My Writers’ Guild coordinator emailed me the other day about something I had done last month for our last meet up. It was the essay I wrote called The Gully that I submitted for you my loyal readers to enjoy. She asked me if this was a blog because this month’s meet up discussion topic is blogging.
I replied to her query with an affirmative and then explained to her that unlike most authors who write about what they are doing in regard to a project that they are either presently working on or promoting as a recently published book, I have gone a slightly different route by trying to promote my writing for all of you to see and appreciate.
On occasion I do the promoting of a new book that I had recently published, but I also do other things which many of you know is a goulash of various topics that I find interesting and put into writing. I have a number of other writers through word press and twitter who do the same thing. They self-promote but then they also write about current events that is shaping our lives, a person of notoriety who for good or ill has become a catalyst in our lives, or a political topic that I believe is an important issue for discussion. I have also written whimsical narrative to give you a fresh eye on my abilities as a writer.
I hope that what ever she thinks a blog should, I don’t believe it should only be about selling the book I wrote or the project I am about to embark on. I believe selling my brand as an author is just as important if not more so.
I’m wrong. I need to sell my books as a marketing ploy and not sell myself as a writer. I don’t know if that would sell more of my books or not. What is that saying six of one, half dozen of another? Should I focus solely on selling books or selling my brand through creative writing? I guess you the reader out there are the best judges for that.
Jerry Schellhammer 