Remember how I mentioned in my Soggy post that my poor little book is going to have to jump off the Amazon shelf and sell itself, because I'll never have the time to promote it? Well, admittedly, it's more than that. It's also the fact that I HATE marketing.
I realize 'hate' is a strong word, but I'm sticking with it.
I hate it.
This is a sad little irony. Because, as an author, once you've published a book, you're supposed to promote the book. But I got into writing because I have a passion for WRITING--not sales. Begging people to support me makes me feel like, well, a beggar. I don't care for the idea of putting others into a position where they feel pressured to "check out my book" or "retweet me" or "tell your friends about me." It seems rude, like, "Hey, we just met on twitter ten seconds ago, but check out how awesome I am and tell others, too!"
And, while I understand the reasons, I wish other writers wouldn't do it to me.
So I'm determined I'm not going to become this person (ha! Whatever. Let me have my little dream). I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll definitely be putting my book out there. I'll do a facebook page and I'll post it on twitter and the whole shebang. And the day it's released, I'll joyously herald it from the rooftops. But I'm not going to beg my followers to "like this" or "retweet that." I'm not going to be dressing up in monkey suits to sell my work.
At least I don't think I will. I shouldn't have to be someone I'm not, just because I decided to write a book, right?
I just wonder how long my anti-marketing attitude will last. Maybe it's inevitable that writers must eventually become salespeople. Because let's face it, even though I may talk a big talk, at the heart of it all, I still want my book to be READ. In his article "Every Hit Counts," writer Drew Chai states this beautifully: "We dared to follow our dreams and this is where they led us. We’re beggars with biographies, hermits with head-shots, streetwalkers with stat counters."
Is that what I'm destined to be? A streetwalker with a stat counter, hawking my writerly wares?
Oh baby, please click my 'like' button. Mmmm. Just like that...
I guess time will tell. But if I do become marketing-crazed, feel free to slap some sense into me.
Or at least spank my 'like' button since I've been a bad author...
(Sorry, couldn't resist)
