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contemplating contemplation
There are many comments in response to this post, all of them interesting, but mostly I am left wondering about my own motivations, goals, and idiosyncracies, and whether or not keeping this weblog promotes my work too much or too little or not at all. Or is that even the point? The subtitle of this post: it's all about me. Sorry.
A couple of things come to mind right away. First, I have conflicting urges. On the one hand I have a deep aversion to grandiosity (twelve years of Catholic education probably at the bottom of this, but also some family-related pathologies); I also have the strong sense that in these times when publishing houses spend less time and money on marketing novels, I have to take some responsibility for making potential readers aware of my work. Because hey, it's a job, too.
So I took what seemed like the middle path: I can talk about writing and process. That way I can answer questions people might have about (a) my books; and (b) the craft of writing and (c) the business of publishing and (d) storytelling in general, including stuff I'm reading and watching that might be of interest to others. Which makes this whole undertaking less exclusively self serving.
My sense is that most people who visit here regularly fall intwo one of two groups: those who were familiar with my novels and came looking for information; those who stumbled across the weblog because they are interesting in the writing process, and stuck around because they found something they like. The second group of people haven't necessarily read any of my published work. Maybe they never will. I find that I don't worry about it much.
So Sylvia Day raised a couple of issues for me: how much self promotion is too much? too little? Do I blather on about my own books to the point of boredom, or is it possible, reading this weblog, not to realize that I have a half dozen novels in print and/or forthcoming? Also, I try hard not to wander too far from the subject matter at hand. Specifically I try not to talk about the other parts of my life too much. Mostly I keep quiet about family, politics, and non-writing related activities. I think.
Perhaps this post should be filed under a new heading: the many faces of procrastination.
May 10, 2005 04:44 PM
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Comments
I'll add a third group: Those who came here because we knew of your books, and stick around because the things you write about are thought-provoking and interesting, even if we're not writers.
Posted by: Rachel at May 10, 2005 05:24 PM
I came because I wanted more information about your books.
I keep coming back because it's interesting.
Please do blather on....
Posted by: Alison at May 10, 2005 06:05 PM
i discovered this blog, my first actually, when researching more info for my customers on who you were. your correct in saying publishers are very lite on the marketing side of novels...i stay because im hooked. i still have a copy of the post-it you found in that small bookstore. great stuff!!it's human nature to wonder what others are thinking and doing, and we always solicit someones opinion, so this is an easy fix, to come and read yours. i think women especially like to read about others thinking the same thing we are. we all want to be original, why else feel foolish when someone wears the same blouse we do, yet we always want to fit in. not be too different. and why not celebrate the fact that someone else loves the same blouse we do? :)
Posted by: Laurie M at May 10, 2005 07:32 PM
I'm with Rachel and Alison. I came because I love your books, I stayed because your blog is pretty damn interesting.
Posted by: Lanna Lee Maheux-Quinn at May 10, 2005 08:35 PM
Hi.
I stumbled here through Josh over at noematic. And I stayed for your writing about writing and just you in general. And then I read your books and now I'm waiting with baited breath for the next one to be released.
I am continuing the argument within myself between Literature and all the other stuff. I read a lot of what some people would call trash. You help me further understand what I think. If that makes sense.
Posted by: Emma at May 10, 2005 10:02 PM
I came because I was going to start reading your books, read them, and stayed because I find the insights into the writing process interesting!
Posted by: Marg at May 11, 2005 01:55 AM
I don't think you do too much self promoting. Naturally you talk about your books .... its your website, we expect you to do that. I think what makes the site more interesting once readers have read all the information on your books is all your entries on writing and storytelling in general. what I like in a lot of these cases is that you use examples from a whole heap of different writers and not just your own novels.
Posted by: Jacqui at May 11, 2005 03:11 AM
I pop over here and there and came when you had your YaHoO group, enjoyed the group, the discussions and continue to enjoy your blog, when time allows....
You bring up vera interesting subject matters, along with all above mentioned.
I would just be myself and continue to write from your heart.
JMHO.
Posted by: joanna at May 11, 2005 04:18 PM
I came to the weblog from a link on another site and found the writing interesting. I had kind of gotten a jaundiced view of historical romance type novels over time, but your writing here and thoughts about writing encouraged me to pick up your books and read them. I have noticed I will buy the books of those writers whose weblogs I tend to read as opposed to going to the library (which I do for many first read romance authors).
Posted by: Catherine at May 13, 2005 07:41 AM