3/27/2013

Spring Break Writing Schedule

I've been driving myself nuts the last few weeks trying to become something I'm not...a marketing guru or wizard or mogul...


I woke up this morning having had an overnight epiphany... I need to focus on my writing.

That doesn't seem extraordinary to hear, in a writer's blog, from a writer... but it came as a surprise to me that my subconscious was sending me this message.

"Writers write" - we've all heard or read that quote (I don't know whose it was originally).  I love to write, always have.  I don't do it for the money, although money is nicer than no money, given the choice.

I was lucky enough to have the stars and work and family align in such a way that I was able to write my first novel last summer, with the help of Camp NaNoWriMo, and am currently working on a novelette and 2 other short pieces that are related to my novel.

Therein lies the rub... I've found myself increasingly thinking and fretting and worrying about marketing the last few weeks, and have wandered a bit off track... I have been spending more time thinking about, and trying my hand at, marketing than at writing (which is the reason I'm here).  Lots of the writer's groups that I am a part of focus too much (for me) on marketing, and not enough on writing... and I need to learn to adjust my focus more effectively in these groups, to spend more time and energy on being a writer (and learning to be a better writer), and less time and energy trying to be one of the "Mad Men" (and learning to be a better "Mad Man").

I surprised myself this summer by being able to write and publish a novel, but am apparently, and sadly, not able to become a marketing maniac with the same aplomb... I've decided not to worry about it.

 I'm going to keep writing, which I love doing, and which makes me happy, and largely ignore the marketing side of things for now (at least until I've run through the current slate of story ideas banging around in my head).

I don't want to stop my nascent marketing efforts altogether, I enjoy my blog, and interacting with people on FB and Twitter and G+.  I would even like to expand into an exchange of author interviews with other blogs and bloggers.  I just want to regain my balance and purpose in being a writer... I want primarily to write.

I'm sorry for the TL; DR, but it occurs to me that I'm likely not the only writer out there (in here?) who has stumbled across this epiphany.  I'd love to hear from others who successfully achieve a balance with their writing and marketing.

Thanks,

Jamie

1 comment:

Angel Lepire said...

Great points, Jamie! I can't speak to finding the balance yet myself, but I have had the SAME thoughts lately. Just 2 nights ago I started working on revamping a short story from college that I want to put out for free, just to have some more material and get my name out there. It is the first thing I've written since I finished my novel last August. It felt good! Thanks for the friendly reminder & confirming that writing is what writers do.