Make it About the Writing

It can get depressing, this over the top emphasis on marketing and promotion that we writers are supposed to engage in. We need websites. That’s a given. We’re supposed to set up blogs. And write in them daily, and do that while we’re trying to meet deadlines. We need to take out loans and buy expensive ads in magazines. We need newsletters. We need a fan base. And let’s not forget attending conferences and networking, networking, networking. (It’s not called making friends anymore: it’s called networking.)

And now we writers are told that that’s not enough. There is already a buzz on writer’s internet writer’s groups about podcasting and producing trailers for our books. (Trailers for books?)

I think things have gotten a little out of hand. And the reason I know this is that more and more writers are feeling depressed over this very thing. They’ve done all they can and still the numbers (as in sales) aren’t good enough. This whole thing is leaving many writers too stressed to do what they are actually called to do - write.

I believe we’re all aiming our telescopes at the wrong planet. We need to change our focus from comparing ourselves to other writers, by getting our eyes off our Amazon rating and onto God.

So, yes, we should do what we can to promote our books, and then write the best books we can, and I know it sounds simplistic, but leave the results with God.