In today’s world, as a creative, you HAVE to sell the product you produce, and that product is you. I know, I know. It’s gross. You don’t like talking about yourself, you don’t like telling folks how great your work is. It’s conceited, it’s not gracious nor humble. I get it. I do.
I’m a SAG-eligible actor, writer, artist, and an online influencer. I was a journalist for 20 years. I have been self-promoting and promoting my work since I was in high school. I am now releasing my first published book (with Red Engine Press, of course), I have multiple pieces in local art galleries, and I still have one film I was in on Netflix. I have paid partnerships with Dubby Energy, Beard Sorcery and The Shop of Many Things. I regularly get thousands of views on TikTok and Facebook Reels and just recently overhauled my YouTube. Graphic Services just finished the first run of t-shirts for my upcoming book. I post on Facebook about it constantly, and will begin a campaign on TikTok tonight. There are MULTIPLE videos already up concerning the sculpture that makes up my cover art. It’s an every day thing.
Wake up.
Check emails (Multiple accounts).
Check views and analytics.
Come up with creative content.
Manage whatever promotional project is going on, send emails to terrifyingly important people.
Work 9-5 fulltime job.
Check emails (Multiple accounts).
Check views and analytics.
Come up with creative content.
Manage whatever promotional project is going on, send emails to terrifyingly important people.
Try to carve out time to be present for my wife and kids.
Spend half of this time strategizing with my wife about stuff, because she’s on the board for the Writer’s Guild we’re putting together, and Project Manager for Andmore Productions.
Check emails (Multiple accounts).
Check views and analytics.
Come up with creative content.
Manage whatever promotional project is going on, send emails to terrifyingly important people.
Force my exhausted brain to get some words on the novel because I told Mrs. Joyce Faulkner it would be ready in November because I can only write when I feel like it or there is a scary deadline.
Check emails (Multiple accounts).
Check views and analytics.
Come up with creative content. Make some.
Manage whatever promotional project is going on, send emails to terrifyingly important people.
Lie in bed and stare at the ceiling whilst stress-chewing on an old pillowcase instead of sleeping.
Get back up and make something for the content that I need to make tomorrow.
Rinse, repeat.
I’m not saying everyone has to go that hard, or that much. I’m just saying, for those people who are like, “Wow, you’re so lucky that you have that talent and, blah, blah, blah…”, that’s what it takes. Talent is great, but is largely fallacious, at least as the general public sees it. As creatives, you all know it’s 5% talent, 20% luck, and 75% hard work. Part of that hard work has to be self-promotion.
Self-promotion in any kind of writing used to be a dirty word. Back in the 90s when I started writing for a local paper, I was not allowed to say in the school paper that I worked at the local town paper and vice-versa. Author friends have told me their publishers in the 90s made them sign contracts saying they wouldn’t do their own promotion, unlike our contracts nowadays that require it. The turn was brought on by, you guessed it, the popularization of viral content and marketing. As an “unknown” author in this era, you have to self-promote. You don’t have a choice. No, your current publisher isn’t wrong. Yes, they are doing the right thing and trying to help YOU by begging, pleading, and barking at you to promote yourself. Make like Nike and just do it.
“Cody, we get it, we have to promote ourselves. Where, nay, how do we start?”
Well, friends, that’s what I’m here for! I have a degree in viral and guerrilla marketing from the University of Hard Knocks. I’ve seen all sides of it from my voice over work for Audible to the film I did with Clint Eastwood’s daughter. And my scrapes, bruises, and scars will now be something I will give to you all. Like, without the pain, though.
My next post here will cover some of the basics of social media marketing, some of the little guerrilla tactics you can use that won’t cost you a penny, then we’ll move on to the bigger stuff! For now, read this great article over and we’ll have a pop quiz next time. I look forward to meeting you all at the future Fort Smith Writer’s Guild meetings. Go like the page that is up on Facebook and wait for the announcement of the live website! Looking toward having our first meeting very soon!
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