I got to show my book to in-the-flesh other writers this weekend! As part of my effort to get less isolated, I went to a new members’ gathering of the writing club I recently joined. It was awesome. My social awkwardness was almost absent–it probably helped that we all could assume ourselves to have something in common. There didn’t have to be any awkward small talk; every conversation began with “So, what do you write?”
I brought a copy of my book, of course, and so did other people who have published, whether independently or not. It was fun to see theirs and exchange information about covers, formatting, and the other things we had been through. Although I would have felt equally welcome if I hadn’t had a book yet, I loved having it to show. I was like a happy kindergartener who had the perfect thing to bring in for Show and Tell (is that still a thing? I hope so).
It helped remind me of why I wanted the book finished and available; I wanted to be able to say “Oh, you want to know more about where I’m coming from? Here’s where you can find it.”
Of course, after having so many conversations, I was beyond overstimulated and spent a sleepless night, crashing the next day. To be expected. But I’m really excited about future interactions with the group. I’ve seen in the past that great things can happen when I reach out; I never know when one decision will bear surprise fruit.
Lori Lynne Armstrong 