When I released my novel The Buzz there were quite a few people who had no idea I even wrote. Aside from a few close friends and immediate family who’d been there from the beginning, the majority found out about my writing when my book was published.
Some knew I was “creative,” while others didn’t have a clue that I was a freelance writer let alone a published author.
Usually, I’m not one to announce every adventure life takes me on or every goal I’m trying to accomplish so it was not a slight on anyone. From my mindset I was just going after my dreams and goals. I was fulfilling my life purpose and it seemed unnecessary to discuss it until I’d accomplished my ultimate goal of a published novel.
When it was time for people to know I wrote, that’s when I shared it.
Some people found out through the grapevine, while other friends I was able to share with them personally. The reactions were all the same though…
“I didn’t know you were a writer!”
“I’m not surprised! I can’t wait to read your book!”
I was pretty confident based on the supportiveness of my family and friends that I would receive a good response, so my not sharing was not based on the fear of the responses.
Yet nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming and humbling responses I received.
It was these friends and family who raced to read my book from cover to cover and once they finished reading my novel they made sure to have their friends and coworkers support too. They helped to start off the momentum of my word of mouth marketing and its to them I’m most grateful. These were my beta readers and the ones who really gave me perspective on my characters, what chapters resonated with them, and how my writing style was different than others.
For a while I thought it was just me that kept my writing life private until I started talking to other writers and found that many writers choose to keep this part of their lives to themselves. I was visiting a fellow writer’s blog yesterday and read how she came out of the writing closet (her words not mine).
Do your friends and family know you write? What was their reaction when you told them? Or if you haven’t shared your writing, what are the reasons? Please share in the comment section below.
