well then why aren't poems flying out of my ass, T.S. Eliot?

But, What If Everything Goes Right?

Perhaps the evil twin of Shoulding, the ever-popular What-Iffing frequently plagues many creative-minded people. A side effect of the wonderful imaginations we possess includes the ability to conjure up horrible catastrophes in mere seconds, often leading to a lack of motivation and confidence.

Sal and I had a thought this week. Since we're already What-iffing, already imagining an infinite number of worrisome and tragic scenarios for whatever it is we're avoiding, why not take the time to imagine a few awesome, or at least mildly pleasant scenarios instead? It's just as, if not more, likely to occur and can potentially change your mood.

The problem is that positive what-ifs sound ridiculous. For example, say you're worried about an upcoming presentation for which you've prepared and your silly brain starts up with a few wacky what-ifs such as, "What if I forget my notes?" or "What if I sweat and get giant pit stains in front of everyone?" or "What if my colleagues laugh me out of the room and I get fired for my inane attempt at seeming knowledgable?" Instead try, "What if the presentation goes well?" or "What if my someone compliments me on my poised public speaking skills?" or "What if my coworkers applaud my inspirational presentation and my bosses immediately give me a promotion and a raise?"

What if I read all of these books instead of imagining
them crushing me in an earthquake?

Is it just me, or do the positive "worries" sound completely absurd while the worrying worries seem plausible? Yet, in reality, the positive ponderings are actually more likely to occur. Because how many times does a presentation totally flop and result in public shame and job loss? Compare that to how many times a past professional presentation goes off without a hitch and I'm sure the latter will be in the lead.

Perhaps, if you are a worrier like me, the horrible things hold more emotional power over us, leading to more worrisome episodes. I told Sal it's like that scene from Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts responds to Richard Gere's compliments with, "the bad stuff is easier to believe." Maybe that's just because that's all we ever choose to focus our energies on. And maybe the way to tuning out those worries is simply turning them into reassurances or, by golly, even hopes-for-the-best?

In an effort to work toward rewiring my worry-center, here are my what-ifs for this weekend:

What if I make a new friend on Saturday?
What if I write a new poem?
What if I finish writing that book review?
What if I don't feel bad if I don't write a poem or that book review?
What if Sal and I go out to dinner and then go see the new Pixar movie?

Sounds like a good weekend. I hope yours is potentially as good as mine.

Stress, Focusing, Impostor Syndrome and Other Adventures

I haven't written much lately. Life is sort of beyond stressful. Laughably stressful. I'm working a ton and writing all day for work just drains me.

Why not write at the beginning of your day, Laura?

Excellent question. Complex answers. 

Brevity is not a strength I possess and neither is being vague. I'd rather just say, "I'm struggling with [insert weird condition here]" and be done with it. For privacies sake, I will say instead that any given day I have a limited number of hours in which I can focus, which greatly depends on how well I've slept, whether I've been eating right, and the amount of physical activity in my week. Since most days I wake up tired, even if I've slept enough, eat pasta and cheese all day, and a walk down and back up two flights of stairs to get the mail causes my heart to race, my focusable hours are really at a premium.

The other problem with my writing life is that I don't do anything. I don't go anywhere or see people. When I have the chance to go somewhere and see people, I often make myself sick with anxiety over it (that's a whole other post). Having just recently come to the realization that I am both an extrovert and an introvert (ambivert?), I have a better understanding of my needs. I need both time with people and time alone to feel balanced. I've got the time alone racked up for years. If only it worked like that. This lack of general eventfulness in my life has made whatever I do write fall into the "Pit of Despair and Obsessive Navel Gazing" - which is bad, in case that's not obvious. In terms of writing material, I'm at an all-time low. 

Whatever focusable hours my stress level and natural tendencies afford me these days, I spend it on work. I have been getting things for Weave in order, which feels wonderful. And my chapbook sales went well. But not producing any new work right now has given me a nasty case of Impostor Syndrome. My general stream of thoughts when attempting anything bordering on poetry-writing or editing consists of:

This is crap. Why try? Get a different career.
How many times have you used the word "feel" in this poem??
OMG I'm annoyed by my self. 
You call that poetry?

It's actually much worse than that, but I'll leave those lovely thoughts for me and me alone. I know I'm just in a rut and I'll eventually get out, but it's really no fun feeling like a fraud of a poet everyday. It makes it hard for me to further promote my book, write reviews, or even take joy in reading the poetry of others.

