Writers–It Doesn’t Pay to be Shy

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigDSCF7346

Not all writers are introverts, of course.  I’m one of the more introverted ones.  My introversion can veer into shyness around readers…I’m not a shy person otherwise.  

There are definitely things I’m more comfortable doing than others.  I hate readings and signings.  But I don’t mind signing stock in bookstores or (now), telling people that I’m a writer. And there are things I don’t enjoy doing that I now just suck up and do.

Even introverted writers should consider:

Wattpad.  This online publishing platform is a good way to get our work in front of a younger/different audience. Yes, we’ll need to interact with readers there.

Newsletters.  It took me years to get to the point where I’d “bother” a reader with a newsletter. I’ve only been sending them for a little over a year.  Even though readers signed up completely voluntarily to be on my newsletter list.  Each time I send them, my numbers on Amazon get better.

Events. I’m very, very picky about the events I’ll do and send more nos than yesses to invitations. But the ones I do usually have good turnouts and I do sell books and meet readers. After I’m done, I realize I’ve enjoyed them.

Signing stock.  Easy.  I go into bookstores, show my driver’s license or show the staff that the author photo looks like me, and sign the books.  They put a sticker on the front that states autographed copy.  I never see a reader this way.

Goodreads giveaways (no human interaction here! Perfect for the shy writer!)

Telling friends and acquaintances you’re a writer.  This can be done fairly painlessly by putting a link to your books or your site as the signature on your emails.

Landing a guest spot for a blog tour or a place as a regular blogger on a group blog.  If you want a guest blogging opportunity or to be a member of a group blog, you need to reach out to bloggers. This was something I didn’t understand when I started blogging six years ago.  I thought the appropriate etiquette was to wait to be invited.  It’s not.  Although there are best practices when it comes to requesting guest posts. I’ll cover that in a later post.

Asking for help:

Reaching out to primary sources for research.  It can be a lot speedier than searching up very specific bits of information online.  Police officers have been happy to help me when I’ve called their departments. And I don’t think they thought I was a budding criminal (most of the time).

Asking for blurbs/endorsements.  If you’re starting out, you probably need them.  Authors will tell you if they don’t have the time and most bigger name authors expect to be asked.

Times you should put your foot down and not even consider being shy or at all reticent:

A bad contract is much, much worse than no contract at all. Don’t sign your rights away to your content.  Here are some posts that may help you understand your contract: Susan Spann’s “How Bad Can One Page Be? The Hidden Dangers in Short-Form Contracts,”  Victoria Strauss’s “Publishing Industry Terms and Contracts: Some Resources, and Some Advice,” David P. Vandagriff’s (Passive Guy’s) “How to Read a Book Contract – Agents and the Law.”

Not all agents are good agents. Not all publishers are good publishers. Just because these folks say something is so, doesn’t make it so. Places to research agents and publishers are the Preditors and Editors listing and Victoria Strauss’s Writer Beware.

Sometimes professional editors’ “corrections” need to be corrected. Stet is a useful word to know.  For one trad-published series (I no longer work with this editor), an editor corrected an entire couple of pages to first person.  The book was written in third.

These are just a few examples of times it pays to be outgoing as a writer.  Can you think of anything I’ve overlooked?

Elizabeth Spann Craig

View posts by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series (as Riley Adams) and the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin and writes the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. She also has a blog, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. There she posts on the writing craft, finding inspiration in everyday life, and fitting writing into a busy schedule.

34 Comments

  1. J. D. BrinkFebruary 16, 2015

    Thanks for this encouragement. I am one of those folks who have been putting off an email list for the same reason you site with your newsletter: because who wants to be sent junk mail from me?! But I suppose if they volunteer, they won’t mind too much.
    One of these days I need to get back to revamping my everything-but-writing machine, but feel I’m too smalltime to worry about it yet. Of course, maybe I’d grow faster if I did…?
    Thanks!

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      J.D.–That was *exactly* my mindset with my newsletter. I told myself that they actually didn’t want to hear from me, even though the fact that they signed up to be on the newsletter list said otherwise!

      I think you’ll find the newsletter is worth the time effort. I’d figure out what my readers want/are interested in, and then I’d include it in the newsletter. Mine includes Southern-style recipes (because I get feedback on those from my books), special deals for newsletter readers, and sort of a chatty format where I give a little insight into me and my books. And I’m sure to let them know of new releases. Pretty short and to the point, but always nice results from them.

