An Assessment of Myself.

I think it’s healthy sometimes for artists to step away from their work so they can consider it from a distance rather than in the close proximity that creation places us. I think looking at one’s own work in this way allows the artist to have a more realistic approach to – for writers – the publishing side of writing, and allows us the ability to step back and market our own work with far more ease. When looking at my own work, I see that it targets adult audiences (especially due to language and some situations/ subject matter presented in my fiction) and that audience is further narrowed because of my penchant for writing gay characters. Also, the fact that some of my work experiments with style, structure and traditional narration reduces my market further, meaning that in all likelihood, I will have to pursue small, independent presses to get my work published and then I will have to market my own work tirelessly if I expect large groups of readers to see it (like Bob Gray said – experimental fiction readers are not many, but they are extremely loyal). I’m very okay with marketing my own work, and to tell the truth I’m kind of excited about it – anyone who’s a fan of experimental literature is a friend of mine and someone I’d like to know. They can suggest books I need to read which will in turn, influence my work and view of experimentation, and I can recommend books to them that I’ve read that experiment with the traditional elements of craft in ways my writing doesn’t. Any marketing or self-promotion I can do, I’m willing to – this is why I’m here. To not market and promote myself seems kind of silly to me, like tossing myself to the wolves, especially in an industry like this, with so many people who want to be recognized so badly. All writers must self-promote as it is simply the nature of what we do. This need for self-promotion appears especially in cases of fiction that bend the traditional rules of narrative. During this self-promotion, I also have to get several people to assess the quality of my writing so that I can sell my writing for the quality and not the experimentation – not only will more people buy it, more people will be willing to buy it and spread the word. Quality literature knows no bounds, so marketing myself with a focus on quality writing rather than a focus on the fact that I like to alter elements of craft will definitely attract more people and may introduce some people to literary experimentation who have never considered such writing. I can only hope I will be accepted well, especially because I don’t experiment to confuse people or “just to do it,” but rather because my experimentation helps me to understand the story better, and so is part of how I express it to other people. Even if I could disconnect from the experimentation, I wouldn’t – it is a part of how I understand stories and the world and the interactions of people – and it makes my voice on the page immediately recognizable while helping to express the way some people of my generation see this fragmented, quickly spinning place that we must call home. I know I can overcome the obstacles that will lead me to a life of letters – no matter what that life of letters is – and I am excited to do it because we as writers must do the same thing our work must if we expect anyone to hear our voices – above all, we must persevere.