EDIE RAMER--Forced out of her comfort zone

Please help me welcome successful, self-published author Edie Ramer to the blog. [Rebecca's note: Self-publishing? Yikes!! All that promo. Talk about an introvert's worst nightmare]

Rebecca, thank you so much for inviting me. ShyWriters is the perfect place for me. In my short bio I say that I’m funnier on paper than in real life, yet Facebook and Twitter are a part of my day now. It would be nice to be naturally witty and funny, or even say profound Oprah-like things that make people reply “OMG, that is so inspirational and insightful!” Once in a while, I can be funny or insightful, but most of the time, I search for something—anything—interesting to say.

Oddly, blogging is easier. I’m one of the founders of Magical Musings. When my two CPs and I started it, I wasn’t sure how I’d do, but I was game. It turned out that I was good at blogging (hey, I can admit it when I do things right). But I tweak mine several times, just as I tweak my mss. My fellow blogger, Liz Kreger, writes hers in about 10-15 minutes, and she’s good at blogging, too. A natural. But she’s probably solidly on the extrovert side of the Myers-Briggs scale, while I’m on the introvert side.

That’s why writing a book, alone in my office, is something I love doing. But self-publishing has forced me into the online world. I’m so lucky that I’ve joined groups that have helped me pave the way. First, my local RWA group, WisRWA. In the beginning, I went to every meeting. At first I hardly said anything, but in about 3 years I was leading the meetings. I joined Amy Atwell’s first GIAM group. In the beginning, I was silent, an observer. Now I’m as noisy as anyone. I joined a critique group. There were 8 of us, and though it’s disbanded, we’re still friends. (BTW, since we started, everyone in it has published and 2 members are NY Times bestselling authors.)

Through Magical Musings, I’ve made a lot of writer friends. I’m a member of RWA-WF and I write their Industry News column. I belong to 2 groups formed to help each other through the self- publishing maze. Members of these 2 groups are urging me to join 2 others, and I know I need to become active on Kindleboards… (insert silent scream)

This is a LOT of socializing for a shy writer. Not only that, my involvement with the groups takes away from my writing time. But through the contacts my first self-published book, Cattitude, is now 1416 in the Amazon Kindle bestseller rank. (That includes ALL the Kindle books, so that’s awesome for me.) I’ve had it on sale for 99 cents, so that contributes. Dead People, which is $2.99, is in the 35K rank now. (These ranks fluctuate by the hour.) But I know the big jump for Cattitude has come because of promo help from my friends.

I think I have a “go ahead, try it” voice inside of me that overrides the introvert voice. Sometimes it’s too much (hence the silent scream), but I know extroverts who’ve had to back away from the internet for weeks at a time. Karin Tabke calls it “going into her Bat Cave.” I can’t afford to go into my cave now (mine would be, of course, Cat Cave—or Cat & Dog Cave, since I often have a snoring beagle in my office as well as a purring cat who demands attention), but in the future I might disappear for a week or two every once in a while.

So for now, this shy writer is way out of her comfort zone. It’s all good, I’m making great friends, selling books, and looking forward to selling more.

What have you done lately that’s taken you out of your comfort zone?

Award-winning writer Edie Ramer is funnier on the page than in real life. She loves her cat so much she made her the heroine of CATTITUDE, her first paranormal romance. Her second book, DEAD PEOPLE, Book one of her Haunted Hearts series, was her American Title V final book. She also has a short story available. You can find out more about Edie and her books on her website. You can follow her on Twitter and on Facebook, where once in a great while she manages to be witty.

Chris Redding: Shy...sort of

Please help me welcome author Chris Redding to the blog. Her newest release, Incendiary, just released.

I have a confession to make. I’m not shy. Not really.

You only have to meet me once to know that. I can sometimes be the loudest person in the room. I’m only 5 feet 2 inches, but there are men much taller than me who are afraid of me. I will go toe to toe with anyone if I feel it is necessary.

So why am I on a blog talking about shy writers?

Because what I am shy about, is promoting myself. Oh, I can Facebook and Twitter with the best of them. It’s easy sitting in my jam jams with my laptop and telling people to buy my books. I can even promote myself at conferences. I AM Chris Redding. Charming, witty, always smiling.