  2. Jenny HansenFebruary 16, 2015

    Thanks for including Susan Spann’s post! I love this. Although I am an extrovert in general, I get very shy about my writing. Thanks, as always, for the advice.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Jenny–A very helpful post from Susan. And, it’s easy to be shy with our writing!

  3. dolorahFebruary 16, 2015

    Good advice Susan. Its good to know that authors need to be wary of agents and editors at times. I find the online community very helpful for not allowing myself to become too introverted.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Dolorah: The community definitely helps with our sense of connection, doesn’t it?

  4. Prashant C. TrikannadFebruary 16, 2015

    Elizabeth, I’m an introvert by nature and I can see why publishing my way through (as and when I have something to publish) is going to be no cakewalk. I think I’d suck at drawing up a contract. Thanks for these very useful tips.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Prashant–And the contracts the publishers offer are very *long* and drawn-out documents with many sections. Always good to read them carefully.

  5. B.E. SandersonFebruary 16, 2015

    Excellent post, and at just the right time for me – since I just released my first self-published novel out into the world. Basically, I’m a hermit in real life, so getting myself out there is really hard. It’s easier online, but still. I know I should have a newsletter, but I haven’t the faintest clue what to say that would be new and interesting, when I’ve already said all the interesting and new things on Facebook. Hey, that’s something you didn’t address. What do you think of Facebook or Twitter as ways to be outgoing?

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      B.E.: Congratulations on your release! Maybe you could subscribe to the newsletters of a couple of authors in your genre and see what type of things they include?

      Facebook is a disaster for me and I’m really unhappy when I have to go there (and I have 3 profiles there!) Twitter is a place where I don’t interact except by DM–I only post links. Google Plus is where I post links and will interact some, but that’s where I network with writers. I actually don’t interact with my readers on social media at all. They frequently will email me and I’ll write them immediately back and that’s usually how we communicate.

      I think it’s vital to interact on a social media platform where we feel comfortable. Not all of them are the same. I think a lot of authors are gravitating to places like Instagram and Pinterest where you can communicate through pictures and comments. Maybe that’s something I should consider in the future. I do have a profile on Pinterest, but have stopped pinning.

  6. Alex J. CavanaughFebruary 16, 2015

    I learned quickly if I wanted a guest spot or a blurb or review, I had to ask. And with the Kargrandes site, I have to be bold with it.
    I’m not as shy online as I am in person. I’m sure you feel the same.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Alex–Online there is a filter that we can interact through. In person, I’m very shy with readers. And, in fact, I’m very quiet at any type of conference or event that’s reader-related. I’m definitely more animated around writers.

  7. JwellingFebruary 16, 2015

    Events? Nobody said there’d be events!
    (Panic)

    Great tips. Never thought about email tag. Thanks.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Jack–Oh, the library ones are pretty easy. Except I don’t like questions from the audience. :) Because you never know what’s coming…

      The email tag is the most passive promo I’ve done.

  8. L. Diane WolfeFebruary 16, 2015

    There aren’t very many physical events anymore. I miss those, and yet several book signings a weekend for months on end was very tiring. When I go out to eat, I always leave an autographed bookmark, and even when shopping I’m not afraid to hand them out to people I meet.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Diane–An autographed bookmark is a good idea!

  9. Meg WolfeFebruary 16, 2015

    I’m a dork–I bounce between too shy and telling/talking too much. However, I tell myself, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Asking more established authors for/about stuff: check. Newsletter despite fear of being spammy: check. Facebook presence: check. Telling others I’m self-publishing and staring them down if they cop an attitude about it: check. Email signature: will get on that today. Things to do after third book comes out: guest blogging, events, giveaways. The more I can prove I can write a series, the more “right” I feel I have to stick my neck out, I guess, and that helps to ease some of the Cringe Factor. That, and knowing life is too short to stay on the sidelines the whole time!

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Meg–You’re right…the more we reach out for promo purposes (and the more we write), the more it seems like just good business sense to do these things. Even if we’re not excited about doing them!

      The email signature is the easiest way to get the word out to those folks who know us but may not know we write (people in our garden club, church group, book club, volunteer organization).

  10. Margot KinbergFebruary 16, 2015

    Elizabeth – These are some fabulous ideas. I’m on Wattpad myself, and I love it. I’ve had the chance to interact with a lot of different readers and writers and it’s great. And I couldn’t agree more about telling people one’s a writer. They really do note down your name. And the easier you are to find, the more of a reader base you build.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Margot–Even better if we have a business card to hand people when we tell them we’re a writer. I need to do better about carrying mine.

