Every year, I try to hone my work to ensure that I am better serving the needs of creative professionals, and at the same time ensuring I am exploring new places and improving my craft. I obsess about everything, and today, I want to talk about two simple words that have consumed my thoughts recently
EMBRACE
ENGAGE
For the past couple of years, I have been using the phrase “Get Read” for an online course I teach which helps writers find their audience and develop a marketing plan. “Get Read” speaks to an effect that many writers desire. They simply want their books to be read. When I asked writers their greatest fear, it wasn’t to have people love their writing – it was simply to be given a chance; to not feel irrelevant.
Now, I have always supported that the work itself is what matters most; that for an author, the quality of the book and its ability to profoundly affect the life of a reader is what matters most. Yet, the space I tend to live in with creative professionals is the long journey of developing a career — from book to book, reader to reader. I am very interested in the opportunity for what can happen before, during and after one “gets read.”
I have been reading Amanda Palmer’s book The Art of Asking. I mentioned her a few weeks back in this post: Truly Embracing Your Audience. For her book, I am enjoying the detailed way that she answers this simple question:
“Hi Amanda! How can I raise a million dollars on Kickstarter, just like you did?!”
The answer is more complicated than most would like to admit: that it took more than a decade of trying, failing, giving, asking, and yes — EMBRACING and ENGAGING others. While there may have been a milestone in her life as a musician of “getting heard,” or as an author of “getting read,” that seemingly simple act is really the destination reached after a long and complex journey.
And, I will admit, I love that journey.
I have never knowingly listened to a Taylor Swift song in my life, yet this year-end video of her buying and delivering presents to fans also embodies the idea of EMBRACE and ENGAGE:
To me, the concept of “embrace” requires an opening up, and in doing so, the potential to feel vulnerable. Sometimes a writer will talk to me about their skepticism of marketing, the concept of “platform,” or having to engage directly with potential readers. What I always consider in these conversations is how these actions can makes the writer feel vulnerable. This can cause reactions such as reducing all of social media to:
“Social media is just self-involved people posting photos of lunch!”
… as a way to diminish it, thereby reducing their own vulnerability of having to learn a new tool, and opening themselves up to potentially awkward social situations.
This is where the term “engage” comes in. So many creative professionals hope that the moment they release their work to the world, that it will magically be found, immediately understood and appreciated, and shared far and wide on a tidal wave of other people’s enthusiasm. And while this can absolutely happen, it tends to be elusive. Which is why “engage” — taking action and encouraging actions — is such as powerful concept.
I find that embracing and engaging are core ways of not just finding one’s audience, but creating meaning in the process. Do you have to do these things? Nope. Is it an opportunity worth exploring? I tend to think so.
Regardless of how you spend your year, I hope you are able to embrace and engage those you care most about reaching.
What are your goals for this year?
Thank you.
-Dan
Thank you, Dan. I watched that video all the way through with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. You have named something very powerful in the life of any artist — the desire to impact others. Having taken your class, I can highly recommend it to others.
I had barely heard of Taylor Swift before 2012 when my daughter suggested using the launch of RED as a model for the launch of my memoir BLUSH.
We did a low-tech, small-scale version of her cover reveal, with fans in the living room participating and fans from afar watching via Google Hangout. It was fun! In case someone else wants to see Taylor’s launch video and a list of what I learned, here it is: http://www.shirleyshowalter.com/2013/01/07/ten-steps-to-doing-a-book-cover-reveal-how-to-build-community-as-you-prepare-your-book-launch/
Because of YOUR blog post, I see a larger picture than just launch for the idea of “embracing.”
You have me thinking about the 10,000 people who purchased my book last year and the hundreds who reached out to me after reading it. Hmmmm.
Oh, thank you Shirley! Your post on the cover reveal is AWESOME – thank you for sharing that here. And congratulations on 10,000 readers – wow! Yes, there is a lot to consider with that…
I have to agree that Taylor Swift is an awesome marketer. We can all learn from her.
I personally gained a lot of respect for her when my teen daughter dragged me to one of her concerts. Taylor works her a** off on stage. And I believe she works her a** of every day. And that’s how she’s gotten where she is.
Look at all of the things she’s done to promote her new album. She’s hit pretty much every channel there is–and with humor. I’m particularly impressed with the way she took control over the narrative about her dating and breakups by creating the song “Blank Space” and it’s too funny video where she plays the ultimate psycho girlfriend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg.
I only hope that when my book receives the inevitable negative comments I can somehow learn to turn it around as gracefully as Taylor did.
And thank you Shirley for sharing your great launch. You’ve inspired me to consider a launch event of my own.
Thank you Lisa!
As usual, Dan, you cut right to the marrow…connect. Isn’t that why we bother writing in the first place? To connect with ourselves, readers, the world around us?
I finished Amanda Palmer’s book about a week ago and was floored by her bravery. To put yourself out there the way she does, without a mask, simply being her strange, off-centered self and trusting that the people who get her will GET her…it’s amazing to witness.
Taylor Swift has been a fav of mine for a while. I am WAY out of her age demographic but, she’s just so darn appealing, so likable.
I’m a hesitant marketer. But I really love people. So I try to always think of my “audience” as the individual souls that they are. I’m finding the more I interact with people, the LESS I need to market in a calculated way. And the marketing I do, is far more targeted. Turns out I get a bigger kick out of one person emailing me or commenting on a post, than I do from making any one sale. I worry that this means I am not business savvy enough to “make it” as an Indie writer. But what is “making it” anyway? It’s unlikely my work with ever bring in enough to retire on (LOL), but I can make the most of the journey.
Oh, this says so much: “I’m a hesitant marketer. But I really love people.” LOVE that. Thank you for sharing your experiences here, I’m glad you enjoyed Amanda’s book!!!
Wow, Dan, the TaylorSwift video captures the essence of what you you’ve been saying all along–concentrate of making meaningful connections with others. Very touching. As I read through your post, I reflected on how you have helped me develop a solid foundation for making these connections. We go way back to 2011 when I googled the term “author branding” and thankfully found you. Many courses later, I am still feeling the impact of your teaching and wise guidance. Opportunities are coming along in ways I would never have anticipated, i.e., a friend of a friend’s mother read my memoir and recommended it to the director of the counseling center where she works. As a result, I will be speaking at their monthly clinical staff meeting next week. it will be publicized in the local newspaper and I will be able to sell books. It has taken years to get to this point but it has been worth it. I love how you and your work are evolving and how you are continually honing your message. Get Read: Engage and Embrace sounds perfect. Thank you for all you do to help us find our own unique way to our readers. And congratulations to Shirley for 10,000 readers. That’s another Wow!
You know Kathy, after all these years, I didn’t remember that it was GOOGLE that brought us together! How funny. Congratulations on the serendipitous opportunities that are finding! This says so much, “It has taken years to get to this point but it has been worth it.”
Thank you Kathy!
-Dan