But get me in my real life, with my kids or husband or at the grocery store, I may not mention I am a writer. You may work with me for years before you ever find out that I am a published author. I was at my son’s taekwondo school a few weeks ago. A friend of mine brought in some of my books for me to sign for her. She told everyone in the room that I wrote those books. She’s a great friend and a great fan. I was like a deer in the headlights. I was speechless. Anyone who knows me knows speechless doesn’t happen often. People came up to me to ask questions. They brought their kids over to meet me and told them I was a writer. I stammered, though I hope not too badly.

Part of it is that I feel as if someone may read my book and say, “Ha, you can’t write.”
I would be devastated. You could call me fat, ugly, bitchy and I wouldn’t blink. Say I can’t write, oh cuh-rap. I want to run and hide. I think my Chris Redding persona is a much stronger person than I am in real life. She’s taken more slings and arrows in the form of rejection letters than I think I could in my other life. I guess every artist has some insecurity. Mine isn’t odd, but it is in a way since I’m okay with writing and being critiqued. I just can’t imagine if I had to sell myself, face to face. But since I have two books coming out in print this year, I guess I better learn.

About Chris: Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband and two kids and various animals. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in Journalism. When she isn’t writing, she works part time for her local hospital.

Incendiary came out electronically December of 2010 and will be out in print March of 2011. A firefighter must stop a serial arsonist who is framing him for the fires. He enlists the help of his former lover. Will they track down the culprit before they both go up in flames?

You can find Chris Redding on the web here:
www.chrisreddingauthor.com
http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor
www.twitter.com/chrisredding

After the CALL--You Mean I Actually Have to TALK to People?

Please welcome back YA author B.A. Binns to the blog.

I expected writing to be hard, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Endless hours spent bent over a keyboard (or paper and pen, I’m still old school for my first drafts), then more lonely hours re-writing and editing. Actually, I found writing my novel the perfect job for an introvert. Especially a raving introvert. I scored in the top 3% for introversion on the Myers-Briggs test, and I’m darn proud of that too. I did join RWA and my local chapter. I even attend meetings, judge contests and get and give critiques. But it’s all strategy. In the beginning I sat in the back and observed. This little introvert was there doing business research, learning my craft not trying to be a social butterfly. (As if I ever could. It didn’t happen when I was young and slim, it’s certainly not going to happen now.)

After attending RWA Nationals earlier this year I patted myself on the back for reaching out to strangers and networking. Little did I know that was only the beginning. And, in case you’re wondering, it doesn’t get easier with practice, at least not for me.

This little introvert found an agent without really querying when Andrea Somberg from the Harvey Klinger agency loved PULL. After judging my manuscript in the 2009 Golden Rose contest, I signed with her in January and she sold PULL to WestSide books in March. WestSide loved the book so much they were willing to cut corners and rush it into production as part of their fall, 2010 lineup. At that point I thought my work was done.

I put together a list of things to do next:

Sign contract
Revise manuscript (a little)
Cash my check
Review and OK the edits
Collect royalties

I quickly discovered I was hopelessly naïve. While writing PULL I had been my own boss and sole employee, meaning my deserted island was populated by me, myself and I. I reveled in the solitude. The problem is that the act of writing is only part of the author’s job description. If you want what you have written to be read, then writing is more than just a job, it’s a business enterprise. That meant that a lot of steps were missing from my list. And that this shy writer needed to step so far outside her comfort zone she might never find her way back again.

I’d been warned about the thing called promotion. I belong to RWA, my local chapter, and several special interest chapters. I read blogs and studied both craft and the business end of writing. I swear I paid attention, I knew I had to do something to get myself and my book known. But somehow my brain refused to think about what promotion really meant to me. That I would be required to get our from behind my computer, put down my writing pad, and meet people. Total strangers. A lot of them.

My business enterprise needed new positions. I found myself assuming the mantle of director of marketing and director of PR (no, those aren’t the same thing), and added more items to my list:

Set up website and keep it current
Tweet
Blog
Make Facebook friends
Plan a publicity campaign
Press the flesh

Oh, and never forget the need to return to the keyboard and put out the next book. For the past few months these activities have filled my life and crowded out the all important next book.

When people tell you about promotion, don’t take it lightly. Yes, the publisher takes on part of the burden, but a lot still falls on me. People want to know about the author of the books they read, to feel a connection. Name recognition counts in politics and sales. I know I buy more from authors I feel I know. I even considered hiring a publicist. Unfortunately I’m only small potatoes. After our initial discussions she never got back to me with a proposal, so once again it’s me, myself and I.

