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Promotion
Okay everyone, Buick could use some advice (once again)...
I've been making enquiries as to how a young writer should go about making useful connexions that may promote him etc.... and have been unanimously informed that I must go to University to make the kind of contacts I need. This isn't an option for me at the moment, and is unlikely to be so for the foreseeable future. My career, I am told, will be severely hindered if I don't attend Uni, simply because I will not be in a position to make said contacts.
This is distressing. I'm not bad at making connections, I suppose; I had a poetry mentor who was immensely helpful but lacked the time or resources to promote me properly. I NEED promotion - I am writing short stories, articles, reviews and poetry, as well as running a business, and looking for a part-time job.
I'm a good, marketable prospect, I'm 22 and have various accomplishments to my name. I'm told I'll have a bright future if someone could just give me a boost, hence the repeated refrains 'Go to Uni! Go to Uni!'.
I welcome ANY ideas anyone may have. I was thinking about an agent - my debut collection'll be out this year, so it's perhaps not too ridiculous an option.
I'm aware this entreaty may sound rather hazy and general, as indeed it is, which is why I've come to the experts first.
Thank you!
I've been making enquiries as to how a young writer should go about making useful connexions that may promote him etc.... and have been unanimously informed that I must go to University to make the kind of contacts I need. This isn't an option for me at the moment, and is unlikely to be so for the foreseeable future. My career, I am told, will be severely hindered if I don't attend Uni, simply because I will not be in a position to make said contacts.
This is distressing. I'm not bad at making connections, I suppose; I had a poetry mentor who was immensely helpful but lacked the time or resources to promote me properly. I NEED promotion - I am writing short stories, articles, reviews and poetry, as well as running a business, and looking for a part-time job.
I'm a good, marketable prospect, I'm 22 and have various accomplishments to my name. I'm told I'll have a bright future if someone could just give me a boost, hence the repeated refrains 'Go to Uni! Go to Uni!'.
I welcome ANY ideas anyone may have. I was thinking about an agent - my debut collection'll be out this year, so it's perhaps not too ridiculous an option.
I'm aware this entreaty may sound rather hazy and general, as indeed it is, which is why I've come to the experts first.
Thank you!
Comments
Your debut collection, is it poetry or short stories?
And it's poetry, btw.
Yes, social media can be time-consuming, which is why you have to set yourself limits. What would you be more comfortable with if you had to choose one?
Do you have a website yet?
In the lead-up to the collection coming out you could share inspirations, then when it comes out have links to Amazon etc.
Liz is really the one to quiz on good poetry promotion.
The best poetry MA I know is in Bath. You can do it part time, so work at the same time and fund it that way. If you already have a collection you do not need to have a BA first, as you are already successful in your field. And yes - it is an unparalleled way to gain contacts in the industry.
If not, then get yourself a website and promote your book on it. Very easy to set up a website. You are good at offering advice, why not give advice on there about wiring poetry?
Poetry is a hard thing to promote. I'll try and think of more info and get back to you.
Thing is, I don't know when the book is going to be out; my publisher has cancer so I don't like to bother him. He says he has a huge backlog; so I can only presume it will be the end of this year at the earliest. In any case, plenty of time for website promotion.
I've actually never thought of doing an MA - I didn't know such an option would be open to me. I'll definitely look into that.
Thank you both, you are very helpful.
It would take up a lot of your time and money. Fine if you actually want to go to university and are in a position to do so, but if you don't really want to the chances are you won't do well or will drop out. In that case your new connections will view you as a loser - can't see how that will encourage them to help you.
Making contacts who will eventually be in a position to publish and promote your books isn't guaranteed. Even if you do meet such people, and stay in touch with them for a couple of decades until they can help, their support isn't guaranteed to make your books a success.
If you don't want to, then don't start, but if you do, you are very unlikely to drop out. you soon see that you are being taught to make your work excellent in every regard, it opens your mind to all sorts of realisations about yourself and your capabilities that you were not aware of - it teaches you not to accept 'good enough' but to strive for the most excellent of excellence.
What it does is focus your mind and efforts (there are business and promotion modules) in every regard. I would guarantee you will not drop out. what is more, it's not like a BA - it's only a year, or two if done part time, and full time that is 6 hours contact a week. 3 hours part time. You do need to be writing all the time full time, but part time means people can do a job or look after children etc at the same time.
Poetry is not ever going to make you money - most books or pamphlets sell in the hundreds. my books has sold 2,000 which was its print run and will probably go into another print run but I have sold a lot of those myself going into schools and at readings etc, about half were sold through bookstores as the publisher though small does get books in places like waterstones.
If you write for children and therefore schools, that is where the money is, but even then, not much!
Poets make money by talks, touring, readings etc. OR- by another job.
