Don't quit your day job

[NicoleMD]

This question goes out to all the published authors out there (and those that will be or hope to be soon) who continue to work their “normal jobs”:

Do you promote your novels at work to your co-workers and such? I’d love to. We’ve got a company newsletter that announces this sort of thing all of the time, but the thought of my boss (and other co-workers that I’ve managed to fool into thinking I’m somewhat normal) reading my sex scenes kinda scares me. It’s not like they’re overly explicit or anything, but the whole book is “out there”...not WAY out there, but pretty much so for little, sweet Nicole, who spends her days being nice and polite in her little cubicle, tending to her TPS reports.

With parents and friends, you can dodge them until the embarrassment wears off, but these are people I spend 8 hours a day with. Any thoughts?
Nicole

[veinglory]

...Don't do it? I prefer my worlds uncollided.

[SpookyWriter]

...Don't do it? I prefer my worlds uncollided.Ditto! I wouldn't suggest it for the very same reasons. And because you never really know who will be insulted enough to raise a stink.

I believe in keeping my work at work and home at home.

[kristie911]

Depends on your co-workers. I spend 12 hours a day with my co-workers (3 per shift) and we're quite good friends. I've had some of them beta for me and several of them are always asking me if I have something for them to read. They're some of my best "pushers" to keep writing and the best cheering section! :)

But if you're all not that close don't do it...keep work at work.

[lfraser]

I absolutely would not. Your writing is a window into your psyche, and there may be some stuff in there you don't want people to know about.

[SpookyWriter]

Depends on your co-workers. I spend 12 hours a day with my co-workers (3 per shift) and we're quite good friends. I've had some of them beta for me and several of them are always asking me if I have something for them to read. They're some of my best "pushers" to keep writing and the best cheering section! :)I'd say you are very fortunate. I couldn't possibly do that in my line of work. I mentioned, in passing once, that I write and let it die after that because making "chit-chat" isn't why they pay me. Too bad, since I can be a funny guy sometimes.

[Joe270]

I think it could open a can of worms.

My inlaws don't even know I write. It's just not worth the hassle.

There are a whole lot of people out there who really enjoy 'taking folks down a peg or two'. I wouldn't give them so much ammunition.

[valeenc]

I ended up regretting letting people I worked with in a "regular" job know that I was an actor/singer part time. I wound up being free entertainment at the company picnic with the (expletive deleted) karaoke machine. HATE!

I do NOT recommend it.

[SpookyWriter]

I think it could open a can of worms.

My inlaws don't even know I write. It's just not worth the hassle.

There are a whole lot of people out there who really enjoy 'taking folks down a peg or two'. I wouldn't give them so much ammunition.So you've met my ex-wife? :D

[janetbellinger]

I havn't talked up my book to anyone since I left PA a year and a half ago. I wouldn't recommend doing a sales job on it to your co-workers, although I must say, it wouldn't be any worse than all the Avon catalogues etc that are always lying around the lunch room.

[MidnightMuse]

Bad things happen when worlds collide - no way would I do it, personally. For the same reasons I don't invite my coworkers into my house to go through my drawers and closets.

There's friendly, then there's too much.

[justpat]

The few sales you could get from co-workers won't be worth the headaches it could cause. Don't do it.

[NicoleMD]

Bad things happen when worlds collide - no way would I do it, personally. For the same reasons I don't invite my coworkers into my house to go through my drawers and closets.

There's friendly, then there's too much.

Ah, good point. So it'll be like having a dual identity. Maybe I'll even get to wear a cape! Ooohh...a writing cape!

Nicole

[JoNightshade]

I don't share my writing with my coworkers, I don't talk about it with my friends, and I barely even let my family read it-- only after something is absolutely, for sure finished or published in a magazine. The only place I talk about writing is here, on this board. Both friends and coworkers have tried to get me to talk about my writing, but I refuse-- rudely, if they push me.

Actually I find it reassuring that other people feel the same way about keeping it private. When you think about it, it's kind of odd-- it's an awesome profession if you can make money at it, and people are always interested when they find out you make a living with words. So why not talk about it?

I guess for me, writing is an expression of my innermost dreams and desires. Even if nobody else would "get it," in some Freudian way everything on the page is a kind of symbology for my inner psyche. I write about what I care most about, so someone else knowing about that means they have incredible leverage on me. And it's weird, very weird, when an acquaintance suddenly gets to find out the most personal things about you. It's like letting them see you naked!