  11. Teresa ColtrinFebruary 16, 2015

    I admit it, I’m an introvert. However it’s not as painful as it once was. There are still times in real life (vs blogland) that I don’t speak up for myself.

    Great post!

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Teresa–I know what you mean about painful introversion. I’m much more comfortable about mine than I was.

  12. Jemi FraserFebruary 16, 2015

    Being introverted does make it tough. I’ve learned to fake being an extrovert at my job, and I’m hoping some of that will carry over when I start publishing! Thanks for the tips :)

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Jemi–Faking it is tough, though, isn’t it? I can fake it for the duration of an event, but on a day to day basis it would be hard/stressful for me.

  13. Hart JohnsonFebruary 16, 2015

    I’m so resistant to most of this. I know I need to do this… really I do… But I have a lot of the same hesitations you do. I am fine at the signings or talks. It is the CALLING TO ASK FOR IT I have trouble with. Asking anyone for anything, other than a vague call on my blog or facebook… it’s just so hard. And I have the same hesitation on newsletters. GETTING them stresses me out. Why would I do that to other people. But what you say assures me I’m just a freak and can’t use me for a standard… erm…

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Hart–You’re not the only one! It’s good to know I’m not alone, either. :)

  14. Barry KnisterFebruary 16, 2015

    Elizabeth–
    Highly useful information, thank you. As I so often do, this one will be kept.
    I’m not particularly shy, but I do have a “thing” about blowing my own horn to actual as opposed to virtual friends. Putting a link in my emails to keep them mindful that I’m a writer just wouldn’t do: I can see the blowback already–“Oh, you’re a WRITER, wow, hey, Max, over here, see this guy? This one here? He’s a WRITER.” But you may run with a less touchy crowd.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 16, 2015

      Barry–Ha! No, my friends and family probably just bite their tongues. :) And it’s funny how many people *don’t* mention it to me. Maybe acquaintances think they were supposed to already know? It’s been interesting.

  15. Silas PaytonFebruary 16, 2015

    Perhaps I’m the odd one out here but I use a pen name and almost nobody in my “real” world knows I’m a writer. For professional reasons, mainly, I’ve kept it private. As such, I don’t plan on any in-person marketing. I’m getting into the online social media and blogging, and accept that it may be slower going, but I prefer the privacy and the writing freedom it allows me.

    You’ve got some great ideas here. I’ll try Goodreads one of these days. I am finding though, that all this “marketing” is taking a lot of time away from writing. I’m not sure where the balance should lie yet. I’m in an editing phase right now, and find I’m very easily distracted by the marketing…by almost anything actually.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 18, 2015

      Silas–I started out really private with it, too. There came a point when it almost felt like lying not to disclose it, and that’s when I started to.

      I think that balance is different for each writer. My marketing is really all passive….I don’t even interact with readers on social media. But after releases I’ll stir the pot by running sales, sending newsletters, signing stock, etc. Can help with visibility.

  16. Sue ColettaFebruary 17, 2015

    What about conferences and workshops? Those are places where it doesn’t help to be shy. I’m glad you touched on guest posting. Personally, every time I’m asked to do a guest post I get nauseous. I have no problem with my own blog, I’m very comfortable there. But the thought of having to speak intelligently on someone else’s makes me want to run and hide. This year, however, I promised myself that I would say yes to anyone who asked because it’s the best thing for me. So far I’ve done three. I can honestly say they’re getting a little easier. I guess practice makes perfect, eh?

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 18, 2015

      Sue–I *rarely* do a conference. My last one was in 2013. :) But I’m doing one in October…for writers. I’m very comfortable with writers, it’s only readers who scare me, lol. So no problem with guest posting, etc, for me…anything to do with writers and writing and I’m very laid back. You’re right–practice makes perfect!

  17. Connie ArnoldFebruary 23, 2015

    Thanks for the good tips! I have always been very shy, but becoming less so since being published. It’s still hard to be out there and noticed and much easier to be hidden away writing.

    1. Elizabeth Spann CraigFebruary 24, 2015

      Connie–It’s very hard. I feel as if I’m working against my whole personality type sometimes. Ultimately, it’s worth it. But…it’s exhausting most of the time.

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