The Writing Life

Just let me write.

That's the cry of most writers I know: Just let me write.

I don't want to worry about marketing. I don't want to worry about publicity. I don't want to worry about all that other stuff.

There was a time when writers wrote and publishers did everything else to sell what writers wrote.

No longer.

I'm sorry I missed that phase of writing world. Or maybe it's a case of the grass is always greener ... maybe there were inherent problems with the way that system worked. It doesn't really matter because I'm a writer in this day and age. I must deal with what's expected of a writer here and now.

Which means I have to help market my book.

Confession: My journalism degree required not one class in marketing. The only things I've ever sold were McDonald's hamburgers and teen clothing. And I spent most of my check buying cute tops and pants for myself.

But now I have a book. And I want people to know about my book. I want people to read Baby Changes Everything because I think it has some good information in it. Great stories. Encouragement for late-in-life moms.

Yes, my publisher helps sell my book. Yes, I have a publicist who booked me on some radio stations--and I even landed a tv interview.

But there is no rest for the weary writer. You write a book--and you take a deep breath and help market that book! You blog and you speak and you hand out free copies occasionally. You ask other writers what they are doing. If you're like me, you feel like you're never doing enough.
And then, you go to bed, get up and try again the next day.

And for some insane reason ... you find yourself thinking about writing another book.

I am, after all, a writer.


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