The Clown that is Me

Self promotion. It's kind of like standing on the shoulder of a highway holding a huge sign that is surrounded by flashing lights that reads:

"LOOK HERE! TRY ME! OVER HERE! YEAH, YOU! LOOK RIGHT HERE! READ MY BOOK! PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE? PLEEAAASSEEE!!"



It's embarrassing. It's not pleasant. And unfortunately, for many new indie authors, it's the only way to get yourself and your work out there.
From the moment I released Emerald Eyes, I've been stalking, hounding and begging bloggers to give Emerald Eyes a try, to review and spread the word about me and my debut novel.



If there is one thing I hate most it is asking for attention. It's not me. It will never be me and whenever I tweet or post anything that is self promoting, I do it because I know I have to, not because I want to. What I want to do is to write. To continue the story of Eric and Katherine but instead, I find myself on twitter or facebook or writing emails asking big time bloggers to consider taking some time and reading Emerald Eyes. I find it exhausting and certainly not fun. My passion to write is still in me, it's in my bones and it will never leave me, but this process of self promotion is draining me.



And I know that my fellow indie authors feel the same. If writing a story is a lonely journey, promoting yourself is much worse. I've heard the whispers of friends, and felt the cold shoulder of others. But they don't get it. They haven't written a story from the depths of their hearts, they haven't wanted to be an author since the age of six. They think I'm shameless and find it tactless. But I have no other way. If I could make myself a sensation overnight, I would... but I can't.



Is there a point to this post? Perhaps.
I wanted to share a bit of myself with you since someone told me the other day:
"You're sealed tighter than a safe and as silent as a tomb."



Geez, thanks.
I know I'm not always sharing my thoughts, my mother could confirm that in a split second. She use to sit with me for two hours (not kidding) while trying to get me to tell her why I was upset as a child.

So I will try to be a little bit more open... not promising anything, though.

Bottom line, cut the indie author some slack, we do all the leg work ourselves.



http://www.nmichaelsauthor.com/2014/0...