Hail to the Grapes?

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 47 Comments


My last goal for the year was to master marketing. Well, I've decided I hate marketing. It's a beast. And not a cute little beast with perky ears and soft, soulful puss-in-boots eyes. No, it's a snarling, blood-sucking, life draining monster with hideous breath.  
Truth is- nothing squashes the creative juices faster than the weight of selling a book. 

To counter balance the drain, I'm considering wine as a juice replenishing alternative. Just so you don't think I'm intending to become some sort of sloppy drunk drooling over my keyboard- I promise I'll stick to wines over $10 a bottle, and I'll always use a glass. And I'll pace myself- no more than a glass per chapter. It will be the carrot to my jack ass muse. 

Hey, it worked for Hemingway. For a while. 

Thanks to our hosts in this weekly check in: LexaL.G, and Tonja Drecker
1. I'm caught up on my laundry!!
2. I visited a few blogs this week. Getting my reading mojo back.
3. Melissa Maygrove's new book is on sale!! It was a great read. I read it in two days, which for me is like record speed.

On Sale for .99!



47 comments:

  1. A glass per chapter? It would take me months to finish a bottle...
    Glad the mojo is back! Now that the laundry is clean, tell your family to stop dirtying clothes for a while so it will stay clean.

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    1. Alex, a box of wine could go bad waiting on you. On the bright side, you'll never become an alcoholic and your work is precise when you're done.

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  2. Yeh for clean laundry and for wine! Hmm, maybe it should be yeh for wine and clean laundry? Yeah, probably the second way. :)

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    1. We may cheer laundry first. It is a rare, rare thing for it to be caught up in this house!

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  3. When Elizabeth's books get less coherent and more humorous as the chapters go, we'll no why. LOL

    Thank you for posting about the sale and for the kind words. :) The grapes apparently worked in my favor--you're marketing, but you're marketing for me. :D

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    1. Less coherence and more humor- that could be a good thing!

      I guess I did market. Well, I'll be...

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  4. Glad you got your reading mojo back, Elizabeth.
    Enjoy the wine... a glass at a time... or should that be a chapter at a time?

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    1. The only question that remains is whether or not to sip as I go or chug at the end?

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  5. I love writing down all the marketing ideas I want to use one day. But I have a feeling that it'll become a whole lot more stressful when I have a real book to apply all of them too. =) Enjoy your wine! ;)

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    1. I have ideas and very little follow through. I am truly lame at execution.

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  6. I guess that's what publishers were for. You create the book, they did the marketing. I hope you won't write those chapters too quickly or you will become a sloppy drunk.

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    1. Yeah, well, I used to have this notion that you sent the book in via bluebirds and all the rest was taken care of by fairy godparents, but it's more like the Cinderella-on-her-knees scrubbing scenario. But I am living my dream, I shouldn't wine...ooops, I mean whine.

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  7. haha going all wino are we? Yeah, marketing is such a pain in the arse

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    1. You know what they say- I'd rather have the bottle in front of me than have a frontal lobotomy.

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  8. Yes, must always use a glass ;)
    I have also got my reading mojo back.

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    1. I will keep the glass for sure- Dixie cups get all flimsy after a while.

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  9. Marketing can be a drag. I'm trying to limit it as far as possible while still selling books. ;-)

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    1. That would be awesome. Limited marketing, but still get sales. That's my dream.

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  10. I'm trying to get my reading mojo back! I have come to the conclusion that it is SO HARD to get things done in the summer and the school year is much easier...for me at least. I don't remember if I've said it yet, but your new blog format is just GORGEOUS! Love it.

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    1. Same with me. My summers are insane. And when all the kids are home- I hate to ignore them. They grow up too fast already.

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    2. And thanks! Carrie Butler did my blog make over!

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  11. Wine is my favorite "carrot". I prefer a Moscoto :) Someday I will have to attempt marketing. Ugh!!

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  12. You. Finished. Laundry.

    In my book that makes you worthy of all the wine you can carry, whether you're writing or not.

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    1. I know. Amazing, right??? It lasted about eight hours- then the boys brought gym bags home. Brats.

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  13. Yes, marketing and promotion are frightening beasts with horrible breath! And on top of that, they're smug because they know how much we need them. I think you can learn marketing. Just take it one step at a time. Good luck with the chapters, with or without alcoholic fuel.

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    1. If you say I can, I suppose I can. But I'm not gonna like it!!

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  14. Getting caught up on laundry and reading sounds nice. And oh yes to those books that are so good you finish them fast.

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    1. It is a rare thing anymore for me to get lost in a book. Being a writer has made me a bit of a book snark- and I just have limited time.

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  15. You make me smile. Love this: "I'm considering wine as a juice replenishing alternative." I'm with you on hating marketing. I swear when I try to do it my brain cells die. It's dangerous. ;)

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    1. And at my age, I need all the brain cells I can get!

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  16. You know, it sounds like a good plan to me :)

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    1. Some things I'm good at, some things I'm not. Marketing- no. Partying- yes.

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  17. Okay...so now I'm trying to figure out if the wine I buy is expensive enough! I always get Red Moscata because it tastes WAY sweet...so I may not qualify as a wine connoisseur. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd be kicked out of any reputable wine tasting with that revelation! But, yes, marketing is my very, very least favorite part of writing. Especially the in-person stuff. I just don't really like to try to sell myself. I want to put the book out there and let people make their own decisions!

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    1. Donna likes the Moscato. I'm going to have to try that. Hey, cheaper is always better. I just wanted to appear classy. And I found an Amish wine maker that makes such good wine, I swear, I could down the bottle in the blink of an eye. It is that good. I have to portion it out and pace myself.

      I actually enjoy the in-person stuff. I hate setting it up, but I love to go.

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  18. Wine is a wonderful thing. I hate marketing, guess that's why I'm so poor. LOL

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  19. I dislike wine, but I could go for the same concept with beer. I rather enjoy marketing. It's something I'm planning on going to school for. It is a beast though!

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    1. You are more than welcome to have beer. I threw up beer in my youth. Once something spews out my nose, I develop an aversion to it.

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  20. Happy to hear the mojo is back. Marketing smashes every ounce of my optimism too. I just end up banging my head on the desk. Have a terrific week!

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    1. It is so very frustrating!!! Though, I think you do a marvelous job of it. You're such a pro.

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  21. Beware copying Hemingway! But that wine does come in handy when marketing's involved.

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    1. Yeah, that didn't end well. But let's be honest- he was a genius. And I think the weight of genius can burn a soul out. I am not a genius, so I won't have to worry.

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  22. I'll check out Melissa's book. Marketing is never easy.

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    1. You also do a great job of being a pro. I try to learn how you do what you do.

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