Writing Wednesday—It’s not just about writing
9 September 2009
So, I’ve been totally thrown off by Labor Day. I had a whole blog entry written up before I realized it’s not Tuesday, it’s Wednesday. Sheesh. Anyway. On with the show.
One of the things I was naïve about in first grade when I decided I wanted to be a writer is how much more it is than writing. (Although at age six, speaking for a crowd would have delighted me.)
When you start pursuing publication, you quickly learn that the quality of your writing isn’t the only thing that matters but your “platform” as well. Any name recognition you have is good. Like if you’ve written a book about a woman who loves to garden, and you’re the president of the gardening society in your town, that counts as a platform. My friend Roseanna runs Christian Review of Books and has created an amazing platform for herself by becoming a name in the industry. I routinely see her name featured on the endorsement pages of books.
It’s not impossible to get published without a platform, which I’m proof of. But it happens so rarely that even my agent was shocked. I think she said to me about ten times, “I just can’t believe we got you published. You have no experience, no platform, you write an unproven genre…” My road to publication is a constant reminder to me that God is bigger than the publishing industry.
The really difficult thing for me has been that because I have no platform, I also have no experience at promoting myself, talking in front of large groups, designing marketing campaigns, and so on. Basically the only thing I’m good at is writing, and it’s what I’ve been primarily focused on for the last eight years.
My mother-in-law has talked with me about the book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, and I feel like even the title applies to my situation. My narrow focus got me to where I am. I worked as a full time writer for three years before we had McKenna. But now that I’m an author, it doesn’t get to be all about the writing anymore. I line up speaking engagements and book signings, both of which terrify me. I print postcards to promote said engagements, I keep track of all my writing expenses for tax purposes, I give interviews and solicit opportunities for more, I follow industry trends as best as I can, and the list goes on. Sometimes it’s very overwhelming, and I would like to go back to the days where I could devote my allotted work time to writing.
But then I get a piece of fan mail from someone who read my book because they heard me speak at an event. Or, while I’m nervously spitting out my spiel in front of 200 middle and high school students, I notice two friends exchange a look and smile at something I say. (Or maybe they were smiling because they noticed my hands trembling, but I’ll assume the smile was in regards to my actual words.)
It goes back to what I talked about on Thursday. The “platform things” pull me out of my comfort zone and stretch me. The writing rejuvenates me. If you’re pursuing publication, be prepared that it’s not just sitting in front of your computer, drinking coffee, and cracking yourself up with your own brilliance. If only…
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Aww, shucks. I’m blushing ;-)
Posted by Roseanna White on 9 September 2009