By Kathryn Miles
When my agent suggested I build a digital platform to support my book, Adventures with Ari: A Puppy, a Leash, and Our Year Outdoors, my heart sank. The manuscript had recently made it to the final round of decision-making at two national presses. In both cases, editors liked the book, but their sales teams were reluctant: could the editors promise sales exceeding 50,000? No one knew for sure. As a result, both publishing houses passed on the manuscript.
These polite rejections got my agent thinking about a web presence for the monograph. Anything, I responded, but new media. I didn’t know the first thing about it. I didn’t even want to know about it. But she remained resolute.
And, because I trust her, I eventually agreed. I built a blog and Wiki; I learned the difference between an icon and an avatar; I embraced the idea that ‘friending’ was not only a legitimate verb, but also a useful way to spend one’s time. And, in the end, our efforts paid off: Ari found a good home at a great publishing house, and I learned some valuable lessons about pitfalls and promise of new media.
Lesson #1: People really love their dogs. And their cars, spice racks, bowling balls, and Manolo Blahniks. Not only do they love their hobbies, but they are passionate about finding others who do, too. Facebook has groups for everything from Aristotle admirers to zookeeper support groups. You can also find discussion boards and blog circles for civil war aficionados, Francophiles, and Beatles buffs. All of these people are keen to hear from others who have an interest in their subject, and they make a powerful readership base.
Lesson #2: These people also spend a lot of time on the web. Take it from me. I spent an entire day watching clips of talking cats on Youtube. I spent weeks gawking at My Space and Twitter pages. And, after Ari lost her first battle on “Puppywars,” I became the kind of hovering stage mother I like to mock at parties. That scorn didn’t keep me from checking the website 15 times a day, however. Nor did it mitigate the outrage I felt whenever someone thought a schnauzer was cuter than my very perfect dog. None of these things helped with my writing or my platform. If you’re like me, you are going to need to create strict limits. Try 30 minutes a day. Or even less.
Lesson #3: The dramatic persona is alive and well. The very first comment I received on my blog complained about my overwrought prose and concluded this way: “Sit down, shut up, and let Ari talk.” Since then, I’ve read posts penned by house plants, vacuums, dogs who believe they are pirates, and pirates who believe they are dogs. I haven’t been able to bring myself to do the same, but I have learned a lot from their narratives: keep it tight, and don’t underestimate a good narrator (even if it is a Hoover).
Lesson #4: The literary canon is also very much alive.I created a Wikipedia entry to increase our Web presence. But ten minutes after it posted, the entry included a red flag, courtesy of the Wikipedia patrollers: “Miles’s book is an inconsequential work published by a minor press.” Five days later, it was deleted altogether. Like it or not, sites like Wikipedia have surprisingly strict standards for what constitutes merit. Be sure to know—and speak to—those standards before crafting an entry.
Lesson #5: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. FDR was right. I’ve biffed more than a few times trying to create my digital platform, but I’ve also seen some pretty impressive payoffs. Announcing the official release of Ari on Facebook garnered me dozens of sales that day. My fellow dog bloggers now include links to the book and where to buy it. Ari’s tweets are read around the world. And I know of a cat who can do a great Elvis impression.
Do you have a lesson for embracing your inner techie? Share here.
Kathryn Miles is a professor of Environmental Writing at Unity College and the author of Adventures with Ari: A Puppy, a Leash, and Our Year Outdoors (Skyhorse). You won’t find her on Wikipedia, but you can visit her website: kathryn-miles.com.
Flickr photo by striatic
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice column, Kathryn. Writers who shun the internet are really digging their collective heads into the sand. I always laugh when writers tell me they don’t want to get involved in any internet activities. For me, writing is sharing information, humor, ideas and creating a conversation with as many people as you can, and the internet is the ultimate tool for that. If fact I wouldn’t have seen this column if I didn’t see your facebook update. Congratulations on the book, I’m anxiously awaiting my copy from Amazon.
Hi Kathryn,
I’m glad to hear you weren’t too discouraged by the first comment…
This web arena is a fascinating and sometimes brutal place, but it seems like it is the way that things are heading.
These are great reminders for us all.
George
I’m a romantic-comedy writer and food blogger. The audience I’ve managed to galvanize using FB and twitter are extraordinary. To be a marketable author one needs to know how to sell their work, particularly now that publishing houses have less $$ to spend on marketing, and as a result, are increasingly looking to publish only bankable writers with e-marketing and face-to-face sales savvy.
Louise Ross
http://www.markettomouth.blogspot.com
great post Kathryn! i have had a weird personal block against writing on the web. i did not fight it actually, and suddenly its gone now…so i guess i am no longer digging my head in sand ;)
musings aside :) i admire how your post is brutally honest and straightforward. insights from real experiences are so rewarding.