If you do any research/reading on how to be a successful author, you'll find that all the voices out there keep (loudly) repeating the message that you have to make noise, promote yourself, elbow ahead of the competition, grab the headlines, and get what's yours. I saw the epitome of this today in an email update from Willamette Writers:
I'm David Greenberg, (link that I won't copy because this guy annoys me) author of beautifully illustrated, hilarious poetry books for children: SLUGS, BUGS!, SKUNKS!, SNAKES!, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HUMPTY DUMPTY?, THE BOOK OF BOYS FOR GIRLS - THE BOOK OF GIRLS FOR BOYS, DON'T FORGET YOUR ETIQUETTE among others, all of which have received superlative reviews. Dutton Publishers will soon release my first novel, A TUGGING STRING, that deals with Martin Luther King's Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March of 1965. If you're looking for an author who is a superb, wonderful, inspirational presenter, I'm the guy. I regularly am told by teachers, media-specialists and principals that my presentations were "awesome," "amazing," " the best presentation of any sort our school has ever had," "the finest presentation I've seen in thirty years as a teacher." Please click here to see other testimonials: (another link that I won't copy) And I have specific, specialized presentations for primary, upper elementary and middle school ( I even have a specific assembly for high school).
If you backed up a dump truck full of Slugs! Bugs! Skunks! Snakes! to my front door and threatened to dump them in my living room, you might be able to persuade me to post a similar self-congratulatory blurb online. But there would have to be a lot of snakes in the mix.
I blame my disgust with this sort of promotion on my Amish background and the overarching message in that society that you don't draw attention to yourself, don't brag, don't make a fuss, be humble, and so on. But I wonder, do normal, decent, non-Amish people find it a bit much as well? And how many people will actually contact this guy based on the above paragraph?
I do realize that authors tread a fine line between letting people know what they have available, and overdoing it. I have agonized over this many times and erred on one side or the other many times as well.
My favorite sort of advertising is word of mouth. Proverbs 27:2 agrees with me I think.
Quote of the Day:
"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."
The book I'm reading right now hit me with the idea that writing shouldn't be competition, it's should be our authentic self that comes through. For a Plain person who struggles with the idea,"Could I actually write well enough to try?", that should be bolstering advice.
ReplyDeleteBut self promoting to the degree Mr.G does is just off the wall.
I very much like and identify with this post.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add--if I may--the other reason Amish folks don't become famous is because they can't speak and present ideas like Obama (or any other politician appart from George W.) and sound convinced. When I started with my secretary job, I couldn't record a voicemail prompt that sounded as professional as I imagined it should--it was a bit halting and uncertain.
Now, I go back home and I feel like I'm too slick tongued--which of course means I am not to be trusted. :)
That guy couldn't pay me to buy his books, just because of his pompous overblown view of himself. As we like to say..."he's greatly endowed with his own possibilities!" I'm with you. Proverbs is right!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm going to post that Proverb above my desk as a good reminder.
ReplyDeleteAs for word of mouth...your blog is a good avenue. I was in Sisters, Oregon last week poking around in Ponderosa Books and there was ORDINARY DAYS, which I've seen in your blog margin. I keep most of my book purchases to used copies but I snatched up a nice, new copy and enjoyed it over several morning cups of coffee. :-) Perfect vacation reading!
I too, am still sipping my "Ordinary Days"--mostly at nap time, when I am alone.
ReplyDeleteI have had the opportunity to speak at our ladies' group twice in the past year, and each time people come up to me for weeks aftrerward and tell me how inspiring it was, or how it touched them.... The second time I spoke, I actually braced myself spiritually. It's good to hear good things about what you say, do, make or write; but it's very hard to not let it go to your head, and to remind yourself that your value is not in what other people think of you, but in who God made you. (And truthfully, would anyone ever come up to you and say, "Wow, that really stunk. You have no business speaking in public. What a waste of my time!"?? Not likely.)
I like 1 Peter 3:3. "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as the braiding of hair or the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
If you think about it, wearing brand name clothes, flashy jewelry, lots of makeup, fancy hairdos--they all call attention to oneself; in a physical way, self-promoting similar to what that author did. Clearly we are not to do that (at least, as women--but I would assume the same is true for men).
Part of the fun of getting to know people is getting to know their hidden talents, like little treasures buried in friendships that only playing around in the dirt of the day-to-day will reveal. If we wear our talents pinned to our hats, where is the fun?
A legend in his own mind!!
ReplyDeleteI might not have the same background but I pretty much have the same opinion. I don't care much for braggarts and people who think so highly of themselves. Must be my Christian background and all that Bible reading that reminds us that these kinds of people have already recieved their rewards!
ReplyDeleteConnie
Oh, My!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling sorry for this guy... He must not trust his writing to show off like that....
To add another biblical perspective: The Bible says God's wisdom will seem like foolishness to the world. This guy may be doing everything a publicist or the latest edition of Writer's Digest recommends...but I believe the humble author will reap her just rewards.
ReplyDeleteSuperlatives and self promotion - what a turnoff! One of the many reasons I don't like politics, either!
That is a little self-congratulatory for my tastes. I think the verse you found in Proverbs is a good one.
ReplyDeleteAs a hopeful writer, I have spent a lot of time thinking about marketing and promotion, but there is no way I could talk about my self like that. My website would probably say something like, "I, um, wrote this novel, um, you can read it if you want, or not. I hope you like it, please don't tell me if you don't. And Please don't ask me to speak at your function because I would just blather on like an idiot. Have a nice day."
Karabeagle, that's an interesting concept you put in your last paragraph, and very true! I never thought about it like that exactly.
ReplyDeleteFiorinda, your book promotion is hilarious! I had to laugh, because I can identify.
Good post, good comments.
This is a fine line I try to walk when writing promotional copy for Golden Rule Travel ads and on Golden Rule's website. It's good I have my dad looking over my shoulder, because he tones me down somewhat. Part of my problem with that is that my humility teaching doesn't constrain me when writing about how wonderful Golden Rule agents are because I'm not a travel agent, really. I just do some of the logistics. I am not writing about myself. Anyway, good post!
ReplyDeleteAs a non-Amish, normal guy in his 60's (originally from Minnesota), I had the same response when I read the blurb in the Willamette Writers update I received.
ReplyDeleteAs my dear grandmother would say, "he's too big for his britches!"
Your reliance on "word-of-mouth" advertising to promote your books is a much better choice in my humble opinion.
This is precisely why I never feel like ordering what the restaurants tout as the "best... whatever...in the whole country". I mean, have they really tried the shoe fly pie in every other restaurant? Superlatives make me suspicious, unless they come from a trusted friend.
ReplyDeleteI guess you could say my Amish background taught me to value humility, but now what about the cynicism?
Another Dorcas
um, "shoo" fly pie. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love your blog.
Another Dorcas
When you try too much to prove (sell) your worth, it means you really do NOT have it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who said that, but that stuck with me for as long as I can remember.
It's funny when Todd Peterson started his comment with, "As a non-Amish, normal guy.....", what does that mean? Really? Does that mean Amish people are ab-...?
The Proverbs quote hits the target.