Does anyone else get overwhelmed.

I just screwed up big time. I won't tell you what, but it comes down to the fact that I am easily overwhelmed. Too many pictures, shapes, and words on a page, and my mind goes blank. Too many people trying to talk to me and I go blank. Too many comments on my articles, and I go blank. Someone continuing a conversation past three lines, and I go blank. Some times, I feel rising panic and anxiety. 

The root cause of it is working memory impairment.

How does one publicize oneself if the response from the reading public is too much for one to cope with?

I get overwhelmed just by life in general. I'm working on calming myself down. (But then I fall asleep...)

Tess: 01/26/2013 - 05:20 PM

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I just screwed up big time. I won't tell you what, but it comes down to the fact that I am easily overwhelmed. Too many pictures, shapes, and words on a page, and my mind goes blank. Too many people trying to talk to me and I go blank. Too many comments on my articles, and I go blank. Someone continuing a conversation past three lines, and I go blank. Some times, I feel rising panic and anxiety. 

The root cause of it is working memory impairment.

How does one publicize oneself if the response from the reading public is too much for one to cope with?

If that is the case why do you add to your anguish by posting in a forum??? SY

Sam, I think she's asking for some moral support. Yes, I get overwhelmed. I have difficulty writing and keeping up with social media to promote my writing on various websites. I'm on Zazzle, and I'm building my own website. I'm really only good for one thing at a time.

BrendaReeves: 01/26/2013 - 07:14 PM

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Sam, I think she's asking for some moral support. Yes, I get overwhelmed. I have difficulty writing and keeping up with social media to promote my writing on various websites. I'm on Zazzle, and I'm building my own website. I'm really only good for one thing at a time.

Complaining about "too many" or "too much" input" and then asking that exact question on a forum

- which will, most likely, augment her psychological problem in that regard doesn't make sense for me - sorry, SY

Tess: 01/26/2013 - 05:20 PM

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I just screwed up big time. I won't tell you what, ...

 

If you really want - and would accept - help you need to be a bit more specific! SY

It's sometimes extremely difficult for me not to be rude...

My post ends with, "How does one publicize oneself if the response from the reading public is too much for one to cope with?"

It's a very big issue when one is a writer. Without publicity one doesn't sell books, but with publicity, I go to pieces.

I was asking how one publicizes a book without getting involved in it personally?

I'm sorry you didn't get that. I thought it was obvious. My mistake.

Let me try again.

In order to get one books sold, one has to publicize them and that's impossible to do without interacting with the public and, to some degree, becoming a personality.

That would totlaly overwhelm me and incapacitate me. I wouldn't be able to write or function on anything.

How does one publicize books to the reading public and avoiding the public eye simultaneously?

This is jim, not robin by the way...Using an iphone so excuse typing

Many famous and successful writers have been reclusive letting other people do their publicity work.

They would never appear in a public forum like this if this was a real problem and they were truly successful.

I wouldn't worry about it until it truly happens. As my wife said, you can shut off comments, avoid forums and have the privacy you crave.

Not true anymore. In the publsihign world today, virtually all publishers want you to have a blog, interact with the public, do books signings and tours, etc. I've had a mainstream publisher interested in something I've written for 18 months and they periodically ask me if it's completed yet. I haven't had the guts to tell them that my real hangup is that I don't want the publicity. 

The way the publishing system used to work is very different to the way it works today. There was an ad on London craigslist the other day for new authors. What fascinated me is that they said that the author would have to do the publicity themselves - and then they added 'as is the norm today."

I emailed them and pointed out that if the author had to do the publicity themselves, then they might as well self-publish. 

Also, I seriously need to promote my books but can't figure out how to do it without involving myself. I don't have the money to pay anyone, but even if I did, they would want me to do certain things. That's the way it works these days.

Tess,

Can you ghost write the book with another author and have the proviso they ( the other author) is up front for the publicity and marketing?

I know there are authors in the world these days who keep their pivacy. I couldn't give you examples, but I know it can be done, because this topic arose in some of my conversations and various people dropped names (which I didn't remember, not knowing the author and book).

So I imagine it comes down to finding the right publishing house. Mentioning your need for privacy upfront when you sign the contract.

It would, of course, depend on the nature of the book, but some books have been written using a pen name which would mean anonymity. It may not prevent interaction with the public on a blog that is also run using the pen name. But for that you could determine certain days and times that you will go onto the blog to deal with the comments and add another post (can be small). if you set up a schedule that is manageable for you, it may be feasible.

Good luck with it.

If you truly see no solutions or way out of it (and I don't agree, people here have offered good solutions) then I can only suggest some deep reflection is needed on the inside. I wouldn't be an ER doctor if I fainted at the site of blood. I wouldn't be a pilot if I feared flying in planes. I wouldn't drive a city bus if I detested traffic. The external (blood, planes, traffic) aren't the problem. People look externally to blame, when true peace only comes from looking internally. I strive to live a peaceful life in balance and harmony with my body. If something made me so sick inside, I would listen to what my body was telling me or begin working on myself to discover the deeper problem.

I have a PhD yet once using it I knew it didn't make me happy so I walked away from it. We can't always have what we want, but we can certainly strive for having what we need. I'm much happier now knowing the difference between the two.

I know this is slightly off topic and maybe even a little irrelevant, but a youtuber I follow, Vihart, uploaded a video about how she deals with negativity in the comments on her videos. It might be worth a watch!

Here's the video.

There are many ways to reach a goal. Tess you're assuming that you have to be out there to publicize a book - because that's the way it's commonly being done these days. Innovation occurs because someone says there has to be another way. I would suggest that those looking for new ways are the ones that are uncomfortable with the old ways. Innovation doesn't usually come with happy and satisfied people.

If you can't find it in yourself to break a new path, you might have to reconsider your goals. As it's been said an emergency room doctor can't faint at the sight of blood. It's up to you to decide what your next move is.

Tess: 01/26/2013 - 05:20 PM

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How does one publicize oneself if the response from the reading public is too much for one to cope with?

Don't publicize, easy answer!

Kangaroo Jase, this is an excellent idea. Funny, I did consider it in the past but couldn't find a fellow writer. I have ghostwritten many books for various peope le and my name is not on them (except "In Search of the Pearl of Great Price," and that is 'as told to..."

Maybe I can revisit this idea. Thank you. One forgets things!

Mira, it depends on what you write, and it also depends when the entered the field. Anyone who entered 30 years ago, yes. Anyone wanting to enter currenlty, virtually i impossible.

Essentially, that's because the publishing house does not want to spend as much money as they did in the old days publicing authors. They want the authors to be the kind of people that can interact easily with the public and make the public like them.

These days, because the relationships has changed between book stores and publishers, it is the marketing guy that has a lot to do with whether an author is selected for investment or not. In order to retain one's anonymity, it would have to be a story which would be explosure revealing something that hasn't been revealed before.

The reason I used the pen name Sophia Angelique was to try the pen name route. However, there is still no privacy as one still has to interact with the public. I basically don't want to interact with the public on any level. I find it overwhelming - even once a day. Also, I'm a geek. I don't do small talk.