How to talk about your creative work with others
Entice everyone you meet with intriguing details and context from your novel, while making yourself sound professional and your book sound irresistible.
Do you freeze up when someone asks about your book?
Every conversation when you’re out and about in the world is an opportunity. So much of book buzz comes from word of mouth, and this is your shot at connecting and building interest.
Preparation is the key. You’ll stumble or ramble without some sort of plan on how to highlight your work succinctly. Nobody wants the five-minute or even the three-minute version—on par with Let me show you the four hundred snapshots on my phone from our vacation …
An engaging overview of your book impresses others with your professionalism and confidence, and it piques interest in your book. So gather your thoughts, O Writes-ers, as we hone our practice of The Writes of Fiction.
How to talk about your creative work at a party
“What about you?” she asked. “What do you do?”
This question was easy to answer. A lay-up. But a mix of energy from the party and fear of inadequacy made me blurt out instead.
“I’m a writer and I have a project I’m working on called Metalabel,” I gasped.
“What’s Metalabel?” she asked.
“A new space to release and collective creative work,” I answered too fast.
“Oh, okay,” the woman said, unsure. She kept looking at me, waiting for me to say more.
I felt overwhelmed by an impulse to get away from the conversation. “Well it’s nice to meet you,” I said, waving and wandering off, every atom of awkwardness clinging to my skin. I could feel how poorly that had gone.—Keep reading from Yancey Strickler at Metalabel.
More on knowing your work and goals: If the only quality benchmarks you’ve contemplated are those set by publishers or other literary gatekeepers, then buckle up, buttercup—you’re in for a wild ride. None of those external milestones are within your control. Viewed from this framework, the success of your books is entirely out of your hands.
Consider instead a writing career shaped by benchmarks that help you develop as an author. Instead of measuring your book against other books, hold it up to your own publishing and creative goals. Once you understand what you’re really hoping for—and what you and book need—you’ll be able to tell whether your books are carrying you where you want to go.—Keep reading at The Fiction Writer’s Guide to Publishing and Editing Goals.
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