I’ve turned myself and my car into walking and rolling advertisements. I have engaged in some interesting tweet-fests, tweeteractions, tweet-ins or whatever they should be called, and accumulated over a hundred followers on twitter (I know, I need to have thousands, but it’s a start). Facebook has allowed me to reconnect with old friends and meet new authors, although I’m not sure how I’m doing in terms of attracting possible readers. And I have now shaken so many hands and complimented so many children that I could run for political office. Practice doesn’t make perfect, by the way, it barely makes being out in public tolerable. But even though I can’t yet be called a social butterfly, I do understand why getting out there and meeting people is necessary. And VistaPrint has become my new best friend, although it’s amazing how much “free stuff” ends up costing me.

And I will admit that it’s nice to hear someone say they remember me, even if I have no idea where I saw him or her before. And I received a personal email from a high school youth--my intended audience--who read an ARC, scored my book 9.5 on a scale of 10 AND enthusiastically commented about the story and the characters. He even recommended PULL to his English teacher. Maybe I’m not the raving introvert I thought I was, because I want to go out and give him a giant hug.

I’ll be having small parties with my writing groups to celebrate the release of PULL, all people I’m already friends with and comfortable being around. My local library has sponsored me to speak in November. I’ll be talking the people about the business of writing and call that a party to, bring refreshments and books to sign. Instead I’m planning an online party for my release day, October 27. I’m also planning an on-line party on October 27. Join in via twitter at #BABinns to chat about the book, or about being a shy writer, ask questions about promotion or anything else you desire. There will be door prizes, including gift cards and autographed copies of PULL.

And, somehow, I WILL get back to the solitary joy of writing.

And this time I really mean it.

BIO: B. A. Binns is the pseudonym of Barbara Binns, a Chicago Area author who finds writing an exercise in self discipline, and the perfect follow-up to her life as an adoptive parent and cancer survivor. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), the Chicago Writers Association, SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association). She writes to attract and inspire both male and female readers with stories of “real boys growing into real men…and the people who love them.”

PULL, her debut YA novel, tells the story of a young man’s journey from guilt and the fear that biology forces him to repeat his father’s violence, to the realization that his future is in his own hands. Published by WestSide Books, PULL is available October 27, 2010 at your favorite bookstore or online bookseller.

For more information please visit http://www.babinns.com/, or email author1@babinns.com

A Shy Exhibitionist

Please help me welcome dark fantasy erotica author Tyree Kimber to the blog.


The late Johnny Carson was a notoriously shy public figure. In a profile I once watched on television, an acquaintance of his (whose name now escapes me,) said that Johnny Carson was comfortable in front of twenty million people, but never in front of twenty people. While I know I'll never have the kind of fame or audience that Mr. Carson had, I totally understand what they were saying.

I am a performer. I always have been. I'm what you might call a shy exhibitionist. Growing up an only child who was something of an outsider, my imagination ran at full tilt to keep me company and keep me entertained. In high school, having no interest in sports but hungry for the kind of busy life my peers enjoyed I turned to acting, art, music, and whatever else I could find that would give me the attention I craved and in return could bring happiness and excitement to others around me. But I was still shy: I could perform Shakespeare in front of people I barely knew in a heartbeat, but walking up to them and starting a normal conversation with them was ground for an anxiety attack.

As I got older my desire to entertain crystallized around writing and storytelling. It's amazing how different we are in the world that we, as writers, build in our minds. Shyness is never an issue for us there. We have nothing to fear from anyone there because we know exactly what they will say; we know their every secret. In the world around us we never know how anyone will react and it's that uncertainty that can be brutal. When you're onstage the audience will either applaud or they won't. Either way you'll know exactly where you stand. But regular interactions are so much more challenging. There's no script and our audience is so much harder to read.

I'm proud of what I write, but when I first began to experiment with dark fantasy erotica I found my shy tendencies really kicking in. Right or wrong, there's a stigma attached to the erotic genre: it's not socially acceptable. I've never been hesitant to say that I'm a writer, but suddenly the follow-up question of "what do you write?" had a whole new dimension to it! After all, there's no tactful way to say you write tales of angelic orgies and women who couple with demons, is there?

