Selling Myself

It is said that prostitution is the oldest profession, I would think that writing would come in second. In the week that I have jumped unto this roller coaster, I have learned that I need to sell myself and sell my writing. I’m not one to strive to be in the spotlight. I have always been comfortable staying in the wings, working behind the scenes. But, here I am…putting my thoughts, feelings, musings, and eventually, my novel…out into the world, or at least the internet.

Let me get this straight: I have complete confidence in my writing and my novel series. My apprehension comes from putting myself out there…opening up to rejection, insults, ‘pointing and laughing’, and everything negative that comes with this journey. But, I am not letting it stop me. I’m almost 42 and have experienced life events that could have broken me, so what if someone doesn’t like what I write? That truly is not the end of the world.

There is one part of this marketing (better word than ‘selling myself’) that has me perplexed and that is my bio. It’s a mix between a resume and blurb. Highlights from your writing career and the awards you have received.

…Ummm…I don’t have awards, there are no highlights. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since 2006. I left school in 2008 to take care of my dying mom and haven’t had the means to go back. I was working on a triple major in English, History, and Anthropology. I love reading, cooking, baking, crafting, gardening. Not quite the glorious resume of a novelist, uh?

My husband said to talk about our many moves, my passion for learning even if I haven’t been able to go back to school. And especially talk about my love of being a mother. (Ladies, he’s mine!)

That’s where my novel series was born. I asked the most basic question a writer can ask, which is “What If?”. And my answer is my novel series. I took my imagination and let it run wild. I put myself into my story, so yes, the MC is me. It’s the me that is living out the answer of “What if?”. I’m not perfect, neither is my MC. She uses humor (sometimes at the worse time) to deal with her problems. She’s sarcastic and sensitive. She has desires and bad habits. But, her strength is from one thing: Her utter and undying love for her daughter.

And that my dear followers, ain’t bad.