What comes first in this field that we are all a part of?
Story.
I am answering this from a fiction writers perspective, but it has to be story-ultimately that's why we all write, we have a story to tell. Anything else comes later and that includes marketing, promotion, finding an agent/publisher, and even doing favors for other people that are tacitly related to all of the above.
I mention this because I have felt a little overwhelmed as of late and my wife gave me a dressing down for being too nice to people. "Why are you doing this? Why are you doing that?"
My answer was always-"Well, its for promotion, to get my name out there, to support someone else, give out some reviews my readers might like, etc, etc, etc."
Not that there is anything wrong with any of those things--But what comes first? What is the most important thing to Your career as a writer?
Telling your story and writing your books.
So I am not against any of the above, I have expanded on some social networking lately Google+ for one, but I do need to find a better balance of my time because of what is more important in the big picture for my career-Yes, I am working toward it being THE career.
When I told Dan this would be my post for July (sorry about nothing for June) he thought it might be controversial-I don't see how.
Anyone who I told I would read their book, or give them a blurb or review etc is still going to get one-I'm just probably not going to volunteer so much once I get through this current batch.
And
as is stated in the heading of the Man Cave -"Writing can be solitary, but success isn't." is true, I'm not advocating an every man for himself policy, just a reminder like my wife had to give me...of what comes first?
Great reminder - worthy of a post, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI grok you, man. This sounds like my experience quite a bit. And you are right. The story, the writing, has to have its place or the other things aren't really important. I see my books languishing and not selling maybe, and I feel I should promote them, but there's this new thing I'm writing and that is what is most important to me. and to any chance of a career.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul, thats why I posted it here for myself as much as anyone.
ReplyDeleteCharles-yeah the ball has to keep rolling.
That's so very true. I have to remind myself of that often. Thanks, David!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great reminder. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I wrote my first book--it is easy to get bogged down on all the different aspects of being an author. In the end, we are storytellers. It's why we do this. If we lose sight of that, then why are we doing it at all?
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