Building Exposure Muscle

The first round of voting for the American Title III contest begins in a few days (October 16, in case I hadn’t mentioned it before) (which happens to be my husband’s birthday, so maybe that’s a good sign!). My fellow finalists and I are understandably nervous. I’ve finaled in contests before, and while I almost always get antsy when I send in entries, I recover quickly and get on with my life. This one is much bigger and has me feeling more naked than usual.

When I enter contests or submit to agents and editors, there’s a comfortable barrier of anonymity. Many contests require no identification on submissions. Works for me. Agents or editors reading my query may struggle with pronouncing my name--if I’m lucky enough to have garnered that much attention : )—but they don’t know who I am.

The American Title contest is my first experience where so much exposure is expected and encouraged. Self-promotion does not come naturally to me, but I’m working on it. I know that when I get published more will be necessary if I want to sell well. Which I do.

I’m not afraid of going out there and getting people to read my work, I’m just not used to it. I’ll equate it with something else I recently started: working out. The first few days of hitting the gym had me achy and wondering what the hell I was trying to do to myself, but after a month now, I feel pretty good and look forward to it. It’s good for me. In time it’ll get easier. And if it seems too easy, then maybe I need to push harder. I have to look at publicity that way too.

So, pass the Ben-Gay. I’ve got work to do.