And even if everyone else in the world was just like "Hey, nice story," I would still be terrified that someone would realize that (for example) my stories are an extension of my pathetic need for approval from a father who is not capable of granting it. It really is like vomiting your inner self. Constructively. :)

Oh noes! I've just exposed myself! ::Jo runs away and hides::

[Will Lavender]

I agree with most everyone on the thread.

I've talked about my book with people, but rarely do I talk about what the book's about or how I came to write it. And I never, ever, ever discuss a work in progress.

First, writing is interior, as JoNightshade says above; people tend to get bored when you discuss stuff that personal.

Second, I'm a firm believer in jinxing.

[Southern_girl29]

I work with a bunch of writers at a newspaper, so many of them are writing a book. It does give us something to talk about. One of my co-workers, who is fairly young (my novel is YA), is one of my beta readers. He did an excellent job and gave me great insight. One of my other co-workers has a teenage daughter, and the daughter is going to read it when I finish making these rounds of changes.

However, if I worked anywhere else, I probably wouldn't share.

[Anne Lyle]

I'm in two minds about it. I use my maiden name at work still, and my married name for everything else including writing, so most people at work wouldn't know it was me even if they saw the book on the shelves at Borders. Only a couple of my colleagues know about my writing (because one of them has a fiancé who is a writer), but generally I prefer not to talk about it with non-writers.

On the other hand, I work on a post-grad campus and there are plenty of fellow geeks who would enjoy my book, so maybe once I'm published I'll let people know. One of my daydreams is that the girl at the campus bus stop who is always reading a fantasy novel will be reading mine one day :)

[Niteowl]

I guess I'll be the contrarian here. I've told the 4 co-workers who I'm close to about my writing. I even let them read it if they ask. I guess my opinion on this is two-fold :

1) Gotta have someone keep me honest about writing. Can't just stop writing without being beholden to some quizzical coworkers.

2) Thicken the skin. Trying to be more fearless with my writing, so I try and challenge that Oh So Sensitive Inner Writer all the time. Sometimes to a friendly game of bocci, other times to things more conducive to building character.

[ccarver30]

No way would I give any of my coworkers my work!

[CaroGirl]

I wouldn't "give away" my books to anyone but my mother and my husband. Everyone else has to pay! If I got a novel published and had a launch party, there are some coworkers that I'd invite to attend. My novel is my work, not my diary. It's for the public to read and enjoy, and that would include friends and coworkers, if they wanted to read it. That would be up to them.

But I'm not working right now, anyway. Anyone know of a job opening? You know, one that pays actual money?

[Cav Guy]

I think it depends on two things: where you work and who you work with. I've been in jobs where I had no problem sharing things I wrote with people I worked with, and I've also had others where there's no way in hell I'd let them see anything I wrote. Like most things here I don't think there's a "one size fits all" answer.

[Raphee]

I have regretted talking about the fact that I am trying to write a novel.
a everyone wants to know what it is about; when even I am struggling to know the end.
b Even well minded friends have asked me when it'll be published. How do I explain a query letter to someone.

Once published, I'll make sure to tell the world.

[wordmonkey]

I absolutely would not. Your writing is a window into your psyche, and there may be some stuff in there you don't want people to know about.

OK, this seems kinda strange to me. Now if it were a journal or diary, I could see that to be true. However, aren't you writing a book to SELL? To have PEOPLE READ IT?

The point of publishing your book is to have people read it. Do you think only people who like it will read it and tell you? Even if you get wildly successful you will have lots of people quite willing to tell you just how badly you suck.

And what if, surfing one night a co-worker stumbles on your book on Amazon. Or decides they could go to bed, watch a re-run of Baywatch Nights, jump off a large building, or google their co-workers. Your secret is out.

What then? They know! OH DEAR GOD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The HUMANITY! Your DIRTY DIRTY secret is out there! People know you...

...take a deep breath...

...you...

<Tremble>

<Gulp>

...you write!

Toughen up! Embrace your writing and your book. You gave birth to this, don't drop it at the bus station now it's all grown up, likes to wear black nail-polish and heavy eye-liner, lots of studs and buckles, and sports dubious piercings.

Your writing is NOT you.

You have achieved something great, don't be embarrassed about it.

But that's just me. If you wanna lock it away, go for it. Borders Books sells nice-looking journals starting at $3.99.

[waylander]

Absolutely I have shared my book with my co-workers. A good number of them have read it and enjoyed it. The fact that a bunch of well-educated people loved it keeps me confident that I'm not nuts trying to get someone to give me money for it.

[Doug Johnson]

To me, it depends on how good the book is. If it's on the shelf at Borders, why not? If it's self published, probably not, but that raises the question of why self publish a book and offer it for sale, if you don't believe in it enough to talk about it?

