When you get an idea for a book, you do a little bit of research, (perhaps), then you write the book, then the retail side of things comes into it, and you sell your book (or your publisher will do that side of things). For me, lived experience, random ideas, google, and reading books related to what I want to write about is my research. I don’t need to do anything too hefty, for the kinds of books I want to write.
The writing part, that’s where you get really serious about what being a writer is all about. You plot out your book, whether fiction or nonfiction (or you go the other way, and just write, and tidy up later). Either way, you have to get a books worth of words written and more, before you can have a book.
So you do the hard part, and a book comes into the world, then the other hard part comes to the fore, and you sell the book, sell the idea of having the book, sell yourself as a great writer, and sell your book as a must have item for your personal library, or bedside table pile of ‘books to read’. You tout your book to libraries, and book shops perhaps, and ;et friends and family know you have a new book out.
Writers can be shy and retiring types, and that can be a bonus in having time and inclination to huddle down and get your writing done, but once you have your book written, you have to come out into the whole other world, and get down and book/boogie, talking about your book to as many people as possible, in as many places as possible.
Being a writer is a many faceted thing, and if you’re not prepared to do the selling side of things, you might not do very well out of it, financially … My most recent ‘thing’ is being the Writer-In-Residence at a local cafe, once a week. Every Monday morning, I head out to Hamley Bridge, not too far away, with a pile of my books for people to look at, and perhaps buy. I sit there, chatting to anyone who wants to chat, ready to listen to them too, because for me as a writer, everyone may have a story I can use in my writing – with names and details changed of course, to make the story my own!
I’m there for a couple of hours, chatting, and just being there, so that people will see me, and connect me up with that author, and perhaps even if they don’t want any of my books there, they may tell friends and others about me, and that could lead to that other person coming along and buying a book. My book sales so far are not anything to get excited about, but that’s ok, I love chatting to people, I have writing time if no-one is there to chat with, and my coffee is free! (It’s good coffee too, and the food looks excellent!)
If I go on enjoyng being a Gallery 14, as I am now, I imagine I could become a regular, for sure. It’s only fifteen minutes from home, the books aren’t too heavy for me to carry, and I’m having a good time, why would I not give up a morning every week to do this! If I eventually go on to selling more books, more bonus. I would only have been sitting at home letting the dog out and back in, and writing (maybe), anyway. No book sales happening there!
Being out in the community could lead to many other things, bigger things, who knows? Wendy Williams, who owns the cafe was willing to give me a chance to do this, and is helping with letting people know about it, so I’m going to give it my best shot!
Carolyn Cordon - Creative 