The Back Story
As an author, I’m pleased that readers have found my books, and from that success, I have developed a fan base. But, there are pitfalls to success. I find that I’m spending way too much time talking about writing instead of writing.
At first, it was validating to receive invitations to do newspaper and television interviews. I was excited to share the backstory of my books and talk about the techniques I had learned concerning my practice and craft. However, now I’m finding that I am spending most of my time marketing my product; my books. I am concerned that my books are becoming just that, products.
For me, book signings, interviews, and blog posts have become thieves of time. These endeavors tap into a different part of my brain; a part that seems to pull me away from my characters and the world I create in my novels.
After the release of Becoming Human, I found myself spending more and more time talking about writing instead of writing. I found myself going down a subtle and slippery road that led to not writing about what was most important to me; my third novel in the Almost Human series.
Recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it. I need to taper off talking about writing and WRITE! I plan to get back to my morning routine of actually writing at least a thousand words, if not more and finish, my next book, More Than Human. I think starting the day writing first will add balance to any “marketing” that follows.
How about you? I’d love to hear from fellow writers on this subject. What are your solutions and practices, or is this even a problem for you?
I like the early mornings for writing, when the world is quiet.