I must confess – the online world isn’t my favourite place. Social media, exposure, interviews, and television appearances all fall outside my comfort zone. I know many other writers feel the same. There’s a common misconception that writers are natural communicators, but the truth is, many of us turn to writing because verbal expression isn’t our strongest suit. While our characters may seem effortlessly witty and bold, many of us find real-life communication challenging. Ironically, after finishing a book, we’re expected to transform into the outgoing, expressive communicators we never were.
Writers, of course, do love writing. Some call it passion or inspiration; I see it as an obsession. Among obsessions, writing isn’t the worst. Take Jack London, who reportedly started writing earlier each day to get back to his drinking routine sooner. Although alcohol did eventually claim him, I like to think that writing extended his life at least a little! The writer’s job tends to come with extreme, opposing stimuli: soaring, megalomaniac spells of confidence tempered by gut-wrenching nosedives into the pits of self-doubt. Most writers would probably switch careers in no time flat if they weren’t so hopelessly obsessed.
Selling our work presents another, even bigger, challenge. I’m pretty certain many masterpieces lie gathering dust on obscure shelves because the writer falters at the final chapter: promotion. Personally, I’ve sold prize-winning books and gained media attention, yet I’ve always struggled with PR, even declining interviews and movie rights bids out of fear of exposure.
But like everyone, I need to make a living. So here I am, embracing the online world. Despite my unease, there’s an upside: connecting with you, my readers. Though exposure unnerves me, communication with you does not. Please feel free to drop me a message if you’d like to share something.
