Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Marketing, the Necessary Mistress


Here I am at my computer checking e-mail and sending e-mail. If my writing life was a pie chart, I think e-mailing would be 70% of my work. Sounds high, doesn't it? But, it's my best and cheapest way to get the word out about my classes, workshops and readings. It does take a lot of time though, but if I didn't do it, then no one would know what I was up to and no one would come to my workshops/classes/readings, etc. I've been sending out a gazillion e-mails because April's National Poetry Month and I'm reading or have read in 6 venues around Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and even Winston Salem. Check out my link "Appearances" on my website.
It's a balancing act, though. I don't want to waste all of my creative energy sending out e-mails, so I try to limit myself to one group send around 3-5 every day and then I leave it alone. Or it controls me. Sometimes I feel that me sending out these posts doesn't matter since no one on my list responds. However, folks do respond to me in person and that's always nice. It's good to know that all of my shouting down the well and waiting for the echo is worth it (Thank you, Jane, for this image).
Till next time and please don't delete my e-mail until you've scrolled to the bottom!
Alice