Asking your boss to plow through your first draft of your first novel, when you haven't written any fiction since high school, is probably not such a great idea.

[Jack Nog]

If it's on the shelf at Borders, why not?

Then and only then will I say something. And I hope it will be "I Quit"

[ChaosTitan]

My family knows I write. The second question I get at family gatherings (right after the old favorite, "Got a boyfriend yet?") is "How's the writing going?" They don't bug for specifics. I don't know if that's because they don't care or don't expect my writing to ever amount to anything, but eh.

Some of my co-workers know I write and that I'm actively seeking publication. I've even inspired two of my younger co-workers to try their hand at it, and that (if nothing else) is a great thing. I love it when young people show an interest in writing.

I talk if they ask questions. Especially on days when I show up all smiles and giggles because of material requests. Mostly I keep it to myself. I use my real name for everything I write, so if I end up in Borders one day, there won't be any hiding it. Not that I would hide it. I'd be too super-excited to keep that to myself.

Everyone has a different work atmosphere. I know I would find overwhelming support with my co-workers. Not everyone has that.

[Susan Lanigan]

I talk about my writing with my colleagues from time to time and see no problem with it. I would agree with wordmonkey that you do have to change your attitude after achieving any kind of widespread publication. The thing about being published is that half the time when you're sending your darlings around, you don't really envisage what might happen if they prove widespread and successful. (Not that my short stories are out on the fronts of shops, don't get me wrong.)

There have been some stories which I have not shown to a colleague of mine who likes to read them largely because of their content.

[larocca]

If you write your words at home, and hear about them all the time from co-workers at your day job, you'll feel like you're writing 24/7. I don't know about you, but I can't enjoy writing if it's like that.

"Michael, I really loved your book."
"Yeah, go away, you bother me."

Seriously, it's like that. Readers are people I never meet except in email, and I don't have to read their messages unless I'm in the mood. And I am, every day more or less, but not every minute of every day. I'm very uncomfortable meeting my readers in person, with the sole exception of the lovely lady I married. An office full would drive me batshit. Hell, it did a few years ago.

Like Anne Tyler and Harper Lee, I've never written a sex scene in my life, so it's not that. I just don't want to meet my readers in person. So I say, obviously, don't do it.

(On the other hand, my last boss in the US bought my books, but she's a special lady, so it's cool. And Mom loved all my writing too... );)

[Renee Russell]

I told my boss before I was hired that I was trying to get a finished novel published -- BUT only because I work in the investment world and have securities licenses and the National Association of Securities Dealers requires full disclosure of ANY outside business activity.

However, I never said a word to anyone else until the book came out and then let them decide if they wanted to buy it or not. Apparently quite a few did becaused they'd bring them to the office for me to autograph.

I've finished and sold my second novel, but no one at the office knows that. Whenever they ask "how's the writing going" I just say "it's going" and leave it at that. Book Two is due to be published in November. Once it's available, I'll let everyone know it's out there and go the same route as before.

I'm currently finishing up Book three, but again, it's not general knowledge at the day job.


Renee

[midwife]

Some of my midwifery partners are very interested. One has read WIP #1 in its entirety. Two others encourage me to keep going when I am discouraged. Another is a published writer herself and she always talks about "both of us" being writers and is very encouraging.

But then again, my midwife partners are more like family than coworkers. I think they will be the first dozen people to buy my book. : )

[Harper K]

I guess I'll be the contrarian here. I've told the 4 co-workers who I'm close to about my writing. I even let them read it if they ask. I guess my opinion on this is two-fold :

1) Gotta have someone keep me honest about writing. Can't just stop writing without being beholden to some quizzical coworkers.

2) Thicken the skin. Trying to be more fearless with my writing, so I try and challenge that Oh So Sensitive Inner Writer all the time. Sometimes to a friendly game of bocci, other times to things more conducive to building character.


My philosophy is similar to Niteowl's. I've told several co-workers about my writing, some getting more detail than others, and I'm always glad when one of them asks me how my novel's going. The more people I have to answer to in terms of my daily progress, the better. YMMV, of course, and I should mention that I did choose those co-workers carefully.

For years I was a secret writer, and just about 2 years ago I outed myself as a writer to more people than just my family, my close friends, and my husband. I've let very few of these people read my work, but I feel like the identity of me as writer is more real this way.

Plus, I've found that my boss is a great resource and supporter. He's not a writer himself, but he's a language nerd (as he should be; I work for a "language services" company) and has a huge library of writing-related books at home. If I happen to mention to him that I'm struggling with a certain part of the writing process, the next morning I find a book related to that subject on my chair. (Seriously -- he has absolutely no interest in writing fiction himself, yet he owns the entire Writer's Digest Elements of Fiction series in hardback!) We go back and forth in e-mails about various grammatical nuances, and we both learn a lot. And it's hugely fun.

