Three Things I Do as a Marketer While Writing My First Manuscript
Writing can be solitary, but being a writer shouldn't be.
My day job is marketing for the arts, and writing my first manuscript as I stumble through building an author platform has encouraged me to use a different arm of my creativity.
At first, I was obsessed with the short-term reward of amassing followers and perfecting engagement, but it became clear that all that stuff would fall into place once I first get my ducks in a row.
Here are the three practices that have effectively shaded in that overlap in the Venn diagram between “marketer” and “writer” the most:
Meeting other local writers and authors. (Emphasis on local.)
Building and contributing to a community of writers gives me a sense of belonging in what is otherwise a fairly solitary process.
My writing friends challenge me, hold me accountable, commiserate with me, and celebrate me the way I do them. It’s how we all build an early network of supporters and friends.
How I show up:
Participating in critique groups
Maintaining membership in my regional writing association
Meeting local writers on social media and then meeting again in-person
Committing to an author brand.
Defining my author voice—both on page and off—helps me write and market coherently.
At the end of the day, being an author is a business, and having a clear brand is my creative compass. It takes the pressure off constantly wondering what kind of content to put out there and helps me feel like my most authentic self.
How I show up:
Committing to my three pillars of content: craft, writing, and marketing solutions.
I started the Creative Compass section as a dedicated space to sort through the marketing mess of it all.
Studying the mechanics of great storytelling.
If I could avoid ads for the rest of my life, I would—and this is coming from a career marketer. But if I’m going to be forced to consume an ad, the least I can do is pick it apart, right? Same with books, although the content is significantly more entertaining. Reading is just as much a way to blow off steam as it is research.
Dissecting the structure and pacing of stories I loved (and that I thought worked) has improved my craft tremendously.
How I show up:
Participating in book clubs
Reading books on craft
Reading with intention, both inside and outside of my genre