Don't let my cool and calm demeanor fool you. My smile and wave hide the truth about me…I'm somewhat of an introvert who hates attention drawn to myself. I’m scared spitless when writer friends tell me it’s important to promote myself.
For those who consider themselves introverts too, there’s a way to promote yourself without feeling like you’re obligated to sing your own songs of praise.
My advice for you is to write. Write articles. Write devotions. Write poetry. Write short stories. Write for contests. Write whatever floats your boat. And then write some more. And for goodness sakes, be sure to submit what you’ve written.
Three of my children’s book are ready for an editor. Until I save enough pennies to hire an editor, I’ve taken my own advice and kept myself busy writing devotions, articles, short stories (fiction and nonfiction), and poems. The good news is I've had some success, especially where devotions and articles are concerned. To God be the glory.
(To emphasize the point of the previous paragraph, I received notice yesterday that a children’s picture book I submitted to a contest received an honorable mention. It wasn’t a win but it was at least worth a mention. I’ll take it. When it’s time to submit the book to a publisher, it can’t hurt that it received an honorable mention from Writer’s Digest.)
I figure when it comes time to promote my book, it will help to have my moniker all over the internet and in various publications and anthologies. Several devotions have been published in books with millions of readers. That’s got to be a plus. Right?
The truth is I'll still have to hit the pavement to promote my books. I get that. Hopefully though, with my name already in print, my works can help speak for me.
Along the way, I discovered I enjoy writing in various genres. I encourage you to consider other options to get your name into publications as well. Networking could prove to be a beneficial promotional tool.