DH: Reading is a solitary activity but I wouldn’t call it lonely. You do need to isolate yourself…keep family and friends, co-workers or surrounding strangers at bay. I’d say for at least 45 minutes. But you do have the company of the author.
The loneliest activity is writing. If reading is wading, then writing is jumping into the deep end of the pool head first.
Since The Guys have had this blog, I’ve learned that contact is possible between writers and readers. But sometimes it’s like trying to Iphone someone in a distant galaxy.
I once asked a writer on Facebook if I could interview him and he just said yes…like immediately. When I told that to an editor over a beer, I think he winced. Publishers are being dragged into the world of Facebook and Twitter.
There’s one major pub that lists a contact email right on the galley if you want to apply for an interview and responses are prompt.
But I know another major pub whose bureaucracy makes me imagine that their employees are walking through the corridors of their house stumbling over each others feet.
There’s no clear contact to ask and because there isn’t, I think everyone is afraid to stick their neck out and say “yes”. For that house, I give up, I’ll try to reach the writer.
But practices vary. Once a house asked us to interview a prominent writer. Since I was the Guy who had read his latest book, I said yes and was sent the writer’s private email address….like…you two sort it out…we don’t want to stand in the middle.
Writers should want to reach out. Aside from interviews and social media there are also talks, appearances at book clubs, and personal projects…reaching out by doing what you love.
When I did research on Ron Carlson for an interview, I saw on his Wikipedia page that he worked to protect endangered badgers. That reinforced my understanding of where his art was coming from….love of the land, care for the environment, of camping and fishing as an expression of personal
freedom.
If you’re a writer, I wouldn’t depend on your publisher. They have a vested interest in your co-dependency. Guys, what do you think? Should a writer, at some point, leave their desk and blind date the reader?
JE: Why on earth would an editor wince at learning that an author consented to an interview with a widely read book blog? That’s annoying. Not even a writer who is in the best hands, should depend on their publisher to make everything happen for them. I can sympathize with a publisher who would like to exercise some degree of guidance over, or participate in conversations regarding a book’s publicity efforts, because, yeah, there’s probably some very eager authors out there with some really shitty publicity skills who might harm themselves, because they don’t know what they’re doing. Badly focused publicity efforts can alienate potential allies. But this is why authors need to educate themselves, they need to understand how the industry works on as many levels as possible, in order to know how to most persuasively approach publicity. Mostly, they just need to network, and converse with other book people– from writers to editors to reps to booksellers, and they’ll start to understand how the whole puzzle fits together, and recognize potential opportunities. Most of those opportunities will require some form of reaching out on the author’s part, and if you’re lucky enough to have people like DH reaching out to you for an interview, I’d say you’d be a damn fool to say no. But a lot of writers just hate this reaching out, and not because they’re shy. Frankly, I don’t see what’s so distasteful to artists about the business side of things. Would I rather write than hustle? Duh. Of course. But I’d rather hustle for my art than do just about anything else in this world BUT write. Personally, I want to know to some degree what’s going on with my art at all times once it has left my hands. I’m not saying I want to control everything that happens to it, but I don’t want to feel like I’m just handing my labor and love over to an editor, then–poof–it’s gone, and I have no inkling what’s happening with it, and where and how and who is reading it, or buying it. And if I have an opportunity to reach out to people who are blowing on my fire—from readers to booksellers, you can bet I’m going to do it. Hell, if I could I’d write every single person who bought my book a thank you note, I’d do it in a heartbeat. It might take me three months, but I’d do it. I’m totally grateful when my readers reach out to me. But I know writers (most of them more successful than myself) who are creeped out by the very idea of engaging their readership. All I can say is, they’re missing out. I dig this connection, I learn a lot about how people process my stories. It makes me a better writer. I like meeting the booksellers, too. And the reps. And the media folks. Anybody who wants to celebrate books, even if they’re not mine.