I don't dispute there are many advantages to taking a university course and I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from doing so - just disputing the advice BM has been given that he must do this in order to promote his work.
Their books are very different, but they have lovely illustrations and create good displays.
Locally*, they are known. They host readings, they participate in events. Poets are like any writer, you just need to take advantage of all opportunities.
*Dorset/Somerset - not 'on the doorstep' local.
Any poetry societies?
I know living in a city with a strong literary heritage does give advantages, but it's worth searching out any available networking opportunities.
The advice I want to give is: join a writers' group! You meet people and therefore have connections.
I've always wanted to write but only last year I joined a group after winning their short story competition. Not only does it give me a kick to keep writing but you meet people and they know people (at least the people in my group do, they know other writers as they ask them to come to do a workshop-not that this has benefited me).
You could also look for poetry workshops etc in your area to meet people. I don't know anything about poetry but I think being part of a writers' group is really going to be beneficial to me, keeping in contact with people, being encouraged to explore different types of writing. I also enjoy the work by the writers' in my group. If you are interested here's the directory: http://www.nawg.co.uk/88/
It's funny I've nobody has told me to go to uni to write. I'm 27 and only now I'm writing more and trying to get some success, although I've always wanted to be a writer. I am just aiming at writing a lot and maybe entering some competitions. I had every intention of going to uni at aged 18 but it didn't stick.
You can meet people at festivals or at writing courses. There are often workshops and courses around the country. It seems silly to me to spend 3 years in uni to get connections when you could meet people in other ways and with social media you have access to more people.
To promote successfully you unquestionably need contacts.
I can't even unpick the myriad of ways in which my course helped me - but there was a good deal of confidence boosting involved, my books got read and reviewed by many more people than it would have in a number of areas, i got listened to and treated seriously as a contender even without the experience because of having been on the course which is recognised in the industry as having extremely high standards and therefore there is a certain trust gained.
But as i just said, you need contacts to promote - this isn't the same for fiction or any other genre... poetry is different. It is a small world and tbh most poetry is sold to other poets! Or would-be poets...
Most poetry readings are full of poets - not the general public. It's an entirely different ball game and someone who isn't a poet - it's hard to describe what is needed to them.
The poets I know attend general writing/book events, not just for poets. They sell their books to non-poets, to readers of poetry. If a poet begins by assuming they can't break out of the poetry world, they will never succeed.
This is one area I know very well. I've manned poetry stalls. (Not just mine!)
Craft fairs in particular offer a great platform to sell books - of all kinds. If you assume that your work will only be bought by your writing peers, you will always have limited sales.
I too know this very well. In recent years I've seen an increase in authors/poets/writers selling their work at fairs. It's relatively affordable, displays are easy to arrange and books can be signed. Do they sell? Yes.
On Friday I took it upon myself to track down the details of, and contact, a higher-up at Durham Uni (the Uni closest to me), and emailed the Head of English studies. I detailed my situation and ambitions, and asked if she had any advice. Evidently she forwarded the email to the Uni's Poet-In-Residence, and he's just responded today. Here's part of the email:
"Firstly, well done for having the gumption to attempt to think outside the box and initiate some networking. I can tell you, as someone who has attempted to have novels published, and as someone who has tutored creative writing and poetry for many years, you are trying to enter one of the most competitive fields there is. However, it is not necessary to have a university degree in order to succeed. You have already done well by the sounds of things and you can build on your current experience without the need for academic study. Many books are available that give excellent guidance in novel-writing, poetry or screenwriting. In the end, your own writing style is your shop window and you will have to sink or swim by what publishers or agents make of it. If you are strong-willed enough to face rejections the way forward is to send sample work out there and hope for the best."
He then went on to invite me to send him some pieces of poetry/prose, so that he may give feedback and advice re where to place them.
He will give you advice.
Sending stuff out is crucial - and having enough time to write, and develop your style.
Actually finding ways of selling your book will be helpful because the next publisher will want to know you can sell. But you'd have to have windows in the day when you set time aside for the tweeting etc as otherwise it can take over your life.
BB do you schedule yours?
Sounds as though you've just made a very valuable connection. I do hope you're going to send him a few pieces.
Re the poetry, he said: '...you have a distinctive "voice" and I would not suggest changing it in any way. It is the authentic voice of a young man and will undoubtedly mature as your style develops in the coming years.'
Re the prose, he said it was 'promising' and offered detailed feedback as to how to improve it. He also said he'd like to see it in its finished state.
Progress indeed :-)
I'll also see if there's local poetry societies/festivals etc., if there are any; I've never looked into the matter before.
Wow! That is progress. Well done!
Good luck, BM.
I actually plan on writing another poetry collection this year, and, time-permitting, a story collection, too. There is much to accomplish!
good advices!
and I have one more note regarding book promotion and reviews!
I hope it will be helpful
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good luck!