Reading the following article from the weekly newsletter of Funds For Writers Small Markets, by C. Hope Clark, I thought it deserved as wide an audience as possible. So, with her kind permission, I reproduce it here for your consideration. The website, by the way, has been one of Writers’ Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers for the past 10 years.Writers have an incestuous relationship with other writers.
Ever noticed how writers sell to each other? Read each
other? Study each other?
Ever noticed how writers sell to each other? Read each
other? Study each other?
I can't tell you how many times someone has asked me to
advertise his fiction. FundsforWriters has nothing to
do with fiction. The readers aren't seeking fiction when
they visit the website or open a newsletter. FundsforWriters
is a bad advertising choice for anything other than writing
products.
advertise his fiction. FundsforWriters has nothing to
do with fiction. The readers aren't seeking fiction when
they visit the website or open a newsletter. FundsforWriters
is a bad advertising choice for anything other than writing
products.
Writers feel more comfortable amongst other writers.
Writers painfully open their creative souls to criticism
when they publish. So instead of baring themselves to
complete strangers, way too many writers remain protected
in their circle of fellow scribes, knowing their peers
understand what it takes to publish. The fear is less
palpable.
Writers painfully open their creative souls to criticism
when they publish. So instead of baring themselves to
complete strangers, way too many writers remain protected
in their circle of fellow scribes, knowing their peers
understand what it takes to publish. The fear is less
palpable.
Step back a moment and analyze what type of writer you
are. Identify your market. Usually it's not writers.
You go to websites, forums, chats, and so on to find
writers. Do the same with similar venues, only find
those containing your stereotypical reader.
are. Identify your market. Usually it's not writers.
You go to websites, forums, chats, and so on to find
writers. Do the same with similar venues, only find
those containing your stereotypical reader.
I have news for you. It's easier to appear as an expert
to nonwriters than to your peers anyway. Be bold. Promote
yourself to the folks who need your information, your
stories, your entertainment and inspiration.
to nonwriters than to your peers anyway. Be bold. Promote
yourself to the folks who need your information, your
stories, your entertainment and inspiration.
Another newsflash . . . writers aren't wealthy. We
can only sell so much to other writers. Ever been to
a writers conference and seen the endless tables of
books for sale? Writers trying to sell to writers when
they ought to be seeking their true readership.
can only sell so much to other writers. Ever been to
a writers conference and seen the endless tables of
books for sale? Writers trying to sell to writers when
they ought to be seeking their true readership.
Step out. Target your reader. Go for them and draw
them in. Camaraderie is one thing; incest is another.
Expand your gene pool. You'll be stronger and more
successful when you do. Other writers aren't going
to make you more famous. They're too busy clamoring
up the ladder themselves.
them in. Camaraderie is one thing; incest is another.
Expand your gene pool. You'll be stronger and more
successful when you do. Other writers aren't going
to make you more famous. They're too busy clamoring
up the ladder themselves.
Hope Clark
2 comments:
GAK. I don't want this to be true, Stuart, but I have to admit I've known it all along. I have been living in sweet denial. I don't know whether to curse you or thank you.
Go on, Billie, you know you want to thank Hope and me for the reality check. Now it's up to you to act on it, or not. I read this and realised it was partly what I had been doing, which is why I wanted to alert as many writers as possible. We can't afford to waste our time this way.
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