It's All About Me...hmmm

Agent after agent, publisher after publisher, writer after writer, they all tell the same story. The glory days of hiding out on a small island in the Caribbean, sipping on rum, cranking out the occasional novel, and picking up the generous quarterly royalty check have officially come to an end, never to return. In this new world a writer, regardless of publishing route (traditional or indie), must promote, promote, and then promote some more.

Now, my parents raised me to help others - love your neighbor and all that. They taught me that it’s more important to give than to receive. They lived a life of never drawing attention to their many self-sacrificial deeds. When I first headed down the self-promo path it felt awkward to say the least…maybe even a little wrong. Figuring out creative ways to tell people they should buy my book seemed to prostitute creativity itself.

To put it another way, after a couple hours of promoting, I feel like a good long bath is in order. Or like I’ve been impersonating a three-year-old - jumping up and down yelling “look at me” trying to get his parent’s attention. I know some of you are thinking this guy’s an American from California, that’s ALL they know how to do! Point taken. However, I’ll just come out and say it: I’m not a huge fan of self-promoting, at least not the impersonal attention-grabbing headlines version of it.

Just to be clear, it’s not that I don’t believe my writing worth a read, because I DO, very much so. I believe my suspense/thriller to be entertaining, thought-provoking, emotionally powerful, and on a very basic level beneficial for anyone who takes the journey. And others have confirmed that. The main character, John Truman, struggles with pretty much everything, but in the deep places of his heart he yearns to know one thing: who is he and why is he. I truly think you should read it. Not because it’s the greatest novel of all time (that’s purely subjective anyway) but because underneath the suspenseful and thrilling ride it gives the reader permission to look inside and ask questions about fundamental issues in our lives…questions that need to be asked, explored, and answered.

Over the past few months I have managed to justify my self-promoting behavior by making the argument that reading my novel is an intrinsically worthwhile exercise (which is true). I also tell myself that I’m not in this just to make a buck (and that’s also quite true), so I can strike mercenary in its most technical definition from my list of motivating factors. Furthermore, I believe in each and every person following their dreams and doing what they most love, including me. So writing, for me, makes the world a better place.

On a related note, I do, very much, want to help others and see them succeed. I’m a community guy regardless of whether the community is down the street or down the e-street (shout out to my UK writer mates). I strongly believe that when one downtrodden, marginalized, oppressed soul finds freedom and love (i.e., succeeds) that we ALL gain, each and every one of us. So I’m quite comfortable pulling out my machete to assist other writers in carving out a path through their getting-noticed jungle. Besides, when I do become uber-successful I want to live in that nice place with other battle worn soldiers, sharing one another’s joy and stories…and reaching out to help the next one take that step up the ladder.

So I’m finding, or trying to find, the balance in this self-promotion-based paradigm. I believe in my calling, if you will, to write...and that what I’ve created will more than return the time-money anyone invests in it. I believe in helping others and I believe their creations to be worth the investment as well. That’s where the light goes on and everything comes together for me.

This Sunday, Superbowl Sunday, a group of fine writers from across the globe will be working hand-in-hand to promote one another. We will be tweeting/retweeting #samplesunday, highlighting fine (and free) writing samples from talented writers. And I will smile as I watch the It’s-all-about-me paradigm exit stage left to make room at center stage for the more powerful, worthwhile, and fulfilling It’s-all-about-us.

Happy Sunday! Cheers.

2010 in the Rearview Mirror

Over the years, I’ve managed to avoid looking in the rearview mirror, at least in public. Not sure if it’s because I have so much unfinished business or maybe I’m concerned about the less-than-sterling results of the self-critique or maybe I struggle with grasping the value of the exercise at all. Regardless, new years are a good excuse to try new things, right? So at the risk of swerving off the road and hitting a large oak tree, and for the first time in public, I’m glancing up to the mirror that shows what was…or at least what I choose to remember.

Each year I allow goal carryover from previous years – a long running tradition. Some of these goals, born decades ago, have managed to stay on my list even though I see some progress every year. At the beginning of 2010 I began to see some light at the end of one of these multi-year goal tunnels.

Like many of my friends, I live two lives (at least). I play the responsible, mature, bill-paying, good friend role; I also play the passionate, freedom-loving, all-or-nothing writer/artist role. For most of my life the former ruled my actions while the latter watched on with confusion, pity, and frustration. I made many promises to the writer…and I’ve broken many promises to him. And yet he refused to be corralled by the tactics I employed over the years - everything from ignoring him altogether (see denial) to feeding him small bites of hope in the form of expected next week/month/year activities…oh yeah, and the “when I have a bit more free time” excuse.

This year I wanted to get my suspense novel, The Father’s Child, out into the hands of readers…one of those carryover goals. After a couple years of patiently working through the traditional publishing paradigm – agent queries, manuscript submissions, contests, many conversations, etc. – a friend challenged me with the insanity-is-doing-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again-expecting-different-results criticism. Out of nowhere, the writer dude inside steps up and says “Enough is enough. Time to either get on board or get out of the @#k#%&* way!” Did I mention feisty and R-rated?

Well, one thing led to another – additional editing, researching ebooks, setting up a social media presence, cover artwork, etc. Much of it a blur. But in the end, a little over a month ago, I browsed over to Amazon.com and there it was for the whole world to see, read, and hopefully enjoy. Chalk one up for the writer dude.


Before the year ended, my novel had traveled up to the Top 50 Techno-thriller rankings on Amazon. Although it’s much too early to reasonably evaluate the success of my foray into the new publishing world, I finally made good on my promise to the writer in me. I never pledged best-selling success or a life of limos, but I did agree on numerous occasions to give him at least a little of my best time, energy, and love...knowing full well that once I released him from his prison, it would be impossible to get him back in there.

So in my rearview mirror, I see the out-into-the-hands-of-readers goal reached in 2010…a HUGE goal…but more importantly I set someone free. Honestly, he’s not that easy to live with – demanding, obsessive, creative to a fault – but when I close my eyes at night I no longer have to end my day with “Maybe next year.”

Here’s hoping that you have a prosperous, healthy, and wonderful 2011!