I was speaking to my brother on the phone the other day about a post on a blog we both follow called Life of Johnston.
She starts her post with the following:
“I only started this online diary as a publicity stunt for my books. Yet fame continues to elude me. It seems that a genius for self-promotion requires something more than a complete lack of modesty. You have to do things, and I’m not sure what. I keep trying to think of ways to become notorious without actually ruining my life. Nothing occurs.”
She has a whole collection of books online, one of which I proudly own (kindle version). Although I have yet to publish a book, I wonder if her ruminations over that elusive fame will also play a roll in my future.
“I liked your last blog post,” my brother said.
“Then why don’t you give it a star, or leave a comment online?” I asked.
“Is that important to you? That people leave comments?” In response to my brother’s simple question, I launched into a long winded answer one might usually reserve for an essay on the importance of blogging. I originally started my blog as a means to share my thoughts and experiences as an American living in Holland. But as my ambitions as a writer have grown, so have my intentions for my blog.
I explained that the more comments and stars I get, the higher ranking my blog will receive, and thus the higher chance of attracting more readers. I told him that I have a goal to make a living from writing, plan to develop a career in that direction and that a blog is a free first step; a tool to practice writing, share your thoughts and develop a following. He promised to give my different blog posts lots of stars after we got off the phone.
Creativity runs in the family. My brother is an artist and we have four of his paintings in our flat in the Netherlands. Nevermind that the beautiful landscape paintings of Southern California painted in the rich palettes of a sun-kissed land give me bouts of homesickness. They also bring me joy in a way that flowers do–they exude beauty and remind me to take a breath, visit nature or call my family.
But in answering his question of why I write, I started to second guess myself; was I writing for myself or for other people? Or both? I have written short stories on and off my whole life, most taking a few kb of space on a computer or disc, never seen by others. Thus I write for myself. But whenever I had articles published in Food and Home magazine or regional architectural magazines, I shared them with friends and family alike, looking forward to their comments, and yes, hoping they would be impressed. There. I’ve admitted it. I like to hear what people think of my writing. I think most authors do.
Like the author of Life of Johnston, I also self promote my blog. I share certain posts on Facebook or twitter or mention them to friends. I even have a personal business card with my blog address on the back.
“Don’t you get excited when your paintings are in a show and people see them?” I asked my brother.
“Well. Yeah. Of course,” he responded. “But I don’t paint for other people. I paint because I love painting.” But a painting stands on a wall in someone’s home for years to come. It is an art piece that draws attention, changes with the light; is attached to that period in life when the painting was acquired and gains both monetary and emotional value over time. An artist’s creative work endures.
Writing on the other hand, has both ephemeral and long-lasting possibilities. An article written for a newspaper may be read the day it is printed and is soon forgotten if no online counterpart exists. But writing also has longevity. Take Jane Austen’s works, for example, which remain a staple of English literature close to 200 years after her death.
As I work on the final draft of my first novel of 300 pages that I hope to birth into the world this September, I too have hopes; hopes that people will not only read it, but enjoy it; that they will not be shy to share their comments with me and will whole-heartedly recommend it to others. One can only hope. And self-promote.
kristininholland 
I, too, will give you the stars you deserve from now on. I am glad you have been notifying the new entries of your blog on Facebook.
Thank you Carole! But don’t make the stars a burden! I opted for the auto post on Facebook, a feature wordpress offers. Do you also write?
No, wish I could. When I am in turmoil, I tend to write it down. Makes me feel better since I’m not the confrontational type.
I must admit I am rather curious about your novel now. What is it about? Will there be a kindle version? Good luck finishing it. Maybe you are our next author in church for a “literaire middag”.
For better or worse the internet has allowed anyone to self publish.
Well now. Did you know that self published ebooks are taking 25% of the whole ebook market share? It all shakes out in the end.
Hi Carline. Thanks for reading, thanks for posting a comment and thanks for asking about my novel! I’m calling it eco-fiction with a love story at its core. It’s in English of course, and takes place in Los Angeles, and yes, I plan to release it as an eBook. It’s not a literary undertaking, but more of a lighter read for the beach that offers a message of hope and transformation.
More stars! I always read your blog posts, and savor them for the look into your experience and life. I have a writer that lurks in me and wonders how to get out too, but in the current flow of my life it lies dormant… So I celebrate, take inspiration from, and yes, sometimes enviously rue the creativity of others.
I know you have your hands full Rocklynn, but based on your emails as samples of your writing, you deserve to give yourself the space to write. You can also start a blog. You can make it only available to your friends or those you approve for readership, and you can grow it slowly. Or maybe just a blog for you and only you. I’d LOVE to read your posts!
So… how do I leave stars? I want to leave lots!
Todd
are those guilty stars? you need to go to my blogpost online and click on the stars at the top, choosing a rating of 1-5.
Gracious, I had no idea about the stars either. I don’t think I have the mental fortitude to put that option on my blog. The Facebook “like” button is bad enough.
When I figure out how to promote myself, I will let you know. We can make a pact–I will perform one unseemly, intrusive act of self-promotion if you will. And then it will be your turn to think of something fame-producing, and we can both do that, and we can irritate all our friends. Hurrah! So far my most successful self-promotion has been: my mom buys all my books.
Have you thought about bringing out your novel serially in this blog? Like Dickens and Trollope used to do in penny numbers back when people read novels?
But back to the question–why write? It’s free and doesn’t cause pollution. It takes no space, only time. Habit. Why not?