I look at authors like Carleen Brice ,and how she promotes herself, and I’m exhausted just looking at all the work she does. Twitter, Facebook, blog tours, book signings and readings, interviews. It’s crazy what you have to do to get your book in the hands of readers. I see some of the mistakes I made with my first novel, and I plan to work harder to promote my next one, but sometimes it’s hard to transition myself from stylist to writer.
I had no problem giving one of my business cards to a stranger, tossing my glorious, long weave over my shoulder, and proudly telling them if they wanted their hair to look as good as mine, then they needed to come see me. Because of my confidence, most of the women would come, and stay with me for years. But when it comes to talking about my novel, I get tongue-tied, and I can’t get any words out. Basically I turn into a blubbering idiot. Even when the opportunity presents itself to me, I feel embarrassed to promote my work. I feel like I’m bragging, like I’m saying, “Hey world, come look at how brilliant I am! I wrote a book!”
My family insists otherwise, and they keep telling me that it’s the same thing. Promoting myself as a stylist is the same thing as promoting my book. With hair, you are your product. You have to keep your hair done at all times so that other women can become potential clients. With promoting my books I need to learn that if I’m scared to talk about my new book, then who will? Who will ever know about my characters, or the journey they take to self-discovery in my novels if I don’t tell them?
I really have to stop being such a scaredy-cat and put myself out there this time around. Some things I still won’t compromise on, (Twitter for one), but there are plenty of other avenues where I can tell people about my books. I just need to trust myself and get out there and do it.
Anybody else had a hard time talking about their novel?
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