Any contemporary young artists, musicians, writers, or entrepreneurs know that they have to self-promote. I’ve read and heard countless arguments that we need to “build a brand” or “construct a platform” if we want to be successful in this weird-ass digital age. The concept that our hard work will be noticed and picked up by someone who will want to pay us to do what we do is slowly disappearing down the drain of the internet, as the entire market is over-saturated with more content than can ever be read.
And the worst part is, we’re expected to do this on our own, with no real training or knowledge of the inner clockwork of good self-promotion.
It’s a sticky business though, the world of making yourself known without sounding like a total douche. It’s easy to want to scream your every success on every platform available, tweeting your retweets and booking your face all over the place, but then you risk annoying your audience. Conversely, If you don’t find and tune and toot your own horn, you might miss out on a chance to gain readership, or a chance for you to shove your crowbar of hard work into the very slightly ajar chained-door of opportunity.
My only real advice is to create good content. I still haven’t figured out the perfect mathematical formula of when and how and why to promote myself, but I never feel bad about sharing my work if I’m confident that it is at least of passable quality. Not everything is going to be perfect, but as long as I enjoyed writing it, I hope my audience will enjoy reading it.
That said, I just had a short piece published that I think is at least moderately entertaining. For anyone interested, it can be found here:
http://thedoctortjeckleburgreview.com/2012/11/14/james-joyce-the-first-hipster/
What does everyone else think about self-promotion? Dickish ego self-inflation or necessary evil to get exposure or both?
Mr. Joyce and Mr. Jones, circa 1917 and 1993, respectively.
Tagged: advice, building a brand, craft and draft, getting published, james joyce, self-promotion, tweetbookfaceblog, writing
Literature and Libation 
As you said, self-promotion is a necessary evil. Writing is not like being discovered on Youtube.
Saying your work is the best thing since Twain wrote Huck Finn is asking for a pin prick to your ego balloon, and unfortunately, getting a publicist comes after you’ve done the hard yards of being discovered.
To self-promote, I think a balance of humility and confidence is needed. Get your work out there, explain an idea or inspiration, and why you think it is something people would like to read. That would be sufficient, I believe.
P.S. I am terrible at self-promotion, but the theory sounds good =P
Well said. I think every up-and-comer needs to be wary of “Oasis Syndrome”; putting yourself on par with a legend (in this case the Beetles) is a recipe for career poison.
I’m with you on the writing something people would like to read. Too many times I read things out in the sprawling web and scratch my beard in confusion as to why this piece of writing exists, and why I just read it.
To me self-promotion is a balancing act, as you mentioned. I think it’s important that you share your published story because otherwise how would I (we) know about it? But too much sharing, like you said, just gets annoying. Where the line is between promoting and over-promoting, however, seems like a very difficult thing to figure out. I think you have the “good content” stuff figured out, at least on your blog.
Thanks! I really try to make every post have a point, even if that point is to just make someone laugh.
I’m starting to think that’s the big secret of the internet: create a lot, but make it original, fresh, and engaging.
Great post. If you ever do find the solution to finding a balance between self-promotion/being annoying, please let me know. 😉 Congrats on the article.
May I play “odd man out” and say that I think self-promotion is neither of those things? If you feel you have something interesting to say, then I might even extend a heavy hand and say it’s your ‘duty’ to promote it! That’s not evil nor is it dickish; at least if you do it with the right frame of mind, which is — I’ve written something I find interesting and I want to make it easier for like-minded people to find.
Of course this is coming for a guy who has his own feelings of unworthiness, but it’s always easier to encourage someone else. 🙂
You can always play odd man out, if I have my say.
I think you are onto something there. Maybe promotion of your own hard work (if it is good) is your duty, so long as you do it with respect for your craft and your place in the spectrum of skill? I like that idea. Maybe I’ll try to embrace that going forward!
And I think we all feel unworthy at times, but only because we’ve got so many amazing artists to play second (or third or fourth) act to!
it’s a fine line for sure. I think about all of those wonderful things I have read (or watched) that have made a difference to me – and i would have seen none of them if I hadn’t have been told about them. Your’re just letting people know, that’s all 🙂
I think it’s totally self-absorbed and intrusive. I can’t stand it, and I never do it myself. If your work is worth reading, people will find it. There is no need to cheapen oneself through shameless self-promotion.
Ooh, I almost forgot! You can read my post on James Joyce’s connection to Deviant Dale’s IPA here: http://beerbecue.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/oskar-blues-deviant-dales-a-short-history-of-deviance-and-eproctophilia/
😉
never was comfortable with the self-promotion
though quite adept at some self-demotion,
but as has been mentioned: what if who-knows-who somewhere out there
happens to actually read something you wrote and they are glad they did,
well they had to be somehow aware of it
and though not a few pitfalls litter the internet, doing things this way
like floating something out there and ducking back into the cabin, sort of
almost hope not too many see it… but if someone does and it’s for the good,
well who am I to complain – salesman, promoter. Never was much of a salesman, promoter. though I admire those are.
Hi there,
This is my first time on your blog, and I really liked your writing style.
With the advent of the internet people are creating content like crazy. Though this is a great thing, but it makes the genuine content go undiscovered.
Self-less promotion hurts everyone. But as you said, it’s a necessary evil. Specially for the ones like me who aren’t good at it.
regards,
Sunil
I always feel very cringeworthy when I’m trying to gain readership. I’ve tried lots of different networking sites, even going so far as to join LinkedIn, which seems now to be an entirely futile effort. I’ve found it’s better to really go for it on one website (WordPress, Twitter) than to spread yourself thin and pick up no followers at all.
I read a quote somewhere (I really wish I could attribute it) that said, “never use more platforms than you have content for.” I think your audience will appreciate really good, polished content in one place, rather than half-assed stuff in 10 places 🙂