The only writing project I keep secret is my online journal / blahwg that I've been writing for almost 10 years. I actually go by a different, non-Googleable form of my name at work so that no one will find said journal. But even that secret is getting tiresome, and I've been working on a new and much less confessional website that I can show to others.

[Stew21]

I don't tell many people that I write. And I sometimes feel a little to loose-lipped about what I'm currently working on. I have incredible urges to go through my posts here and delete any specific details of the work in progress.
I let 3 people read the first novel I wrote, wrote another draft of it, then trunked it.
I have let people at AW see more of my current wip than I had ever imagined I would be willing to share because i was so used to not sharing it.
One other person outside AW has seen pieces of the WIP. The people that know about it, thankfully don't push me to talk about it. Some "fringe" type people who know I write (you know, the people that hear you talking to someone who knows) will occasionally comment. I escape those conversations as quickly as I can.
I keep it to myself. If I was to publish, I would have no problem telling people I wrote and published a book. However, I'm not the type to tell people (especially at work) I'm a writer before that time. some people find it a silly and very singular and lonely geek hobby. I don't feel like dealing with that.

[ink wench]

Eh, one of my supervisors already knows and occasionally asks about my writing. But she writes some non-fic herself (never pub'd any), and her son wrote a novel and has been working on finding an agent or publisher so she's interested in the business.

If I ever find an agent or a publisher, everyone at my job is probably going to know because I'll be walking around for a week with dumb grin on my face. Since I don't normally smile I'll have to explain. :D

[willietheshakes]

Hmmm...

I work at a bookstore, so it would be ridiculous (and impossible) for me to keep the fact that I'm a writer secret. And counterproductive.

When Before I Wake was in the pipeline, a lot of my co-workers were on the journey with me, or at very least aware of the process. When it came out last summer, the first sales were to my coworkers. They came to the launch and as soon as it was on the shelves, they were the best ambassadors and cheering section a writer could ask for. So many books were bought as a result of their hand-selling - I can't even begin to express me gratitude to them.

[JoNightshade]

One more reason I don't like to talk about my work:

Even just finding out I'm a writer brings weird people out of the woodwork. Suddenly your less-than-grammatical coworker who can't even compose a coherent email pops up at your desk and says, "You're a writer! Say, I'm working on a book too! Let me tell you all about it! Here, read this chapter and tell me what you think!"

Or your other coworker who writes bad poetry for the local freebie events paper in town wants to hang out with you and tell you "Oh! I'm published too! It's so great to know another PROFESSIONAL. Have you gotten your work copyrighted? You don't want anyone stealing it!"

And then everyone else at work suddenly thinks you're "one of those" too. ::Cringe::

[wordmonkey]

One more reason I don't like to talk about my work:

Even just finding out I'm a writer brings weird people out of the woodwork. Suddenly your less-than-grammatical coworker who can't even compose a coherent email pops up at your desk and says, "You're a writer! Say, I'm working on a book too! Let me tell you all about it! Here, read this chapter and tell me what you think!"

Or your other coworker who writes bad poetry for the local freebie events paper in town wants to hang out with you and tell you "Oh! I'm published too! It's so great to know another PROFESSIONAL. Have you gotten your work copyrighted? You don't want anyone stealing it!"

And then everyone else at work suddenly thinks you're "one of those" too. ::Cringe::

You may wanna think about a different career then. If you're successful, do you think those folks won't wanna do the same?

It's part of the job.

Seriously. You have all this fun doing what you, but if you aim for publication, that's a part of the balance.

If you just wite for yourself, never intend to go for publishing, then you have every right to keep it personal. But by going for publication, you have accept that you are out there. First part of the word gives you a clue...

Publication.

[veinglory]

Monkey I'm not quite sure of the connection. I write for publication and people buy my books from stores. I don't talk about them at work beyond the occassional passing comment like when people ask whta I did ont he weekend, or what the pile of promo postcards in my purse are for.

They are my coworkers not my customers--and talking about writing does bring out the crazy in people especially (as the original poster mentioned) if there are sex scenes.

[wordmonkey]

Monkey I'm not quite sure of the connection. I write for publication and people buy my books from stores. I don't talk about them at work beyond the occassional passing comment like when people ask whta I did ont he weekend, or what the pile of promo postcards in my purse are for.

