Celebrating Independent Authors
‘Tis the season to be … driven to distraction?
Deck the halls, bake the goodies, shop ‘til you drop, wrap the gifts, trim the tree, hang the stockings, light the Menorah (I know I may be a bit late with this one), sing in the choir … the list is endless. Continue reading “Driven To Distraction….?”
Have you ever had to pick out a casket for a loved one?
I have. This doubtful honor is a right of passage for many family members. The memory of this event is often surreal. Its grim reality weighs heavily on us, demanding stoic posture and the composure of a Vulcan. We fight to submerge the horror and the pain that goes along with it. If you are the one making the decisions, the needs of the living and the recently deceased outweigh the personal luxury of mourning.
For others, a staggering loss compels them to write, to record every vivid detail. They create a memoir of the event for their own release and to “entertain” others. This response confuses me and makes me wonder: is it because the words come easily to them, or is each one, as they are to me, a stiletto of exquisite pain they can somehow endure? What is the best medicine if your heart is an open wound? Is the exercise of recording such personal experiences viable as more than a personal exorcism? Will readers other than your friends and family care? Consider a scene in my own hell. Continue reading “Danse Macabre”
How times change. What would have been a pointed insult in the not so distant past, is now a reason to cheer. Did your photograph, quote, video or blog post go viral? The social media world will not quarantine or blackball you. Rather, your success will brand you a marketing genius and the world will follow your every step. Pimm Fox will interview you on Taking Stock.
Why do you want to go viral? Because. If you wish to create your masterpiece in obscurity and never feel the rush of adrenaline as you walk into a room and realize that the people are there to see you, then stop reading this post. It is perfectly fine not to care about interacting with others, be they your niche readers, local book clubs, or other literary/social venues. But if you do care, and want to use the power of the Internet to create a viral phenomenon, then read on. Continue reading “You’re Going Viral”
Let’s be honest. It would be wonderful to climb the stairs to our private tower, a writing oasis, carrying a cup of coffee and nary a financial concern. Oh, the blissful euphoria, to have our creativity flowing freely, unimpeded by the worry of small things like the electric bill. We could travel extensively, immerse ourselves in foreign culture and inspire our masterpiece. We could be like Spunky the cat, who has had a fabulous benefactor her entire life allowing her to work on her favorite project–herself. Proper grooming and self-absorption have been, in this feline’s case, taken to a lofty level.
To have a patron who writes the checks and funds our creative vision should be a benefit available to all dedicated artists. Unfortunately, the funds to support art and artistic endeavors are the first line item cut by the bean counters. Without the joy of visual art, music, dance and literature we would certainly live a black and white existence. There is hope, my friends. From a small office in Brooklyn the idea of crowd funding was realized in a brilliant platform called Kickstarter. You can read about Kickstarter basics here. Continue reading “Kickstart Your Indie Project”