I have always been a
little embarrassed by this blog. My takes on writing are reasonably well
informed, because I have been reading and writing for a long time. Other than
one magazine-writing course in college, though, I have no formal training. So
it is quite presumptuous of me to review the books of others or to suggest ways
to write better to my peers.
I started this blog
because Black Opal Books was kind enough to agree to publish my novel about
four handicapped and homeless Iraqistan veterans who are accused of murdering a
doctor at a VA hospital. It is important that authors market their own books
any more. In fact, most of the marketing is done by the authors, through a web
presence, primarily. This blog was to be part of my web presence.
I’ve been fairly
successful at writing and publishing, both fiction and non-fiction. Novels,
though, are a hard sell. I have four finished novels that are quite good, but I
can’t get an agent even to look at them.
One of the attractions of Black Opal is that they are willing to deal with
authors directly, without an agent.
Since BOB accepted VETS, I assumed I could talk them into
publishing the rest of my finished novels, and my WIPs, too.
My situation has changed,
though. And it has not changed.
The part that has changed
is that I don’t want to write any more novels. I have other things I want to
concentrate on.
The part that has not
changed is that I don’t like to market. I want to use my time in other ways. It
would be unfair to ask BOB to publish my books if I’m not willing to help
market them. I don’t want to work on a web presence, or any other kind of marketing
presence, although I have enjoyed the book signings and speaking engagements
that have come my way because of my writing. I am not a marketer, and I should
not pretend to be one, any more than I should pretend to know how to tell folks
how to write.
So, there is no need for
me to continue this blog. Now I shall be free of the guilt of telling you how
to write and what to read when I have no qualifications for doing so.
Best wishes in all your
reading and writing.
Thanks for visiting the
blog. You have been very kind to do so.
I shall continue my Christ
In Winter blog, http://christinwinter.blogspot.com/
John Robert McFarland
johnrobertmcfarland@gmail.com