We're never shy in the fictional world in our minds. But self-confidence can still be our enemy there. In my case I'd grown to think of it too much as my private world rather than something I was eventually going to share with the rest of the world and have to answer questions about. If there's advice I can give to a shy writer, it's this: never lose sight of the fact that you're creating for that world you're so wary of. And when you describe it to the friend, family member, or co-worker who asks you are opening an exciting show for a new audience. Take all that fear of the many possible reactions away and you're back to where you are with any audience: either they'll applaud or they won't. Maybe what you write about isn't socially acceptable to some. But if they see your confidence and your pride in what you're creating, maybe they'll start to wonder if perhaps it should be.

BIO: A lifelong resident of the Midwest, Tyree Kimber hung up his electric guitar and poet shirt to become a novelist; although the guitar and poofy shirt still call to him from time to time. His short stories have been released through Dark Roast Press along with the novel Apocalypse Woman, a dark erotic fantasy tale. With Phil Jones and Dave McNeal he is the author Systematic, a post-modern noir comic book series available at IndyPlanet.com

http://darkroastpress.com/forbidden1.php - Forbidden Views, Volume 1 http://darkroastpress.com/baristachoice.php - Barista's Choice (Free e-book sampler)http://darkroastpress.com/apocalypsewoman.php - Apocalypse Woman http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3943 - Systematic (Issue #1)

The Shy Writer's Guide to Promotion, or Why I Love the Internet

Please welcome historical romance author Victoria Gray to the blog.

Personality tests tell me I’m an extrovert, though I suspect I actually straddle the line between extrovert and introvert. It may seem a contradiction, but I’m a reserved extrovert. It takes me a while to warm up to people, and I don’t look forward to making small talk with people I don’t know. Once I’m comfortable with you, watch out – I’ll talk your ear off. But before that time arrives, I’m rather quiet. So, the idea of book signings and face-to-face promotion isn’t incredibly appealing to me. I’ll do what it takes to promote my book, but I’m a writer, and I communicate best through the written word. That’s where the Internet comes in.

The Internet is a wonderful tool for writers, shy or not, to promote their work. Whether you’re pre-pubbed or a bestselling author, the Internet is a tremendous promotion resource. However, with so many promotion opportunities offered by the web, sorting through the options can be a bit mindboggling. There’s no way you can keep up with every Internet promo option that comes along. So, prioritizing is essential.

In my humble opinion, every author needs a website. Your website is a way to showcase your work and give your readers and prospective readers a look at you as a person and a writer. Fortunately, the cost of a website is extremely reasonable. Internet hosts offer domain names (the name of your site) and often feature templates that make it easy to design and maintain your own website. It’s possible to set up a multipage website and maintain the domain name for about $100 per year. I created my webpage in one weekend and periodically update it. I’m looking to fine-tune and expand in the near future – for this upgrade, I may obtain the services of a web designer. Many web designers are reasonably priced and create beautiful sites. Ask other authors with sites you admire to recommend a web designer or share hints on designing your own site. You’ll be surprised at how affordable a great website can be.

A blog is another vital tool for authors. You can set up your own blog or participate in a group blog. I’m a monthly contributor to Seduced by History, a blog comprised of historical romance writers, and contribute to other blogs on a guest basis (thanks, Rebecca!). I’ve visited several blogs in the past few months to coincide with the release of my historical, Destiny. I’ve posted historical articles, interviews about me, interviews about my characters, and a few posts that were just for fun, such as my tribute to bad boys on Seduced by History last month. An author can readily set up a blog within a few hours. Oh, did I mention that blogs are free? Sites such as WordPress and Blogger offer free blog space with a variety of bells and whistles for a price no one can deny is a bargain. What could be better than free?

While we’re thinking about free resources, an author should invest the time to set up Facebook and Twitter accounts. All it takes is an email and a little time, and you’re good to go. I’ve noticed many top bestselling authors have Facebook and Twitter accounts, and they post a great deal more than information on their books. One of my favorites, Teresa Medeiros, frequently posts pictures of her pet cats and reports brief anecdotes on their antics, reflects on recent movies and book releases, and posts pictures of gorgeous men. Her posts and tweets display a personal touch. This is endearing and makes her all the more relatable to her readers. To be honest, I’m working on this aspect in my posts…I’m a work in progress. I’m held back by the question – Why would anyone care about this? After all, I’m not famous or bestselling. But hopefully, if one or two “friends” can relate to something I’ve posted, they might become interested in my writing.

Twitter is another resource I use. I have to confess to being very limited in my tweets. I try to focus on writing, not watching the Twitter feed, which can become somewhat addictive. Some authors are masters at using the tiny bits of information you can put out with Twitter to promote their work. I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it.