As for writing being a lonely occupation, I’ve never found it to be. I never feel like I’m missing anything or anybody when I’m writing. I feel like I’ve got everybody I’ve ever known right there at my fingertips, and there’s no place I’d rather be.
JC: Well, to me the response to every one of these subjects is: it depends. Yeah, the editor winced, maybe not at the idea of Dennis doing an interview, but at the idea that an author might be offering up interviews to every Joe on Facebook, which might or might not fit in with the marketing and publisicty plan. I can see his point to an extent. The publisher has spent considerable resources (okay, sometimes) developing a plan. What if they’ve promised the first interview to a certain publication? Did the author just screw that up? Would that interview with Time have been better that ifinishedreadingabook.blogspot.com? Yeah, maybe.
This isn’t to say that any author should wait and let the publisher do all the work. I think it’s clear that the growing model is for the author to do a lot of outreach for his novel. But the note here is to do that in concert with the efforts of the publisher. Cooperating, you ought to get a lot more out of your efforts.
Indeed, I wonder about publishers who severely limit access to their authors. Sure, some authors, having reached certain levels of fame or paranoia, are inaccessible, and some don’t even need the publicity. But those pubs who are still relying on the traditional modes of marketing and pr, and not exploring the possibilities in social marketing platforms, are missing the boat.
And to you, JE, I say it depends too, on the nature of the writer in question. Some writers are simply uncomfortable in social settings. For them, that’s one of the benefits of the livelihood. They are private and reserved, even when they do appreciate the reader’s interest. And yes, some don’t want to get their hands dirty on the business end of things, just to do the art. Some, like JE, on the other hand, have never met a stranger. Like him they are great self promoters, enthusiasts, and conversationalists, great in the reading circle, on the stage, at the release party, and at the bar. That will always serve you well in the eye
s of your readers. And that’s part of the point, right?
JR: Writing isn’t a lonely pursuit, it’s solitary. You have to be comfortable with yourself, confident to sit alone and fill the page (even when that task turns your stomach upside down, because the frequency to create something, when you’re a writer, is very difficult to ignore, and no one is going to understand you if you try to tell them). If you want company, join a bowling league. What would have happened if JE had told me to get screwed when I emailed him about his first book? Full disclosure, JE lives where I used to live, and we know a lot of the same people, so we had that connection immediately. Where would our blog be now if JE hadn’t said yes to our offer to join? Where would JE be? Don’t answer that JE.
What would have happened if someone had stopped Jonathan Franzen from giving his unvarnished thoughts on being picked by Oprah when he was out pushing The Corrections? Would it all have gone well? Would he be in a better place now? Writers in the 21st century are told by publicists, (speaking generally) to promote the shit out of their book, join Facebook, and be there for Ma and Pa reader (shit, James Ellroy is on FB, and he loves to talk). Their told to do what ever it takes to get the word out. Have I been turned down by writers for interviews? Yes. Prominent writers who are my friends? Yes. Even after they said yes and I sent them the questions? Yes. Why? Who knows? There are so many interesting books out there, and great writers to talk to, for me to get bogged down on the people who say no. But if you say yes, and you tell me you’re going to do something, and you don’t. Well, I’m not going to ask twice.
When I wrote for AICN I used to get 100% yeses from writers I asked to interview. I didn’t do it that often, and when I started I wasn’t very good at it. But I’ve found more than one author emailing me after they’ve read my review of their book at AICN. David Benioff is a good example of a guy who would do anything for his book, and has been there for me a million percent, always saying yes to my requests. And he follows up. (Can someone give me a hand picking up this name I dropped?) Over time I’ve come to know a lot of writers, and have found just about every one to be gracious and friendly, especially when I asked them for blurbs on my book. It’s a network like JE talks about. Now that Rome has fallen, and independent publishers are getting their seat at the table, this world is changing, and every author who has a book on the shelf needs to pay attention to every reader.
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