One of the recurring themes at this year's AWP was about self-promotion. I just hate doing that and I've avoided it for a long time. It makes me feel so uncomfortable. But a lot of pretty persuasive arguments were made there. Small publishers simply can't do this any more, and it really is up to us to do it. It's part of what makes us "good writers" for our hard-working, under-funded publishers. So I'm determined to do a better job.
But...I do lament the time it takes. I am really struggling right now to find the time to write. When I got this job in September I was so thrilled that I was now getting paid to write, and I vowed to write 8 hours a day, no matter what. I had the great motivation of my "job" to do it! That worked for the first two weeks. Now I'm averaging about an hour every other week. It's so pathetic. And I can really see it in my work. I've had two editors ask me for work this past month and I feel like I'm picking through the bottom of the vegetable bin for them. Somehow I need to find the time--make the time--to do this. I keep telling myself "I'll write this summer" but I'm teaching this summer too, so I know the temptation to teach instead of write will still be there. Or the temptation to work on my web page, or work on a submission. I suspect part of this is also just me being anxiuos about my writing, and avoiding it. Time to dive back in. Time to stop blogging and write a poem!
1 comment:
Thanks, Emily. I appreciate your sharing this. I'm glad I'm not the only one that has those feelings towards self-promotion. I haven't tried to publish yet, but the self-promotion thing is one of the biggest hurdles for me. Actually, it is more like a wall - Hadrian's Wall, or the Great Wall of China! But, I realize that it is something that must be done if anyone is ever going to read my writing.
I don't even want to go into finding time to write....
Thanks again. I'm looking forward to your new work.
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