Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Questions and Awkwardness


What kind of questions do people ask when they find out you’re a writer? The first is obvious; what’s your story about? Hopefully most of us have an answer to that one, although I must admit, I still have trouble with the fly-by pitch. After that initial question, others follow, and what you get depends mainly on the person. This includes everything from the where did you get your idea questions to the who should play your characters in a movie.

For some of us, the answers roll off our tongue like a perfectly written script; honest, brief, but yet intriguing enough to entice people to read the book for themselves. For others (me) this is harder. I just had a story to tell.  I wrote it. It’s been published. Not very appealing or original, I know. That’s just who I am. That’s my comfort level. My secret hope is that people will read my book, love it, tell others about it, and the chain goes on. I won’t have to do any public speaking, no matter how small the group, and still my book will get read.

I hear all your snickers. I know, I know. I better just get over myself and realize it’s a mixed bag. You can’t have one without the other.  

18 comments:

  1. I don't do a lot of real life appearances. I rely on the Internet for most of my promotions.

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  2. This may be one of those 'fake it 'til you make' situations. :) The more you do it the less you'll have to fake it, you'll get more comfortable all the time. :)

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  3. I can't seem to give my pitch off the fly either. I am incredibly shy when it comes to my writing and don't like to talk about my work with my friends. They would be shocked to find out that I am so shy, because in my "real life" I am loud and obnoxious and always joking around. I'm a weirdo!!

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    1. No. I'm the same way. I'm actually quite social. But not with my books. They're too close.

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  4. I guess after a while when you get experience, you'd be able to talk about your book in a more descriptive manner.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  5. My dream would be to publish a book and go on tour reading it to all of those who will listen, but I understand where you are coming from too. You love to write. You wrote what you love. You want people to read it and love it too. End of story.

    I am trying to get this to "link in comments thing to work so if this next line shows up funny...sorry!
    Brandy's Bustlings

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  7. Real life promo seems less and less. Although, I'm manning a booth w/ some other authors at a street fair in June.

    Luckily most other people I know are writers, so it's ok to babble and ramble. lol

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  8. If you think back to how you felt listening to other authors speak, especially before you were published, you'll realize that aspiring authors are really interested in your story. It's not like you're forcing it on them. Maybe that'll make you feel less nervous when the time comes?

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  9. I'm sure the most common question (next to "what's your story about", and maybe even ahead of it) is "when is it going to get published?" People still have this notion that all you have to do is dash off a novel, then wait for publishers to line up at your door to put it into bookstores.

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  10. My answer to the movie question is Johnny Depp... he could play any of my characters--old, young, male, female... lol. But I hear ya and can very much relate.

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  11. I avoid talking about the fact that I write. Okay let me re-phrase that. I first try to work out a "possible reaction" by dropping little hints... if it seems positive, then I'll mention that I love writing. The amount of information I divulge is related to the reception level... is it cold, warm, hot? Then I know what... or what-not to say.

    Writer In Transit

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  12. I generally don't talk about my writing, especially since I've never published anything. But honestly, public speaking doesn't scare me, as long as I'm prepared for my presentation. (:

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  13. Totally know what you mean. When people ask what my WIP is about, I sort of hem and haw..even though I really like the story...

    "Well...ya see...ummm...it's about this android who...ummm...time travels to the 1930s and...er...." lol

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  14. When I say "I'm a writer", I get blank stares. I add "I blog" and every starts talking about blogging. It is a no-win situation.

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  15. I really get nervous talking to other adults, but luckily I write for kids, and when I have a kid-filled audience, I'm right at home :)

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  16. This is a much healthier approach than mine. Usually I'm just hoping they don't ask certain questions. Hard enough explaining Fantasy to the average non-reader... which is a terrible attitude to carry around.

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