Award-winning authors Robin L. LaFevers and Mary Hershey started a blog about methods of promotion for writers who might be reluctant to appear in public. Both are very active in our region of the SCBWI. I have been lucky enough to take a terrific workshop from Robin on plotting.
When they realized that they had gotten carried away with the answers to my questions, I was given permission to edit their response. But I left in every hilarious word.
Why did you start The Shrinking Violet Blog?
mh: Robin and I go all the way back to the last millennium together, and have traveled each step of the writing journey together-- the agonies and the ecstasies. We share the same Myers Briggs profile, which is a rather unique type, save for a few souls that gone completely mad in their lifetimes. (Okay, I might have made that part up.) We are very similar in make-up, but very different in manifestation. We 'get' each other but don't bore each other, by being too similar.
Before publication, I was sure that would want to throw myself into all the gala facets of promotion, school visits, book tours, speaking engagements, signings, etc. When the reality hit, I quickly discovered that having a book come didn't automatically change my personality. Promotion was as about as enticing as dysentery. Even though I live within spitting distance
of an independent bookstore, and it's nearly a second home to me, I could not for the life of me gather up the courage to introduce myself to the owner. I would stand in the children's section dry-mouthed with sweat running down my legs. Robin was having a similar experience, and we began having conversations about the challenges of being an introverted author.
And we each love blogging-- it is both private and and relational. Like us! We are having great fun with it.
RL: Ever since the publication of my first book (back in Nov. 03) I've been struggling with this whole concept of book promotion. The industry expectation is that authors should morph from rather solitary, cerebral creatures into an effective sales machine, which puts us in a quandary
because sales and marketing skills are not something the majority of writers possess in great quantity.
So as I stumbled my way through, trying to promote my book--feeling hugely uncomfortable the whole time, I thought, there has to be a better way. And at some point I realized that although my intentions were good, I was simply too uncomfortable with promotion to be very effective. That's when Irealized I had to pick the few things I was good at or comfortable with and use those as my core marketing strategy then simply ignore the other stuff.
Mary and I started off on this long writing journey together, lo those many years ago, when we met in a class given by the talented and generous Lee Wardlaw and we have stuck together like Velcro ever since. We're both very introverted, yet committed to our writing careers, even while beingoverwhelmed by the promotional and marketing expectations. We also just have a ton of fun together, so we're always looking for excuses to hang out. We've both also benefited from the generosity of other writers in our area in terms of shared knowledge, classes, etc., and as we discussed ways we could give back to the writing community, we landed on our rather unusual
area of expertise; being introverts who had to come to terms with the very extroverted process of book promotion. Thus Shrinking Violet Promotions was born.
What is the most valuable advice you can give to someone about their first book?
mh: Be present for it. It is such an indescribable experience! Imagine if you will your best-ever birthday, delivering your first child (minus the inconvenience of contractions), topped off with a winning lottery ticket and a Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes. Add a new Prada bag packed
with hundred dollar bills on your arm as you cruise Rodeo Drive. Your first book coming out is kinda like that-- no, wait! It's way, way better than that!
Be grateful for it. You worked your caboose off, and, yes, you earned it, but stay in a grateful, receiving place about it. It is a gift. Actively express your appreciation to everyone that helped you get there, from your Adult Ed teacher to your mom, your best friend, your critique group, your
editor, the copy editor, your agent, the guy at Kinko's that saved your bacon that night, your partner, and well, Ben & Jerry, of course.
RL: Pretty much what Mary said. Your first book is SO special Embrace it and celebrate it with every fiber of your being. It's like having your first child, one of the instances where you're allowed to contact everyone you know-- even if you haven't seen them in ten years-- and squeal, "I have a
published book!!"
What is one of your favorite books that you'd like to recommend?
mh: Anything by the Annes-- Anne Lamott and Annie Dillard. (You can throw Anne Frank in there for inspiration.) Lamott and Dillard are both so willing to share their love/hate relationship with writing. You don't always have to like it! You do it anyway. It's like a running discipline. You show up for it-- rain, wind, blisters, dead iPod, cramps. It pays off, it's just not always pretty. But, then sometimes, writing is inexplicably magic and you are Vincent Van Gogh at the keyboard, every stroke sheer brilliance.
RL: Well, since Mary already recommended Anne Lamott (I have to be quicker with my answers next time, obviously!) I would recommend Stephen King's book, ON WRITING. I adore that book. It is so inspirational and such a testament to the life journey's behind our writing.
Mary Hershey is the author of the middle grade novel, MY BIG SISTER IS SO BOSSY SHE SAYS YOU CAN'T READ THIS BOOK, Wendy Lamb Books, 2005. Her second novel entitled THE ONE WHERE THE KID NEARLY JUMPS TO HIS DEATH AND LANDS IN CALIFORNIA was released by Razorbill/Penguin in March 2007. Publisher's Weekly describes it as a "...poignant novel populated
with complex, memorable characters." She is currently completing her third novel for Random House, which will be out in Spring 2008. Mary holds a Master's degree in Counseling &Guidance and is a certified Personal and Executive Coach. She works part-time for the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the rest of her hours are spent chasing down a recalcitrant muse who is
moonlighting in North Hollywood.
www.maryhershey.com http://maryhershey.livejournal.com
R. L (Robin) La Fevers published her first middle grade novel with Dutton in November of 2003. She has sold four more children's novels to Dutton since then, and her sixth book, THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, a Junior Library Guild selection, was published by Houghton Mifflin in April of 2007. Her book THE FORGING OF THE BLADE was nominated to the Texas Library
Association’s Bluebonnet Award Master List 2006-2007 and is a 2007 Utah CLAU
Beehive Award Nominee. When not gazing longingly at ancient artifacts or wallowing in old forgotten texts researching her next book, she’s busy trying to keep one step ahead of her two teenaged sons. She lives with the aforementioned sons, her husband, and a demonic cat in Southern California.
http://www.rlafevers.com http:///www.theodosiathrockmorton.com
Great and funny interview. Took me a while to wander over here but I'm glad I did.
Greg
Posted by: Greg T. | March 30, 2007 at 09:24 PM
Tina,
Thank you for sharing these words of wisdom from our own Robin and Mary! Terrific writers with terrific advice!
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Bietz | March 28, 2007 at 07:55 PM
I never tire of reading the wise and witty words of these two wonderful writers (how's that for unintentional alliteration?!). Especially when the
words 'talented' and 'gorgeous' are used in the same sentence as my name. Believe me, these
violets are anything but shrinking. Their blooms (and books) burst with talent, hilarity, poignancy, mystery, adventure, authenticity and perserverance. Blossom on, Mary and Robin!
xoxo -Lee
Posted by: Lee Wardlaw | March 26, 2007 at 07:48 AM