Most of us writers are, by nature, solitary beasts. We are happiest when holed up in our writer caves, interacting only with people whom we control – our characters. Although many writers I know claim it’s the other way around!
We decide what they are feeling, where they are going, and how and when that journey ends. Woe to the character who crosses an angry writer!
We engage with them when we are ready, and there are no critics (outside of the inner one) to tell us we are doing it wrong.
Sooner or later, though, we finish a story, and if we ever plan to publish it and sell copies to what we hope will become our adoring public, we have to engage with actual people.
Not every writer is an introvert, but I’d argue that a pretty high percentage of us are. I consider myself an extroverted introvert – that is, I’m an introvert at heart, and can be happy spending days and days alone writing or at home spending time with my hubby. But I’ve learned to act as an extrovert when needed, and even found out that I can be energized by it.
Let’s go back to my central premise. At some point you are going to have to promote yourself, and that can be hard for anyone, especially introverted first-timers. One thing that helps me is to remember that I am actually promoting my work, not myself. The story that I really believe in.
Sure, as a person I’m a simple writer schmuck whom no one outside of my friends and family knows. But I did this really cool thing. I wrote a story that no one else could write, a magical window into an alternative reality stitched together from parts of my soul, my memories, and the world around me as I see it.
So when I am promoting myself, what I am really talking about is the story I have written. That feels a little less cringey, right?
Even so, your readers will want to know a little bit about you the writer person too. And although it can be uncomfortable to put yourself at center stage, it helps to consider yourself as a person first. What interesting things have I done in my life? What steps led me here? What funny anecdotes can I tell about the creation of this story?
Come up with a few interesting stories (see what I did there?) to use when you are asked “So tell me about [insert your writer name here].”
A few examples from my own writer story:
- I was reading at twelfth grade level when I was in second grade, and started reading the Lord of the Rings when I was ten. (establishes my love of books and sci-fi from an early age)
- I live in a little yellow bungalow with two pink flamingos out front (gives my readers a charming picture of where I do my writing)
- My friends say my brain works a little differently from most folks – I see connections many other people miss. (establishes my writing credentials, and gives readers something interesting to think about)
There are many more, but you get the idea. By thinking of yourself as a story, it makes it easier to come up with things to share. In the process, you are making yourself human for your readers, allowing them to connect with you on a deeper level. And for the same reason, these are all great things to put in your author bio.
One more trick up my sleeve, and this may seem counterintuitive to true introverts. Put yourself in public places, selling your own work. I do a number of events each year, including pride festivals, readings, and anime and sci-fi cons. These may sound scary to those who haven’t tried them, and they are – at first. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the look of wonder cross someone’s face when they realize they are chatting with the actual author, and how energizing that feels. As the person who wrote a book, you have a power that you don’t realize, and never will until you experience this.
In this setting, you are sharing your baby – your story – and talking about all the things that went into crafting it. It’s easier than talking about yourself.
Spoiler alert – you will end up talking about yourself too in the process – how you write, the parts of your life that informed the story, and some of the funny things that happened along the way to creating this book they now hold in their hands.
By the time you realize you are doing it, self-promotion will already be starting to feel like second nature.
And don’t worry. When you are done, pat yourself on the back, and then allow yourself to retreat to the warmth and comfort of your writer cave to create something new, safe from the adoring gaze of your new fans.