Wednesday 27 July 2011

Balancing Self-Promotion with Writing and Reading

The Romantic Novelists are still talking about self-promotion. They had report of a teenage reader who said that she found most of the many books she read online in recommendations from other readers and writers, but did not like books being pushed at her all the time. Other members said that they didn't have time to keep up a blog, Facebook and Twitter, and really needed more time to spend on their writing. I think that I agree!
I started this blog in January, and I've spent the past few days adding some pages, as you can see above, about me and my novel. I've also uploaded a summery short story which I hope you'll like.
This blog is very much a work in progress, as I'm learning how to do it as I go along. However, Catherine Ryan Howard (Self-Printed) is passionate about blogging (five days a week), Tweeting and keeping up her Facebook pages, as well as preparing her second travel memoir for publication. I don't know how she does it. My blog is taking up all my time, and I really need to get my book ready. . .
The other thing I have less time for is reading. I started Harriet Evans' Love Always a few weeks ago, but got side tracked on Mousestrapped and you've guessed it, Self-Printed, plusWoman's Weekly which I try to keep up with to help me write a suitable story to get published in their magazine!
This week, I think, was indicative of the new sort of stories that they want. One, by Rachel Lovell, was about a couple that had moved to France because their foster child had told a 'squalid tale' about the husband which had ruined their lives, but they found a new meaning in life by helping a French family. The other story from Bernadette James was about a woman waiting for a reunion with her sister years after they had both loved the same man. I found these stories both quiet and thoughtful.
Anyway, I'm back with Harriet Evans now, and loving her new book.

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