Self Promotion

In a bold move from my normal timid nature, I have done something that I have never done as a writer. Hell, even as a person in life. I asserted myself free of shame and consequence, then cried out. “I am a writer, so don’t you fuck with me or I’ll screw you over in fiction!”

To those involved in NaNoWriMo, you know of the infamous 30 Days, 30 Covers contest. Where 60 or so writers are chosen initially as candidates, and 30 are chosen out of them to have their novel covers professionally designed.

Basically, it’s like the scene from the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Where all the pirate lords vote for themselves. Each writer normally just nominates themselves, with a select few nominating others.

I usually forego this. Partly because I can make halfway decent cover on my own, but mostly I never thought I would be chosen. So why would I bother to put myself out there?

Then a certain bit of logic and/or madness hit me. First I went to the nifty new nomination form they made for this year (much better than sifting through a traditional forum topic full of self promoting novice writers) and filled out the general information.

Username: kitkelly (Name of a potential character in the upcoming sequel to When Heroes Fall)

Profile Address: Blah blah

Title: When Heroes Fall

Synopsis: Blah blah

Genre: Sci-Fi Steampunk Adventure

Region: Maine

Then came the tricky part, the sale. The last box on the form was basically a request to tell the ‘selection team’ why your novel should be chosen for this honor. I stumbled, and mentally went through every approach I could think of.

Humble, was my first thought. If I have any chance I need to be humble. I can’t open with my novel being the biggest and hottest piece of shit since the dinosaurs.

That led to the next dilemma, guilt trips and poor me’s. I thought about whining for the rest of my pitch, but if I were on their side that would only inspire the compulsion to reach through cyberspace and slap the idiot on the other side. So I decided to finish strong and go with the hottest shit angle.

By some miracle I was able to weave all three elements into one pitch. A pitch with amazingly clever genius while also being honest, humble, and generally kick-ass. I had to save it for future reference when my bitch of an inner critic and her minion Shame get out of their time out. This is how it went…

I don’t know what to say that wouldn’t be the same rhetoric of everyone else looking to be chosen. I could cry you a river about how I never win anything, or that my grandmother died while I was starting to plot this story idea and how she never got a chance to see it. Both of which are true, but that is hardly the point.

The point is, I am putting this up for your approval. And if this synopsis isn’t enough to win on it’s own without any guilt trip or futile begging, then why should I think it is worthwhile to make the effort of writing this novel?

I’ll tell you why. Because I have absolute faith in this story, and the series it will inspire once I finish. I am putting my all into these 50,000 plus words, for I believe they are the beginning of my Magnum Opus. Much like Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. It is the story that will be in me forever, waiting for its time to be free.

I am the perfect candidate for this contest because I am in it for the long haul. If you don’t believe me you can follow my blog as linked in my profile. I am committed to the process of becoming a published author, and this young hopeful is hoping that this will be one of many coming rewards for her efforts.

I may not win this year, either at NaNoWriMo or at a nomination for a cover. But in putting myself out there I have stumbled across something far more valuable. A little odd thing called confidence. Something a rare as diamonds for people like me. And that, regardless of the outcome next month, is a very beautiful thing.