Things have been pretty busy.
In March I published:
- Why I Stand By Planned Parenthood, The Frisky, March 3
The Road, The Nervous Breakdown, March 30
In addition, last week I was the featured author at The Nervous Breakdown. Yay!
On Friday, my essay on divorce, dating, and tattoos was published in Dark Sky Magazine, a very cool literary journal. When you get a chance, you should also read the essays in the back issues. I especially loved Eric LeMay’s Man Can, Caleb Powell’s Yin Dao, and Charlie Geer’s Tell Me the Options.
Perhaps the biggest news this week was that I officially launched my memoir marketing campaign with a contest (if you haven’t voted yet on your favorite cover, you have till this Friday!). Fifteen people have voted so far, which has far exceeded my expectations.
Who knew marketing could be so much work? I jest of course. People build whole careers around marketing. People and whole companies are hired just to do marketing and PR.
In the past, I’ve talked about how I hate marketing and think it’s a joke. But I think what I meant was my old job and department were a total joke. At least when you’re marketing a particular product, it’s a real thing you can hold in your hands. What we did I can’t – and don’t – even want to explain. And I found that the less valid one feels, the more adamantly one wants to prove one’s worth, resulting in a department full of dissatisfied Type A neurotics.
Fun.
Anyway, that’s a long way of saying I enjoy marketing my own book far more than marketing whatever at my previous employer. But it’s a lot of work! I had to put together an actual marketing plan and schedule to keep all the details straight. I had to consider the timing – wait too long between “marketing messages” (barf, I said it) and people will lose interest, bombard and people will be overloaded.
I love the contest idea because 1) I’m showing folks something real (the covers), 2) what I’m showing is quick and easy to take in (pictures), and 3) the prizes are fun and promote both my book and my cover designer’s business.
Crowd sourcing the cover!
Anyway, enough babbling from me. Back to work.