YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE MAD… PART 2
Writers need to keep their heads in the clouds but their feet on the ground. Learn how professionals balance delusion and pragmatism, imagination and reality, with Steven Chapman
Steven Chapman
WRITING LIFE
Continuing on from last month’s article, which discussed the role delusion has to play during the development of a writer’s career; this month will focus on things a little later down the line – the more practical side of writing, and the myths and superstitions we must either embrace or fight to maintain motivation and sanity in our writing lives. Once again, horror author Adam Nevill, romance novelist Sue Moorcroft, and thriller writer Matt Hilton join the discussion to offer their take on the stories we tell ourselves.
Social media myths
‘I have 4,000 followers and a semipopular blog; therefore I’m an expert on all matters writing related!!’ Once a writer has a following they assume it somehow improves their work, but in a world where anyone can amass thousands of followers through minimal effort, doing so seems less impressive with each passing day. When you receive praise for the simplest of things (eating breakfast, going to the gym, reposting cat memes) why bother with all that hard work of improving your craft? Has the boom of social media had a positive effect in letting writers connect with their readership, or do the negatives outweigh any advantages an involved media presence may bring?
‘I like social media and believe that it benefits my career,’ says Sue ‘It also allows me access to a privilege – readers sending me lovely messages about my books. I use social media as a place to chat, for research and to promote. I control it rather than letting it control me and when I’m too busy I either pull back from it or make copious use of the scheduling functions so I limit the time consumption.’
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June 2017
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