Do you find it hard to "sell yourself" as a professional writer?

1. 61

   ryancarterposted 13 years ago

   Do you find it hard to "sell yourself" as a professional writer?
   
   I'm talking more about reader response than critical evaluations here.  Do you find that your audience is pretty responsive to your writing?

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2. 81

   kallini2010posted 13 years ago

   I am not selling myself.  What you need is to reach audience that will like what you write, however, you write for yourself only, the best way you can.
   
   Only by being true to yourself you have a chance of success.  If you will depend on what other people like or dislike, you won't be able to write anything.  It will be guess work with missing the target all the time.
   
   We depend too much on acceptance. But why not find those who like us versus trying too hard to please those who dislike us?  An exercise in futility.
   
   I write for myself.  Those readers that I have - they are precious - because I know that they read and pay attention and they enjoy.  Pleasing unidentified public - mission impossible.
   
   Besides, writing for me is expressing myself.  I don't write "how to's".  I cannot sell my personality and my thoughts and my art.  They are not for sale.  [I am speaking metaphorically].
   
   If you like what I write, read it, if you don't like it, read somebody else. 
   
   I am not dependent on acceptance.  Well, not anymore.
   As long as I am happy myself.

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3. 60

   yiasaposted 13 years ago

   Yes, I do. The main reason I write and the main person I write for is Me and Me only.

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4. 56

   slyparadoxposted 13 years ago

   Half the time, yes.  I have been blogging for about 10 years, but I have only started freelance writing since 2007.  The type of career I would like as a blogger/freelance writer takes time, patience, and hard work to become successful.  I run my own blogs, social network handles, public relations and marketing.  I quite frankly do not trust anyone and I am waiting for my daughter to be old enough to be my assistant (she's 4 so it'll be quite a while).  I am a very patient woman so it does not really bother me that I will have to work diligently for a few more years to be at the level I want to be.

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5. 82

   Pamela N Redposted 13 years ago

   Marketing is tough. Writing I can do, but selling what I do is a much harder thing because I'm not a salesman.

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