I think it just boils down to the fact that I'm profoundly lonely these days. I've been in California for a year now and while I have friends, I have no close friends in the city. The kind of friends you can be a mess with. Maybe I do have those friends here, but I feel too embarrassed to risk breaking down in front of them. Depression is clinical. Loneliness is just embarrassing.

Chapbook Rookie: What Happened to Preorders?!

Well, that went quickly. Turns out my pre-order period is just about finished. If you haven't bought a copy of Braiding the Storm yet, and you plan to, it'd be swell if you could grab a copy by this Friday, July 13th.

Oh yeah, that's right. My pre-orders end on a Friday the 13th. Good thing I'm not superstitious.

I have so much to say about chapbook marketing, but I won't be able to get to that until later. For now, I leave you with resources I've found useful thus far.

LINKY GOODNESS!

Kristin Berky-Abbott on the Promotion of Self and Others
Laura Madeline Wiseman's interview with Dancing Girl Press Editor Kristy Bowen
Effective Email Signatures for Book Marketing

and

xkcd: Valentine Dilemma (just because it's hysterical)

Chapbook Rookie: Interview with poet Joshua Michael Stewart

Stewart, staring longingly into outer space

I recently had the chance to talk shop about chapbook marketing with poet Joshua Michael Stewart. After sending him a thank you on Facebook for pre-ordering Braiding the Storm, Stewart shared some advice with about his experiences promoting his two chapbooks, Vintage Gray (Pudding House Publications, 2007) and Sink Your Teeth in the Light (Finishing Line Press, 2012), and the different approaches he took with marketing the second time around.

All of Stewart's advice was helpful and encouraging, so I thought other poets might benefit from his advice. Thus began the spark for this enlightening and frank interview below. I highly recommend cozying up with his words. Not only am I a fan (see proof at the end of this interview), as an editor I've published Stewart's work in Weave. His poems have also been published by Massachusetts Review, Euphony, Rattle, Cold Mountain Review, William and Mary Review, Pedestal Magazine, Evansville Review and Blueline. You can find more of his work online here.  Stewart resides in Ware, Massachusetts, but you can visit him on the web at Fictionaut, Facebook, and Twitter.

~

Many people swear by social media and email, while others say that in-person marketing, such as book parties or readings yield the best results. What types of marketing, both before and after a chapbook’s release, have been most successful for you? Which approaches do you feel are a waste of time?

I’ve heard over and over again that readings are where it’s at, but it’s not about the readings or even (sadly) about the quality of your work. It’s about establishing relationships. In order to make any sales at readings you need to do a lot of them and become an active member of that community. The hard truth of the matter is that most people won’t buy your book because you’re a great poet, but simply because they know you.

Social media is also about establishing relationships. I’ve had more success with selling my chapbooks via the internet. I would have to say it’s because it’s easier to establish and maintain those relationships on a daily basis. Also it’s easier to get my work “Into their hands,” by posting poems, or links to poems published in E-zines. I think I can be bolder with my tactics online. With my first chapbook, Vintage Gray, I simply would post announcements on my wall, and frankly, hardly anyone took the bait. Then with my second chapbook, Sink Your Teeth into the Light, I sent emails with links and sample poems to everyone in my friends list. I pissed a few people off by doing that, a couple even un-friended me, but the bottom line is, I sold more chapbooks in one week by doing that then I did in three years by just posting announcements on my wall. Like it or not, cold calls work.


How would you rate the importance of having an online presence with regard to marketing? Do you have any particular online services that you swear by?

Facebook mostly, I do use Twitter, but my success with Twitter is limited, but that’s probably because I don’t use it as much as I should. Obviously, it is extremely important to have an online presence when it comes to marketing. Think of all the writers, musicians, and whatever else you have knowledge of thanks to the internet that you would’ve never come across otherwise. For me, one who hasn’t owned a TV in thirteen years, and except for NPR, doesn’t listen to the radio, the only way someone has a real chance to market a product to me is going the online route.

Since you have had the experience with marketing multiple chapbooks, what was the biggest thing you learned from the first that changed your promotional approaches for subsequent titles?

I learned that I needed to do more of it. Marketing is really a fulltime job. Again, if you want people to buy your product you need to put that product in your customers’ hands. This is marketing 101, but the problem with me, and I’m sure with most writers is that we’re artists, not businessmen, and you need to be especially if you’re a poet, because no one will do it for you, for the most part not even your publisher.

