Another Book, Fuckface
We did it, Joe!
Hey Fuckface,
As a writer I don’t write much about writing here. I’m mostly putting my whims into words, though sometimes it’s something that I’ve been writing notes about for weeks. Those are usually better. Like, maybe even well-written. Tee hee hee.
Writing about writing is a very writerly thing to do. And I don’t often feel overtly writerly. Despite being a writer and writing things. And even though I teach writing, and have done many workshops and talks about writing over many, many years, at several institutions and schools and libraries and for so many organizations, the BIG writerly part of that feels like a weird blazer that makes me look like someone going clubbing in 2003. It’s awkward! Also, I just don’t like a blazer. I don’t want to wear one. It makes me feel bad on my insides and outsides. I will not be “smartly” dressed in crisp jeans and a blazer. And I will not be going clubbing.
I am in the end stage of working on a book and the early stage of working on promoting a book. And I know a lot of writers don’t like doing promotion, but I do. I find it interesting and it can be fun. It’s a different type of creative work for me, and I see it as adjacent to the process of writing. I also think the stakes are low. For example, in my mind the stakes of me putting stuff on social media are dragging on the ground. Those are low-hanging stakes. They’re a little banged up. Which is why I feel comfortable doing what I enjoy doing online to promote my own work. This means my promo isn’t clean or contained or perfect. I’m not making something with a neat little Canva template and a big part of that for me is because that doesn’t suit the work it’s promoting.
My promotional materials are kind of messy and goofy and analog, because this isn’t a neat and clean book to me. This book is so expressly about people that, for the most part, do not have a lot of money and also live in a way that many people don’t want to live. It’s not slick, there are no aspirational houses or nuclear families or quote unquote careers and big traditional dreams being explored. The characters in this book are continually figuring shit out. Their lives are imperfect in an imperfect world. Writing about this is important to me. When I heard, “write what you know,” I heard write about what’s important to you. For this reason alone I likely will never be able to write a romance, despite them being more financially viable. Romance is not important to me.
But promotion is. Even though I am not some super successful writer that outlets are clamoring to platform I find value in creating promotional materials and art. Yes, art. I have to do my own thing. Which is what I think everyone should do, if they’re up for it. If you have ideas for promotion that are fun, for heck’s sake, do those things! So many other aspects of being a writer require you to obey rules or do what other people say you gotta do. I hand wrote some signs. I filmed physical little guys to make a video. I showed my hands holding the pencils propping up the hand-written dialogue. The materials are obvious and not polished. On purpose. For real.
Writers should get to do the type of work they are comfortable with when promoting their books. I mean, for me this should be going on every late night talk show despite not being anyone of note at all, but that is my comfort level. Just sayin’. Also, if malls were still really happening places I’d do a mall tour.
Over the past few weeks I was lucky enough to get some very lovely blurbs from writers I admire and respect and think are cool. Asking for blurbs, even for me, noted extrovert, isn’t fun. It’s one of the most chore-like chores of publishing. But getting them is extremely satisfying and affirming. People in your field complimenting your writing is fucking nice, bro!
I am obligated, and delighted, to tell you that I want you to get excited about my book. You can pre-order this book, from my publisher, Arsenal Pulp Press, or your favourite local independent bookstore. And if you happen to get it from somewhere else, you can just keep it to yourself! I don’t need to know how much money you give to Big Baby Bezos!
If you want you can buy copies for others, or suggest it to your local library. This book is also available to be adapted in a limited series, or a musical, or a puppet show. I’m open!
When this book comes out, I hope you read it, and I hope you like it.
Yes, this is me doing some promotion that I am comfortable with.
Never forget, I don’t want to wear a tailored blazer. BARF!
xoxo
A Fuckface
SO SO SOOOOOO EXCITED!!
Excited to read this. Congrats Dina