Online loops are another great free resource. I post excerpts and information on blog postings, new releases, and other items of interest (at least, I hope they’re of interest!) on my publisher’s online loop and also on my RWA interest group loops. Online loops are also terrific sources for networking, support, and research. The Hearts through History group is a treasure trove of writers with expertise in everything from medieval weaponry to the proper way to address a Baron. Other special interest groups discuss everything from erotica to the paranormal. Whatever your writing interest, there’s a group for you.

What Internet resources do you find most useful? What would you suggest to authors for promotion? What about advertising on websites? Have you tried it? Would you recommend it?

Victoria Gray wrote her first story soon after she started elementary school. When she was in the third grade, her mother bought her a Smith Corona manual typewriter. She was officially a writer! A trained librarian, Victoria uses her research skills to explore other eras in time. Her interest in research is a perfect fit with her work as a writer of historical romance. Victoria lives in Virginia with her own hero, her husband, Greg. The mother of two sons who are used to their mother burning food to a crisp when she runs back to her computer to write just a little bit more, she enjoys cycling, hiking and long walks on the beach when she’s not writing, reading or burning dinner. You can learn more about Victoria's writing on her website, her group blog, and her book trailer.

Resolving the Midlife (Career) Crisis

I'm delighted to welcome Lori Gray to the blog. Lori is a yet-unpublished writer of romantic fiction. She began writing at an early age, but set her dreams aside for a “real” job. Now well into her forties, she’s giving her earliest dreams another shot at the big time. She plans to be published by age 50. You can travel along with Lori as she journeys toward her writing goals at http://lorwrite.blogspot.com/

Here's Lori: One of my earliest childhood memories has to do with books, not just reading them, but writing them. As a preschooler, I was fascinated with Dr. Seuss. My teenage uncle (and regular babysitter) was going on a trip and asked my parents for books to read on the plane. I desperately wanted to write him a book myself, but I didn’t know how to write any of the big words yet. So I copied every word from The Foot Book, my favorite, onto construction paper and tied the pages together with a shoe string. My four-year old mind didn’t much care whether my book had illustrations. All I knew was that I was a WRITER!

Years passed. Childhood dreams gave way to teenage angst. Adult responsibilities quickly followed. Having just passed the 25 year mark being a full-time office cubicle dweller (the female version of Dilbert, eyeglasses and corporate uniform included), I began to question my own professional existence. So, I decided to make myself a Bucket List. Skydiving and safari had no interest for me. But, there were things I DID want to do:

1) Finish my bachelor’s degree

2) Write and publish a novel

3) Re-learn to play piano and perform professionally

Over the years I wrote now and again. I published dozens of articles in paralegal magazines and worked part time as a stringer for our local paper. I even managed to complete several novels, albeit decades ago. I guess none of it ever seemed as prolific as Dr. Seuss’ words, “foot, foot, foot!” So, I kept working. Even my childhood piano sat idle in my living room.

What’s interesting in this journey of life is that some of the roads not taken in our youth reappear later on. About a year into my college courses, I was offered a opportunity at work to learn technical writing. Two years later I am now writing full time instead of filing!

Now my co-workers are words instead of people. Spending my entire workday managing grammar instead of grumpy bosses has released floodgates of new ideas. I find myself less frustrated and more excited to see what else is possible in the future. Enthusiasm for romance writing has found me again, and I am attempting new things, like blogging! You lucky souls are reading my very first!

Are you wondering what else is possible in your life? Make a list. Take a risk. You never know what’s around the next corner. Just follow your feet!

Q&A with Margie Tomlin

Please help me welcome historical writer, Margie Tomlin.

Q Do you consider yourself shy/introverted?
A I'm shy to the bone.

Q In what ways does this or has this hindered you as a writer?
A I'm often relunctant to ask questions at writers workshops and conferences when I'm attending in person and not on the web. I just can't bring myself to participate in group criticizing. I freeze at the thought of having to read some of my work aloud.

Q In what ways does this or has this helped you as a writer?
A I think it's hurt me as a writer not being able to speak out in a group when I really want to. Again, I learn a lot by observation. I've seen some writers who constantly "toot their own horn" concerning their writing. I've witnessed this in some writers groups I used to attend. One writer was published and most of the rest of us were not. She dominated the group's time informing us how wonderful she was and how her writing was above the top-selling authors. It got sickening after a time and finally killed the group. I want to be proud of my writing but on the other side I don't want to drown other people with it.

