A marketing thought. . . ish
Well I thought I wouldn't get to another post before Thanksgiving, but I did.
So I wanted to point out something about writing a novel. I stumbled into a very beneficial thing, having researched a lot about the industry before my major WIP was even outlined. I learned about publisher slush piles, agent representation and networking. One thing I grossly neglected was business cards.
Whenever I thought of business cards I considered them to be a tool for small business owners, not for writers. I found myself grossly mistaken. Like any writer, I am passionate about my projects and love to tell people about them. Every time, I am met with either "Oh that sounds nice," with an attempt at changing the subject, or genuine interest asking me to share my pen name and the title to watch for. I have left these interactions time and time again wishing I would've had pen and paper to share the info with them.
Suddenly I find myself wishing for and making business cards. There are so many ways to do business cards these days, even stay-at-home-moms make them to grow their playgroups. So the thought occurred to me, why not writers? For those of us pursuing writing and publishing as a potential career, preparation is paramount! Having a presence and a following, while not always imperative, is a huge leg up that can be seen as favorable. (Mind you my verbiage is still speculative as I am still unpublished myself. This is all opinion)
At the stage I am in, I have a good small network of writers to collaborate work with and the major project I've been working on is in a major rewrite. Even with that going on, I still have 3 or four smaller projects that I expect to be standalone works when all is said and done. Of course this would go a lot faster without me working full time, or being married, or being a parent. Though the worst criminal of my time theft? Procrastination and poor time management. Anyone else able to relate? I am sure there are a few of you out there who absolutely get where I'm coming from.
Anyway, the point I am getting at is that printed materials, while not always the cheapest, can make or break a pitch. You are the strongest advocate for your work and no one can make people fall in love with it like you can. I, for one am excited to get my business cards in the mail so I can start handing them out to those genuinely interested in my stories.
I'll end it there. Thanksgiving has begun and though I am not cooking, I will be partaking and one must prime their bellies.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
So I wanted to point out something about writing a novel. I stumbled into a very beneficial thing, having researched a lot about the industry before my major WIP was even outlined. I learned about publisher slush piles, agent representation and networking. One thing I grossly neglected was business cards.
Whenever I thought of business cards I considered them to be a tool for small business owners, not for writers. I found myself grossly mistaken. Like any writer, I am passionate about my projects and love to tell people about them. Every time, I am met with either "Oh that sounds nice," with an attempt at changing the subject, or genuine interest asking me to share my pen name and the title to watch for. I have left these interactions time and time again wishing I would've had pen and paper to share the info with them.
Suddenly I find myself wishing for and making business cards. There are so many ways to do business cards these days, even stay-at-home-moms make them to grow their playgroups. So the thought occurred to me, why not writers? For those of us pursuing writing and publishing as a potential career, preparation is paramount! Having a presence and a following, while not always imperative, is a huge leg up that can be seen as favorable. (Mind you my verbiage is still speculative as I am still unpublished myself. This is all opinion)
At the stage I am in, I have a good small network of writers to collaborate work with and the major project I've been working on is in a major rewrite. Even with that going on, I still have 3 or four smaller projects that I expect to be standalone works when all is said and done. Of course this would go a lot faster without me working full time, or being married, or being a parent. Though the worst criminal of my time theft? Procrastination and poor time management. Anyone else able to relate? I am sure there are a few of you out there who absolutely get where I'm coming from.
Anyway, the point I am getting at is that printed materials, while not always the cheapest, can make or break a pitch. You are the strongest advocate for your work and no one can make people fall in love with it like you can. I, for one am excited to get my business cards in the mail so I can start handing them out to those genuinely interested in my stories.
I'll end it there. Thanksgiving has begun and though I am not cooking, I will be partaking and one must prime their bellies.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
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