They are my coworkers not my customers--and talking about writing does bring out the crazy in people especially (as the original poster mentioned) if there are sex scenes.

My point is that unless you use a pen name (which might be the way to go but hampers your ability to sell) you can't hide from the weirdos. I had a guy (related to comic work) who loved one of my comics, read an intrview I did and was an instant fan. He asked (which was nice) to send me his fan magazine that he edits. Sure, sez I, wanting to be friendly and encourage a fan.

When it arrived it was a bunch of photocopies of things he'd pulled from other magazines or downloaded from the web, he even had a bunch of emails he'd printed out (complete with all the addresses and headings). The thing was stapled twice down the side.

He was also kind enough to send me a book of illustrated comic related poetry.

Would I want to be stuck in an elevator with the guy? NOOOOOOOO!

Was he a little strange? WHOA YEAH!

It was a little strange and surreal, but I am out there and this comes with the job.

Yes you can hide from the folks in your day job, but I was speaking in more general terms. There is no cut off point between Joe Public (be he wierdo or normal) and ones co-workers. I don't see why one would hide from either. Surely we write to be read? (Unless as I said, it's just for personal pleasure.)

That's all. I'm really not slamming anyone here, honest, gov. It just seems a little strange to work so hard to get something published and then be ashamed of it. Which is basically what we are talking about. It ain't diggin' a ditch, but you work bloody hard to get a book written, and even harder to get it editted and published. Why then hide it?

As for content, if you're ashamed or embarrassed about what you wrote, perhaps you shouldn't have written it.

But you should feel free to ignore anything I say. I am but a simple primate who sees the world in shades banana and peanut. :D

I might also point out that we are ALL someone else's wierdo. :crazy: I relish that role!

[JoNightshade]

I publish under my full maiden name. In my day to day life, I use my nickname-plus-married name. As there is very, very little chance that my coworkers would even be looking for books in the genre I write, and there is even less chance that they would recognize my maiden name, I doubt that I'm in danger here.

As for fans, actual people who pick up my work, don't know me from Adam, and love it-- I am happy to talk to them. I am fine chatting with total strangers-- who I don't have to see every day at work or at family get-togethers-- about my work. In fact I even ended up developing a close friendship with a fan. For me, psychologically, it's a totally different thing.

Family, friends, and coworkers read your stuff because it's YOU. Strangers read your stuff because of what you WRITE. That's the big difference, for me.

[Kristin Landon]

I'm a freelancer, so I have no co-workers, but I've mentioned my upcoming book to a couple of longtime clients who've been quite interested.

I didn't mention my writing much before the sale, because I found it a strain when the next question was always "What have you published?" Well, there's this two-inch-square gift book on unicorns from 1992. . . . No.

One of the quiet pleasures of making a sale has been having an answer for that question at last.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about the likely reactions of friends and acquaintances, and the conclusion I've come to is, I'm proud of my work. If people are shocked by it or object to it, they probably would be just as shocked and object just as much if they knew me better. I am who I am and I write what I write, and I'll deal with any fallout from that as it happens.

I don't try to market the book to them, though.

[SouthernFriedJulie]

Then and only then will I say something. And I hope it will be "I Quit"


Awesome line.


I was thinking along the same lines. Mention your novel to someone known to be a reader, then sit back and grin when they've all read it. If they all buy a copy and want autographs, no reason to be embarassed.

See, cuz they're the one BUYING the naughty scenes.

[NicoleMD]

I'm really not slamming anyone here, honest, gov. It just seems a little strange to work so hard to get something published and then be ashamed of it. Which is basically what we are talking about. It ain't diggin' a ditch, but you work bloody hard to get a book written, and even harder to get it editted and published. Why then hide it?

As for content, if you're ashamed or embarrassed about what you wrote, perhaps you shouldn't have written it.



I'm in no way embarrassed about my work, I'd just be embarrassed to have to constantly hear about it/talk about it from people at work. My boss has actually read a draft of mine from another WIP, liked it, gave it to his wife to read, and it came back to me looking like had it had been bathed with/eaten over/and whatever elsed on it.

It's just that in the hall and at company functions, I'd rather not have a bunch of people coming up to me asking questions about the novel, or when the next one is coming out, etc. Fans outside of work, I wouldn't care because you can just walk away at your leisure, but when someone works across the hall from you, that's kinda hard.



As for fans, actual people who pick up my work, don't know me from Adam, and love it-- I am happy to talk to them. I am fine chatting with total strangers-- who I don't have to see every day at work or at family get-togethers-- about my work. In fact I even ended up developing a close friendship with a fan. For me, psychologically, it's a totally different thing.


Exactly!

Nicole