Writing Thankfully



On this Thanksgiving (this is Thanksgiving weekend, by the way, but all the turkeys already know that), I’d like to say how thankful I am for my dislike of self-promotion.
I’ve spent a lot of time the last few years writing press releases, signing books, and basically bragging about how I’m such a good writer that you should spend your time and money on me. It’s not in my nature … but then, neither is working, and I have to do that, too.
But think of it this way: My first book came out in 2011, less than five years ago. Now I have seven out, with my name in two others.
The first time I queried a publisher for a book length project was when I was eighteen—35 years ago. Please don’t do the math. (And that would have been about five years after my first “finished” novel.) So it took me over thirty years to get a novel published, but in the five years since I’ve had four works of fiction and three of nonfiction released.
That’s something to be thankful for (among many other things), and I am thankful. I may be struggling to make more sales, but I’m published—and a lot of writers don't make it that far. To show how thankful I am … I’m going to work hard to get more published. Toward that end, I’ve caught up by sending out eight queries and manuscripts to publishers in the last three days. An unpublished book or short story should never rest on a writer’s desk (or hard drive) for long.



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8 comments:

  1. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and Emily, Mark.

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  2. Hope you and your family had a happy Thanksgiving, Mark.

    It's refreshing to know an author who doesn't want to constantly get in one's face, begging for sales. That's almost as bad as the author who's sitting at the bottom of the sales rankings while dishing out marketing advice to others.

    In most cases, a career as an author is a slow build process. There are few "overnight sensations." When it does happen, there's almost always a Big Five publisher's marketing chimps behind it. You're good. You'll get there.

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    1. It went pretty well ... and the turkey was juicy, so that's the important part!

      I have plenty of writing advice -- but no marketing advice! But what I really want ... is a Big Five Chimp. Can I put that on my Christmas list?

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  3. I hope the Thanksgiving was wonderful! I hate marketing. That is why I am so grateful for Creativia. I do hope those publishers see what an excellent author you are. Oh, yes, I did the math.

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    1. I don't think there's anybody who doesn't hate marketing! Except, maybe, marketing people.

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  4. I don't like self-promotion either. But we gotta do it. Right?

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