Promoting Books without Leaving the House
by Dan Poynter
Johnny Carson gave you permission to stay home and write. There are many personality evaluations or tests but one of the most basic and important is: are you an introvert or an extrovert? Professional speaker and coach Max Dixon reveals that Writers tend to be introverts, Speakers tend to be extroverts and Actors frequently are introverts.
Yes, many actors do not blossom until they get into their role. That could explain why so many actors do not want to be seen in public. They aren’t just avoiding adoring fans; they are avoiding contact with people. As introverts, they are very private.
Max explains that introverts need individual, quiet time to gather enough energy and courage to mingle with other people. Extroverts, on the other hand, spend time with other people to gain enough energy and encouragement to spend time alone.
He feels extroverts sometime fear too much time alone and that they are being their best selves only when they are in a social situation. Now that Johnny Carson has passed on, we are learning more about this very private master actor. He rarely warmed up with his guests in the Green Room. He hardly every saw his guests after the show. That was not because he didn’t like his guests. He wanted the show to be fresh and spontaneous. The show came first—and he was an introvert.
Johnny made a parachute jump in 1968. It was an Accelerated Freefall skydive with Bob Sinclair over Elsinore, California. Film was shown many times on the Tonight show as Johnny recounted his adventure. He contributed greatly to the growth of sport parachuting.
Once he retired, he never appeared before the public again. I confess, like many writers I am an introvert. I speak professionally and I enjoy it. For me, getting out and standing in front of an audience is good personal self-development—and a privilege. It makes me a more rounded person. But it is not easy. I do not get stage fright but like many actors, announcers and speakers, I do get anxious before show time.
There are many forms of book promotion besides radio, television and bookstore autographings. Send review copies to periodicals, email news releases, send articles to magazines in your field, send book announcements to all your colleagues, take part in online social networks. I give you permission to stay home.
“I was so naive as a kid I used to sneak behind the barn and do nothing.” --Johnny Carson
What about you? Take the Jung Typology Test at
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp And see the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® at http://skepdic.com/myersb.html.
On the other hand, writers should get out once in a while.
"I get more information and good ideas traveling and visiting with audiences than I do at home." --Dan Poynter
Johnny taught us that it is OK to stay home and write. We writers need not be ashamed of not being social.
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Writing periodicals from Dan Poynter:
Dan does not want you to die with a book still inside you. You
have the ingredients and he has your recipe. Dan has written more than
100 books since 1969 including Writing Nonfiction and The Self-
Publishing Manual. For more help on book writing, see
http://ParaPub.com.
© 2008
or
Book Publishing periodicals:
Dan Poynter, the Voice of Self-Publishing, has written more than 100
books since 1969 including Writing Nonfiction and The Self-Publishing
Manual. Dan is a past vice-president of the Publishers Marketing
Association. For more help on book publishing and promoting, see
http://ParaPub.com.
© 2008
or
Professional Speaking periodicals:
Dan Poynter has written more than 100 books since 1969 including
Writing Nonfiction and The Self-Publishing Manual. He is past-chair of
NSA's Writer-Publisher PEG and the founder of the PEG newsletter. For
more help on book writing, publishing and promoting, see
http://ParaPublishing.com.
© 2008
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Dan is an industry expert on publishing and travels
the world to spread the word. He is an inspiration to writers everywhere.
The Fox&Quill thanks him for providing this article from his website.
Be sure to check out the site for all sorts of great tips: |
Thanks Dan for the article...John Wolf