It’s easy to go overboard with marketing, to the point where your audience begins to tune out. How do you know when enough is enough?

I’m not sure. Again, I always think I’m not doing enough. I guess one thing you don’t want is to have everyone you market to all be swimming in the same pool. If everyone you market to is on your Facebook page, then after you’ve posted your book on your wall for the 30th time this week, you’re pretty much washed up. This is where I start taking my own advice. This is why you need to be online and do readings in as many diverse venues as possible.

Marketing is time consuming and one can really devote an endless amount of time to it. Is it difficult to promote a book while still developing new creative work? How do you strike that balance?

Well as I said, it’s a fulltime job. It’s difficult to promote—period. Since I’m a poet, which is another way of saying I can’t make a living by just writing poetry, I already have to balance many other responsibilities along with the craft of writing. So, what’s one more thing? I have sacrificed a lot to devote my life to art. I’m not married, nor do I (or ever will) have children for the simple fact there would be that much more balancing to deal with. I could be working in a job where I make far more money than I do, but that would mean more time and mental energy devoted to something other than art. Ars Longa, Vita Brevis.

What advice do you have for poets who feel timid about book promotions?

Believe in yourself and your work, but with that always strive to improve your craft. And for God’s sake always hold craft above all else. What you have to say is meaningless without caring how you say it. I admit I’m a bit too timid for my own good, and when it comes to promoting anything, especially poetry, you have to be bold and do whatever it takes to get people to read your work. Even if it means some people will delete you from their Facebook page. Those people would’ve never bought your book in the first place, so fuck ‘em.

One thing that many poet's do not think about, or think is even an option, is having their chapbooks sold at independent bookstores on consignment. I live in Western Massachusetts, and I'm lucky to have at least seven independent bookshops relatively near my home. The way it works is that you either call up to speak to the owner, or better yet, go to the store in person and tell them you'd like to sell your chapbook on consignment. This means the owner finds a spot on the shelf for your chapbook and in return, the bookstore receives a percentage once one of your chapbooks have sold. The way I have it worked out with most of the local bookstores around me is that if one of my chapbooks is sold for $10.00 the bookstore takes $3.00 and I keep $7.00. It's not a bad deal considering all I have to do is gloat about having one of my chapbooks sold at an actual bookstore.

What current projects you are working on? What are you in the process of promoting? 

I’m promoting my two chapbooks, Vintage Gray and Sink Your Teeth into the Light, which people can find both at my web page. Sink Your Teeth into the Light can also be found at Amazon.

As for current projects I’m currently working on a book project with illustrator Bret Herholz. It’ll be a collection of poems that will unfold like a hard-boiled detective novel that will also include illustrations and possible elements of the graphic novel.

~

me, enjoying Joshua Michael Stewart's chapbook

20 Things To Do When I Have Endless Time and Energy

1. Revise my essay about my mother breaking her arm while I was getting divorced
2. Figure out how to really clean a cast iron bathtub
3. Print out my newest poems and revise
4. Read a pile of books
5. Write daily
6. Nap
7. Read a pile of magazines
8. Learn Spanish
9. Translate Spanish poems into English
10. Read some trashy fiction novels, just for kicks
11. Walk the four labyrinths in San Francisco
12. Learn how to cook yummy food that's good for me
13. Digitally archive the love letters my grandparents wrote to one another during WW2
14. Use said letters in some kind of writing project
15. Read all the books I still haven't finished
16. Read the (pile of) blogs I follow
17. Be still
18. Join a community choir and start singing more in general
19. Finish the furniture projects in our apartment
20. Blog

what my to do list feels like in my head

Literary Roundup: Abbreviated-Style

1. I was interviewed about Braiding the Storm by poet Laura Madeline Wiseman.
2. Karen Benke's lovely poem "Joy Ride" is over at Rattle.
3. Jessica Fenlon writes about the "feedback loop of non-response, acceptance, rejection" over at snowblood's parasol.
4. Renée Albert's delightful poem "Palm Sunday" was featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Saturday Poem series.
5. Nicolette Wong's epic series of prose poems intermingle with intensely strange and beautiful photographs over at Escape Into Life.
6. The always amazing Aimee Nezhukumatathil spoke with the folks at Lantern Review.
7. Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman tells us to sleep upside-down, among other things, in order to spark the flames of creativity (via the Huffington Post).
8. Finally, less literary and more fun: this photo sparked a chain of events that lead me to climb through a window at Princeton to see Bon Jovi. Thanks, whoever you are.