The Writing Life

Most published authors I know are only able to write about fifty percent of their working hours. The rest of the time they’re involved in some form of promotion. That surprises non-writers I speak to. They think our publishers promote us, and I guess that was true in the olden days. Not any more. Every author I know is working hard to keep his or her internet presence up to date, touring or at least signing books at bookstores, answering fan mail, and dreaming up ways to get discovered by new readers. I’m no different.
I got up this morning (a little late, I admit), psyched to go to the Opium Den and continue work on my as-yet-untitled WIP. As I do every morning, I checked my email and discovered that I had about a million and one emails from my fab webmasters, Debra and Tara. I’m in the process of doing a complete overhaul on my website, and they’re the magicians in charge of making it happen. But I’m in charge of making all the decisions that go into the overhaul. My characters were tugging at my t-shirt and I finally had to tell them to go away. I didn’t get a break from the computer until 1:30. By that time, I’d caved in and eaten a bowl of cereal and a banana, but I was determined to hold off on the coffee until I made it to the O.D. (I wonder if I’d enjoy my coffee at home more if I had those cardboard cups and plastic lids? Maybe I’ll get some and see).
In addition to the website, I’m trying to educate myself to the finer points of bloggerdom. I’m really enjoying my new nearly-every-day blogging, but I had no idea there were directories one should be listed in and blog readers one should be using. As I’ve mentioned before, I am, like, so totally out of it! This complicated, crazy world of blogs is staggeringly huge! I’m stunned.
Anyway, I can’t wait for the unveiling of the new website design! It’s so different. I’ve loved my old design with the beach scene painted by my stepdaughter, but even she admits it’s time for a change. The new look will still be grounded by a lighthouse, of course, but it’s much cleaner and more spare than the current design. I hope you’ll like it.  Now to report on the WIP. . .   

2 Comments

  1. Margo on August 16, 2006 at 12:28 pm

    Ah…that explains why I couldn’t get into your regular website this a.m…Laura told me to key in blog DC and I was able to bypass everything and get right to the blogs…no way I’d be able to wait till 1:30 for my coffee!!…2 things start my day when I get to work, my huge Starbucks and reading Diane’s blogs!!…I’d have terrible withdrawl without these 2!!…yes, I drink my Starbucks out of the cardboard cup and plastic lids when at work…at home it’s a mug and Gary’s wonderful French Roast..(-:

  2. brenda on August 17, 2006 at 3:32 pm

    Margo-I keep this BLOG in my favorites and always bypass the main website…this is my FIX when I need one… 🙂

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