The allure of birdsong

It is hard to ignore that which is right in front of you. As long as there is distance, things are out of sight and out of mind. It is essential for an author to gain notice and keep it. Thus, they must promote themselves constantly.

The quality of the work is not enough. The greatest writers languished in obscurity until they were able to get the right kind of attention. And then, people took notice and these individuals became household names. It was not that they were not producing great material, but that no one knew how great it was.

Rare are the individuals who recognize quality when they see it. What a person likes is subjective, and they tend to be opinionated in their interests and not open to fresh perspectives. A new author is a different person, and thus, presents a new perspective.

Promotion is all about being seen, and the desire is for your work to be seen by that one person who will appreciate it. And then, they will tell others. Inevitably, those who saw nothing in it before will become enlightened and join the chorus singing the author’s praises.

To attract readers, one must offer them a tale that is truly desirable. I liken this to a bird chirping outside your window. If the sound is pleasant, it will draw you in. However, if the creature is noisy and obnoxious, they will not be singing there for very long…

The quality of your work is the sweetness of the tone.  If you stay outside long enough, those inside cannot help but hear. And there will be that one, who approaches the better to hear it. They will open the window and lean out to take it all in. And then, the nameless bird becomes the song of the morning: something looked for, hoped for and anxiously awaited.