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Inspired? Would you like to see your name on this website and your book up on those bookshop shelves? This is where we bring you a round up of writing tips, ideas and hints. | Do I really want to be famous? |
by Fiona Robyn I have a confession to make. I want to be famous. I want more people to read my blog. I want more people to buy my books. Why would I be writing this article otherwise? Why would I be writing at all, if I didn’t want someone, somewhere, to be reading my words? I’m also afraid of being known. I’m afraid of being misunderstood. I’m afraid of being understood – some of the things I write about are shameful or exposing. I’m afraid of being criticised. If more people read my writing, more people will dislike it – will think it badly crafted, or over-indulgent, or just plain boring. I’m afraid of losing my privacy. I’m not in any danger of being recognised in the street just yet (!), but this ambivalence still leaves me with a dilemma. How far should I go to reach out towards new readers? Would I prefer two sympathetic readers (including my mum), or should I spend all my time promoting my work and end up with an audience of 200000, 199950 of whom would probably rather be reading Jeffrey Archer? How much energy should I put into selling my work, as opposed to actually making it? I’ve always felt a mixture of admiration and scepticism when I come across brilliant salespeople. Those at the top of their league often seem to take pride in making sales whether or not the customer actually wants to buy. A product is so skilfully packaged, the customer is disappointed when they get it home and take it out of the wrapper. Or the salesperson will use clever psychological techniques to persuade the customer to make a decision they’ll later regret. Brilliant salespeople are skilled at influencing others, and they can use this power to get what they want – the customer’s money. There can also be a fine line between pro-active self promotion and becoming a publicity whore. We all know of celebrities who suddenly seem to be everywhere, and make the crossing from ‘oh good, it’s Bob!’ to ‘oh no, not Bob AGAIN…’. Wanting to be heard can easily slide into a desperate need to be given attention, like the man sitting next to you at the dinner party who talks endlessly about himself but never asks you how you are. For me there is a further complication. There is a part of me that feeds on being ‘popular’. This part of me checks to see who’s been reading my blog, and gets a little obsessed with Facebook. This part of me feels really good when people praise my writing, but the good feeling is like a sugar rush. It’s not healthy - it wears off quickly and leaves me with a slight headache, desperate for more. When this part of me isn’t feeling hungry, praise is nourishing to me – I don’t need it, but I savour it like a good slice of carrot cake. But I have to be careful that the hungry part of me doesn’t get triggered when people give my writing attention. I know that this part of me will never be satisfied by praise. It needs instead to learn it is OK as it is – it already has enough. I have come to accept that if I want to be widely read, and to eventually make a living from my writing, then it is necessary for me to think about ‘selling’. Several things have helped me to do this. It is helpful to remember that selling doesn’t always have to be sneaky or manipulative. We all have needs and wants, and it can be helpful when someone comes along and says ‘we have some of that, and this is what you can expect’. It is also helpful for me to completely separate the ‘writing’ from the ‘selling the writing’ – when I’m putting words into a row, I’m never thinking about swapping them for money. Only when the work is finished can I start thinking about how it might be ‘packaged’. Finally I acknowledge that my relationship with self-promotion and ‘being known’ will change over time. Things always do. Maybe I’ll want to become a recluse next year. Maybe not. I carry my ambivalence with me as I travel. I am human – I am hungry for praise, for money, I want my peers to respect me. But I know that these things won’t ultimately nourish me. If I’m not careful they’ll lead to an even greater hunger, and a sore head. I do have one good reason for selling my writing - a hope that people might get something from my words. They might not, and that’s fine too – I’ve already had my reward, the satisfaction of completing the writing. But maybe some readers will get pleasure from my writing. Maybe it will make them think - wake them up a little. All the other stuff is just a distraction. Friends and family, food, shelter, books, the riches of the natural world – even the difficult stuff and what it teaches me - I already have everything I need. Anything extra will be gravy. Fiona Robyn is a writer and blogger living in Hampshire with her cats, partner and vegetable patch. She’ll be very happy if you want (or don’t want) to find out more about her latest book, ‘small stones: a year of moments’, at www.fionarobyn.com . |
| Posted: 01/07/2008 13:49:23 Last Updated: 01/07/2008 13:55:26 |
Chick Lit > Writing Tips :: Do I really want to be famous?