Taking the Introvert Out

Most authors, not surprisingly, are rather introverted people. We prefer the company of our made up characters to that of real people. With the people in our minds, we can have great conversations and never have to worry about saying the wrong thing (if we do, we just delete it and try writing that dialogue again).

But most authors also need to market their books. And in order to do that, we need to actually leave the safety of our computers and go out. Into the real world. To interact with real people. In real time. Face to face.

Are you trembling yet? I am.

I’ve got to do this today. It’s quite possible that I’m even out doing it as you read this happy little blog posting.

In the name of marketing and doing all the right things, I have co-sponsored a table at the Washington Romance Writers Reader/Blogger luncheon. It’s going to be a fantastic event with about 100 readers and 40 authors—not a great ratio, but if you also think of authors as potential readers (since they do read—a lot), it’s not that bad. There’s going to lunch and hob-nobbing with readers and giving away of gift baskets, books and swag of all sorts.

The part that worries me is, um, yeah, that hob-nobbing. I’ve got no idea what to say to people.

Oh, I’ve been to these sorts of things before and happily sat quietly munching on my lunch. Not a great marketing tactic, I have to say.

I’ve also been to these sorts of things from the reader perspective—I’ve got favorite authors whose books I read and who I’ve gone all fan-girl on. Except that after I tell them that I love their books, that’s about all I’ve got to say. The introvert swoops in, takes over, and wishes she were home, alone, with her nose in one of those books, not actually out talking with the person who wrote them.

I’ve got nothin’. I haven’t the foggiest idea what to say to someone whose books I’ve read. I have very little to say to someone who’s read mine. To someone who hasn’t read my books, I can happily tell them all about the books I write. That’s a conversation… if they’re interested in paranormal fantasy romance. And I can talk their ear off about publishing—self-publishing in particular, but they’re usually not interested. Why should they be, they’re readers, not writers.

So… I’m going out to talk to people to whom I’ve got nothing to say. Will I just sit at my little corner of the round table and nibble at my lunch, mum, while watching everyone around me chatter about whatever it is they’ve found to talk about? Quite likely. But I’m going to be a good little author and go out there. I’ll try to talk and make nice. I’ll try not to wish I had a delete button handy. I’ll try to make the readers I interact with happy that they came out to meet me and the other authors. I’ll try.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.