Friday, February 25, 2005

Talking about Myself

For the release of CT Fashionista, I was lucky enough to score an author profile article with Romantic Times Bookclub magazine. For those of you who don't know, RT is like the Bible of romance writing, so I'm very honored to be included. It'll run in their May issue - same month as my launch. So very cool.

Anyway, the editor sent me a list of questions to answer via email and I just got done doing that. And I was thinking how strange it was to suddenly be on the answering end of things. Normally, as a journalist, I'm always the one asking the questions.

Which brings me to the issue of SSP. Otherwise known as "shameless self promotion." I always feel so weird and uncomfortable talking about myself, promoting myself. I've never been one to be like "Oh look at me. Look how great I am!" And I feel like the book is an extension of me. I don't want to go out and be like "Oh my book is so great it deserves to be on the USA Today Bestseller List." But at the same time I want people to hear about the book and really build a buzz -- which means I have to promote my book at every moment. So it's a weird balancing act authors have to go through...

Another issue I've seen brought up on some of the chick lit loops is promoting oneself as the anti-chicklit chicklit book. Authors who say their books are "smarter chick lit" or whatever. Now with my book, it's a chick lit/time travel and I'd be sure to build up a good media buzz by saying I was sick of reading all those single girl in the city clones with the bad boss, bad boyfriend and good shoes and I wanted to write something different and unique. etc. etc. Totally put a negative spin on the genre and then turn that into a chance to promote my book. Honestly, it's a good hook that would probably get me some attention. But do I want to put down my fellow chick lit authors -- many who I am friends with -- just to sell a few extra copies? And is there a way to use this angle without coming off as negative? I really have no idea...

Okay gotta get back to work now!
Marianne

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeah,it's a fine line. The book being promoted as 'anti-chick lit', isn't chick lit at all. That is the point of the promotion, it is the opposite or 'anti', meaning not. But still, it IS a way to use the 'chick lit' label as a marketing too. Is it a good way? Well, it wouldn't be my first choice!

Anonymous said...

yeah,it's a fine line. The book being promoted as 'anti-chick lit', isn't chick lit at all. That is the point of the promotion, it is the opposite or 'anti', meaning not. But still, it IS a way to use the 'chick lit' label as a marketing too. Is it a good way? Well, it wouldn't be my first choice!

Anonymous said...

yeah,it's a fine line. The book being promoted as 'anti-chick lit', isn't chick lit at all. That is the point of the promotion, it is the opposite or 'anti', meaning not. But still, it IS a way to use the 'chick lit' label as a marketing too. Is it a good way? Well, it wouldn't be my first choice!

Anonymous said...

oops, not sure what happened. each time I tried to post, it rejected it, so i tried anonymous, and they all popped up! slinking away now.....

Anonymous said...

for someone who "hates taking about myself" you sure seem to have made it your favorite past time