I’m going to blow my image as a reasonable, sane, comparatively mature woman here and admit, right out in front of [insert deity of your choice] and everybody that I love pirate movies, and of all of the pirate movies I love the one I love the most is Muppet Treasure Island. I love Mrs. Bluberidge’s tardy efforts at political correctness. I love Tim Rice doing Long John Silver. I love the music. I love the way the movie plays with words and pirate conventions. Most of all, I love Billy Bones’ drunken ramblings that invariably end, “Now isn’t that a story worth the hearing?”
A story worth the hearing: the words are magic to me, maybe because I love telling stories. But here’s the thing: the jury’s still out on whether the stories I tell are “stories worth the hearing.” I hope they are, of course, but the world is full of people like me–people who looked inside themselves, spotted a story lurking somewhere (possibly behind a kidney), and at the cost of considerable pain, effort, and often money, had the story removed, pickled, and put up for sale.
The idea, of course, is that others will see the story and fork over cash to make it their very own. This doesn’t often happen; the market for things removed from one’s innards and preserved–be it ever so carefully–is not great, unless you’re an oyster. Something is inevitably lost in the journey from inside to outside and up for public view.
But there are those few, though, those pure souls who, like the oyster, can take the story lurking inside, bring it out into the light of day, and reveal not a shriveled, stinking, and somehow embarrassed-looking pancreas, but a pearl, glowing and lustrous and infinitely desirable.
You’d think it would be easy to tell the difference between pancreas and pearl, but I’ve never found it so. Because they are my own, I of course consider every one of my books pearls–some perhaps are slightly irregular freshwater pearls, but others, well, others are so wonderful they defy appraisal. But that’s me. I considered each story worth the telling, and I worked years, in most cases, to tell it as well as I could.
But are they stories worth the hearing? I don’t know. My sales to date would answer, “No.” Redeeming Stanley sells–slowly–on Kindle. It’s won an award, and it’s been done by a local book club, so there’s some consensus that it’s a story worth the hearing, but Good On Paper has yet to sell anywhere except at signings. Surely that should tell me something. And it does. I cushion the blow by reminding myself that I haven’t been marketing it properly, that I don’t have an agent, that when I get all the press kits sent out, it will of course go gang busters.
There’s just enough truth to that to make it comforting. It’s true I haven’t been marketing. But why not? Could it be that, all my protestations to the contrary, I myself have doubts not about whether the story was worth telling, but about whether it’s worth hearing? I don’t like to think so, but I suspect I’m too close to it to know if I’m looking at something better left inside, or a pearl.
I need some perspective. Maybe you can help. If you’re up for it, send me an email and I’ll send you an e-book version of Good On Paper. Before you make up your mind, you might want to check out the tab at the top of this page and read the book information and excerpt. Read as much or as little of it as you like, then send me a note with your opinion. Is this a story worth the hearing? Why, or why not?
Speak! Good Dog! 
I’ve a hard copy of this book. I’ve read part of this story. It is worth telling.
For me it was a hard read because of the topic – it broke my heart with each page. I wanted to reach into the book and rip the heart out of the “bad” guy.
I’ve shared the book with a friend and I’m waiting to see if she reads it. Once it comes back I’m going to read it.
The writing is amazing and very realistic (probably one of my problems with it). As the reader you feel like you are the people in the books – which is not always pleasant.
The words and the story are well crafted and excellent. The topic for me is difficult…
Thanks, Eileen. You’re right about the topic; it IS difficult. Your comment brings up a good question: If the story is worth telling, and if I’d like it to be read, your comment that the subject matter and the realism makes it hard reading becomes key. How can I tell the story, maintain the realism, and ease some of the reader pain? And do I want to do that? Maybe a story like this SHOULD be hard reading–I would hope that people found some of the situations and attitudes portrayed hard to stomach; I certainly do. All that said, though, if I expect people to read this, I can’t be writing something that sends them rushing for anti-depressants and/or sharp objects. As a temporary measure, I’ve changed the category from “general fiction” to “horror.” I feel like that’s a first step, because it at least gives readers a bit of warning.
I’ve passed the book on to a friend who has suffered some of the same type of experiences. She struggles with her past a lot so I’m thinking she might connect better with it. I think the topic is supposed to be a hard one – abuse is not something we should be able to read and just dismiss.
The format of telling – from the different perspectives – is wonderful. The tone is just right. The pages I read were well worth reading. I just struggle with the topic.
I don’t know that I would classify it as horror. To me horror is spooky, bloody, creepy and more. I didn’t see that in the part I read. It is very Flowers in the Attic except there is a veneer of normalness glossing over the top. I’m not sure what Flowers in the Attic is classified but that is what it reminds me of.
As I said it was well done. You are an amazing writer. I think the problem with sales is you have to MARKET constantly. It is a tough market out there and people are not spending money on much that isn’t a necessity.
Have you tried donating it to local libraries? Maybe have book readings at the libraries? Contacted local book groups to see whether they’d be interested in doing a discussion with the author?
Just a few of my random thoughts for marketing…
I haven’t tried donating it, or arranging readings-those are both good ideas. I sold several when the book club did Redeeming Stanley–they asked me to bring a few copies of Good on Paper along, as well.
I’m not sure that horror’s the right place for it, either–and maybe that’s part of the problem. I have yet to find the real niche for this book–if it even exists.
Also if there is a university nearby make a contact with someone in the literature department – often there is a class on female writers in modern times – maybe one of your books would work well in some of their classes. You could offer to send them a free copy of your books. Or if there is a creative writing class you could go in and talk about writing in general… This gets your name out there and gets people thinking about YOU… it is all promotion…
Good ideas, Eileen. I’m a little leery of the university class because the closes university is the one I attended, and it’s still chock full of personal friends. I’m very hesitant to approach them with something like that (several of them have bought my books, anyhow). However, I’m on the same track with you in theory–the book design portion of the graphic arts department is working with me to schedule a presentation, and I’ve just been approved at the local community college for teaching writing and English lit.
I say use those sources. If you know people in the field and at the university talk to them – if they don’t want to present your material then ask for recommendations for other professors…
Good for you… are you going to teach the writing class and English lit class?
All these things will expand your exposure to more markets. The more you can put on your resume the more you will be able to market yourself.
You are an amazing writer and have amazing stories to tell (yes even the hard ones)…
I’m hoping for some of each–and thanks again for all the great ideas.
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