feelings for not promoting the book. Same with my Substack newsletter; I’ve amassed so many abandoned and unpublished drafts. Anything I write feels inconsequential and shamefully irrelevant.
I’ve asked myself: “Relative to world events, who needs more authors promoting more books?”
I’d like to believe that my book offers something of consequence to the world. I spent more than 7 years researching and writing it. During that time, I went through my own series of personal conflicts, including a divorce, a loved one’s sudden death, a life threatening illness of my own, and a global pandemic.
Many times, this book was the only reason I got out of bed. It inspired my hope and my drive.
Despite many personal horrors, writing my book kept me looking up and looking ahead. I’d like to hope my book will give readers a temporary yet worthwhile distraction from modern day conflicts, as well.
Ah, but how to convey this sentiment in my marketing messages?
Tomorrow I will work on my promotional efforts with all these words swirling in my heart.
Thanks for prompting these thoughts.
I love your poem, Andi.
Ah! There's such a fine line between "giving it away" (whether it's our art or our time and attention and good will) because we want our work out there, and having our work acknowledged in meaningful (including financial) ways.
For me, I did so much schlepping of materials for tabling and for educational presentations during my working years that now I refuse to do that! But I agree, the company of the other table-sitters can be excellent.
Would you do such tabling again?
Hi dear friend, and more friends.
I just listened to Marna from Expedition Press read the poem “There. There.” on Instagram. Such a gift for our weary minds.
She does a reading every Tuesday. Andi, I think she would like to know about your work. 🌱
Writing nudges me to believe in the power of one word, one sentence, one paragraph igniting another until at last a story is born. By committing to my words, I commit to the story and the true reader it will move, console, inspire or intrigue. Every true reader--mine, yours, anyone's--is leaping a chasm between minds and mindsets. The more alarming the state of this battered world, the more important this communion of writer and reader. I'd rather give words away than leave them to die for lack of commitment. As Yeats said, "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Writing won't bring peace to the Middle East but it's the best way I've found to nurture conviction.