I’ve been busy lately changing my self-concept. I accepted a long time ago that as a writer I would have to become my own marketer, but it has taken me until very recently to start actually doing something about it.
This is a big change. Like many (most?) novelists, I just wanted to write and then have some publisher wave a magic wand and get my book into the hands of readers. I didn’t even want to edit myself, let alone market myself.
But when I learned that even traditionally published authors are expected to do almost all their own self-promotion, I began to think differently about both self-publishing and self-promotion. Accepting the inevitable was the first step.
Sue Campbell, co-founder of Pages & Platforms, is also my book launch coach, and she’s a genius at it. With her enthusiastic guidance, I’m slowly beginning to see myself as not only someone who can market herself, but whose work is worth marketing.
Accordingly, I’ve spent the past two work days doing this alien thing, building an email campaign in Mailchimp. What?? Yes! If you’re reading this and a popup has flashed before you, offering a free chapter of Restraint every day, you’re seeing Anne Marketing Herself.
If you’re an author facing the identity crisis of becoming a self-marketing business-y person, go see Sue. She’s the best.
Sue is the best. And congratulations on taking that big step toward going pro and getting that platform started.
We are moving! Thank you for your help.