Q Are you shy/introverted one-on-one or in crowds or both?
A I generally stick to myself in a group unless I go with a friend. It helps to have a support buddy so if you don't find someone to visit with then you can talk to a friend and not feel out of place.

Q What's your biggest fear/obstacle as a shy writer? Why? And tell me if you've tried to face this fear and what were the results.
A My worst fear is being a speaker at a writers conference and having to answer the audience's questions. If I was asked a question and didn't know the answer or didn't really understand the question, I', afraid I'd appear like a bug under a microscope. I'd come off looking like I was really stupid. (I might be?)

Q Tell me about a time recently that you stepped outside your comfort zone as a shy person, whether in your writing or personal life.
A I was at a writers conference and I'd made an appointment with the Avon editor to discuss my historical romance set during the Civil War. I made my presentation and when I finished she told me that Avon was not accepting historical manuscripts set in America. I felt like a dunce because I'd pitched my entire manuscript. The editor kept looking around while I was speaking, giving me the impression she was bored to tears. I kept expecting her to say she'd heard enough. For some reason I decided to finish my pitch. She was very gracious and told me it was a wonderful story and she wished Avon was buying American historical. She suggested I try for Harlequin Historicals. I was pleased with her suggestion and thought it was nice. Now, if she meant what she said is another story.

Now to the lighter side of being shy. I once attended a writers workshop in Little Rock, Arkansas. I remember one of the ladies was a published author and her lawyer husband managed her contracts. I was speaking to her about being afraid to approach editors. I said I didn't want to be a pest. Well, her husband spoke up and said, "Be a pest! You need to be a pest!" I thought that was cool and funny. I still can't follow his advice fully. I often think of how many times the editors are infringed upon, but then that's their chosen profession.

About Margie: I started writing when I was 14 years old with some short stories which sadly I didn't save. I didn't really decide to take my writing seriously until the mid 70s. I found an ad for a copy of Romance Writer's of America. I ordered one and from then on knew I wanted to write romance. I cranked up enough nerve to join RWA and I've been a member ever since. My husband bought me a portable typewriter, so I decided I needed to learn how to type. My first manuscript was a historical romance set in New Orleans in 1840. I joined two more writing groups and then really got busy. My next two manuscripts were comtemporaries, but I was reading mostly historicals. I realized that was what I wanted to write. Today, I have three finished western historicals and three contemporaries. I also have a half dozen unfinished manuscripts. I plan to go back and finish those books some day. Right now, I'm working on a historical romance set in the south (naturally, being a Texan) during the Civil War.

I've attended RWA national three times and plan to attend this year in Nashville. Mainly because my WIP is set in Nashville. Have I ever gotten to the point wherre I thought about giving up trying to be published? Sure, but for every time I quit writing, I go back. It's in my blood and if I'm not writing I'm thinking writing. Will I ever see my work in print? Who knows? If it happens, fine; if not, I can live with it as long as I can continue to write. Writers keep writing!

PR Options for the Shy Author

I'm absolutely thrilled to introduce today's guest blogger: Marcia James
Marcia James writes hot, humorous romances and finaled in eleven RWA contests before selling her first comic romantic suspense, At Her Command. Her short story, "Rescue Me", appeared in Tails of Love, a Berkley benefit anthology, and her latest story, Love Unleashed, was released in February 2010. In her eclectic career, she has shot submarine training videos, organized celebrity-filled nonprofit events and had her wedding covered by People Magazine. An advertising copywriter and marketing consultant, Marcia presents online and in-person author promotion workshops.

by Marcia James

There's never been more pressure on authors to shoulder the burden of promotion, and no one can possibly take advantage of every available PR opportunity. Even a small amount of daily or weekly promotion cuts into valuable writing time. That's why authors must decide carefully which PR options are right for them based on specific variables, such as:

* Budget
* Time constraints
* Author knowledge & skills
* Book distribution & format
* Book genre/subgenre & niche market elements
* Author personality

With so many promotional opportunities, why not choose those that go well with your personality? If you're an introvert, don't add stress to your life by attempting to do PR better suited to extroverts, such as: presenting workshops, doing book readings, participating on conference panels, holding single-author booksignings, power-schmoozing at conventions, being interviewed on broadcast media, doing live chats, etc.

