Rogue waves in calm seas…
For all the words spoken and written about changin’ times in the book industry, you’d think the seas a writer sails would be really rough. I don’t see roiling waves at all. I’m a bit frustrated I don’t have more readers, but what the hell—I’m having a lot of fun doing what I’m doing, what I’ve always wanted to do, as a matter of fact. I’m a full-time writer, and I write at all levels, from op-ed blog posts that probably anger some people and amuse others, to short stories and novels, and to social media, where I mostly lurk but comment when I have something to say.
I see smooth sailing in calm seas. Many writers want to make a rogue wave, that phenomenon that rises out of relative calm and makes its presence known in a big way. I’m OK with putting my name on a few eddies and accompanying froth here and there. My character Castilblanco has become a Zen Buddhist; I have a bit of that philosophy in me, an attitude expressed more succinctly in that Spanish song “Que será, será.” (I read Alan Watts in college but gave up on Zen when I couldn’t get into the lotus position.) Perhaps less mystical is the observation that applies to many artistic activities: not everyone can win the lottery, but you can’t win if you don’t play the game. Given that experimental fact, I’d add some rules to live by if you’re a writer. (Readers might want to avoid writers who don’t live by them, but remember: even a jerk can tell a good story, and the story’s the thing.)
Rule 1. Be nice. I’ll have to admit that online you can get all types, from rascally reviewers to big, bad bigots. I have an Irish temper, so my knee-jerk reaction sometimes is to mount a verbal attack (believe me, I can do it—I had a rep in my day job for not suffering fools gladly). I’ve learned to bow out, though. My German side is stubborn, but I’ve also learned to let the offender have the last word. S/he’ll often put her/his foot in the mouth, and sometimes the most egregious offenders write something that becomes a learning experience for me as a writer. At the very least, don’t go beyond, “We’ll have to agree to disagree,” because your goal’s not about winning an argument, it’s about sharing reading and writing experiences. Above all, value your readers. I love you all. There are so many ebooks out there, I feel honored if you read one of mine. Even more so if you give me a review.
Rule 2. Don’t waffle. This seems contradictory to rule 1, but if I have reasoned opinions about something, I stick by them, resorting to that agree-to-disagree if discussions really get testy. I try to accept that others’ opinions can be just as valuable as my own, and, if they’re strong opinions, I’m probably not going to change them, but I expect people to do the same for me. Again, respect your readers. Having just one reader makes your ebook a success. More creates that eddy, and thousands create a rogue wave. Note that I’m saying that my readers are creating those disturbances on the relatively calm seas. They’re the action; I’ve only put my name on that eddy or wave. Readers rule.
Rule 3. Be accessible. This is part of being nice, of course. I try to answer every email and comment to blog posts. Once I’m involved in a discussion thread, I try to keep it going as long as there seems to be interest (or, until it completely runs off-track). The recluse writer is a stereotype, but many stereotypes have some truth to them. I try not to be a recluse, at least online. Take Big Five writers, or any VIPs in any activity, for that matter. In general, the more famous they are, the more they become inaccessible, unless they have staffs answering letters and emails for them.
When I started out in this business, I had some interesting email conversations with traditionally published authors who were obviously on their way to create rogue waves. Their emails were readily available. That’s no longer the case in general, or you have to go through a secretarial staff that screens the emails. Maybe creating a rogue wave isn’t that great. I enjoy emails from readers and writers and do my best to answer them (I don’t have a staff, though, so have patience!). I’m learning more about Goodreads now and how it can help me be more accessible to readers and writers. It’s better than any other website for that because everybody there is interested in reading and writing.
That’s about it. These are my PR and marketing tips, if you like, but I’m loathe to lower them to that level. They’re more about treating people with respect, especially readers and writers, than selling ebooks. In this vast ocean that’s today’s publishing world, both eddies and rogue waves are just local disturbances. If anything, the community of readers and writers is worldwide and transcends all governments, ideologies, and considerations of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and religion. It’s the best of the best, an international community that celebrates storytelling and the written word, both ancient activities that still continue in our modern world. Literature brings people together. We should all celebrate it.
[99 Cent Promo for readers of this blog: Angels Need Not Apply, #2 in the “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series,” is on sale for $0.99 on Amazon, June 1-7. Al Qaeda, a drug cartel, and neo-Nazis combine forces to create mayhem!]
In elibris libertas….