Instead, introverted authors might try some of these PR options:

* Participating on a reader forum/message board, informally posting on topics as time allows.

Many shy writers find it easier to converse with readers online. If you join a publisher's reader email loop -- or a reader forum, such as the ones on the RT Book Reviews' Web site -- you'll have the chance to chat up people in a non-scary situation.

* Participating on writers' email lists, sharing craft and business information as time allows.

Fellow writers are also readers, and you can develop a following by participating on writing email loops, such as those of Romance Writers of America (RWA) chapters. Sharing your knowledge and commiserating on your author-friends' ups-and-downs is an easy form of networking.

* Cross-promoting with other authors as time allows.

You can promote other authors -- and they can promote you -- in a number of ways: linking to each other's Web sites, guest-blogging on each other's blogs (Thanks, Rebecca!), giving quotes to use in articles or workshops, etc. One way I cross-promote is through my James Gang interviews . Each month I interview an author or publishing insider with some form of "James" in his/her name. The interviewees promote the interviews to their readers, writing loops, and friends, and I promote the interviews to mine.

Another example of my cross-promotion efforts is my April 5th - 18th "Guilt-Free Author Promotion" online workshop. I approached PR-savvy authors and publishing insiders and asked if they would like to write a "guest lecture" for the workshop. Over a dozen did, and I include their bios and latest release information with the lectures, as well as promoting them in all workshop announcements.

* Co-promoting with other authors to create a multi-author Web site, blog or MySpace page -- all of which would require a regular commitment of time.

Joining with other authors to share the cost and time of promotion is a great idea. One way to do that is to create a multi-author site or blog. For example, I'm part of the Ohio Romance Authors MySpace page. Simpler forms of co-promotion include sharing the cost of a joint print ad or joint promotional materials, such as brochures.

* Writing articles on the craft and business of publishing for chapter newsletters, RWA's Romance Writers Report, RT Book Reviews, online e-zines, etc. -- which you can do as time allows.

If you enjoy working alone, you can write articles, which will promote your pen name and should include a brief bio with your Web site URL at the bottom. I wrote a series of author promotion articles for the RWA Kiss of Death chapter newsletter, and I now have those articles on my Web site . In addition, you can look for elements with your book(s) that lend themselves to niche marketing. For example, if your book has a quilting heroine, you could write an article for a quilting magazine and mention your book.

* Building and maintaining your Web site and social media sites (e.g. Facebook), if you're technologically skilled and have the time to do it.

An author's Web site is the most important tool in his/her personal "PR Toolbox". If you can design and maintain a site -- including social media sites -- that's a great skill to have. And if you have the knowledge and talent to design bookmarks, banners, postcards, brochures, excerpt booklets, etc., you have a leg up on many other authors. Consider whether a skill you have from your day job or past experiences could translate into a helpful promotional skill.

* Sending PR materials to conferences, bookstores and readers' groups and press releases to the media, as time allows.

Once you have logoed/branded PR materials, you can make sure they get into the goody bags at RWA conferences, etc. You can also write press releases and mail out press kits, if you're willing to be interviewed. (Some online publications/blogs will interview you by email, so it's not as stress-producing as a live interview).

* Paying a romance author PR site, like AuthorIsland or Writerspace, to handle your newsletter mailings, contests, and other promotion, which frees up your time to write.

Not every author promotion site costs an arm and a leg. Many have an à la carte menu of services, as well as different plans, such as promotion for one month, six months, or a year. This option will affect your budget but free up your time.

That's just a sampling of PR options for the shy writer. Those wanting to step outside of their comfort zones can try opportunities that attract extroverts, such as the power-schmoozing I love. But give yourself a break and don't make promotion even more of a pain than it can be. The next time you're faced with intimidating promotional choices, analyze which ones you'd enjoy the most and don't feel guilty about those you avoid. Match your personality to your PR push.

The best way to do that is to learn what PR options are available. I offer my free 280+ page WORD file on author promotion to any writer who requests it. Just email me through the “Contact Me” page on my Web site (http://www.marciajames.net/), and I'll attach the file to my response.

I'd love to hear about your PR challenges, triumphs, questions, and helpful hints. I'm giving away a free e-book version of my comic romantic suspense, At Her Command, to a randomly chosen commenter on this guest blog. Thanks again, Rebecca, for hosting me on your blog!

Marcia is giving away a copy of her first book AT HER COMMAND (in ebook format) to a randomly chosen commenter. Good luck!