In all the years I’ve been blogging — roughly 4 1/2 — I’ve never been comfortable promoting myself. And here I am about to embark on a mission to promote my latest blog post at Huffington Post, an achievement I’m quite proud of.
Scared! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The fear of posting on such a high-profile site was paralyzing at times. I can’t remember the number of revisions I made, or how many times I hesitated to click “submit” to the editors. When I was finally able to push past the fear and submit a blog post, the anguish of not feeling HuffPost worthy scratched at my brain. Perhaps that is why I didn’t write a blog post here the first time I was published on Huffington Post. Sure, I could have squeezed one out, but I didn’t.
Yet, I managed to puff my chest on Facebook because I was among friends, and friends of friends. Of course, you are my friends, too. I love all of you and am grateful you keep coming back to read my thoughts on cyberspace paper, in an extrasensory sort of way.
Writing a blog post takes a lot more effort these days. I’ve got achy breaky hands from typing, and my focus has been fuzzy at best — which I blame on summer head. I guess I can’t use summer head as an excuse much longer. Maybe the warm weather will find its way into fall. I can only hope.
As I can only hope you will forgive this awkward attempt at self promotion and help exacerbate my feelings of inadequacy by commenting and tweeting and liking (or not) my post at Huffington Post … Oh, insecurity, how I loathe thee and your vile cursed ways of making blogging so damn hard.
Thanks. Peace out.
Just read your post on Huff Post…I had missed your first post there…read it today. I have always loved the way you write and I still do. 🙂 Thanks for self-promoting your work, Lauren. It’s brilliant.
Thank you, Kasa!!!!
I’m so glad you still come round. Thank you for reading the posts at HuffPost. Maybe one of these days it won’t kill me to promote myself.
Hey there Lauren!
For some reason, your ‘latest post’ link on Huff is leading me to a 404 page. I tired several times, but it just keeps bring me to the same page. However, I was able to read the link to the first time you were published on Huff and loved it. Great post!
And I know what you mean about self-promoting because I’m the same way with my photography print sales, I don’t promote them as much as I should.
I’ll stop back later today to check the link again to see if I can read your post.
X
P.S. you’re such a gifted writer!
Hi Ron -Thanks for letting me know about the bad link. I fixed it. It was my bad.
Thanks! I’m glad you loved the first post. Whenever you get a chance, to read the latest one. If you could comment, that would be awesome.
I really appreciate the compliment. Thank you!!!!!
Lauren, I went over to Huff and read your post but couldn’t leave a comment because I’m not on FB, so I wanted to stop back and comment here.
Honestly, a brilliant post! I adore your style of writing and sense of humor – love the dialogue between you and the recruiter! And also, the title of your memoir is stellar!
Reading that post reminded me of when I was searching for a job online earlier this year and some of the similar things I went through. Finally though, I got a response from one of the places I sent my resume to and ended up getting the job!
Thank you, Ron. Finding the right title of the memoir was a two-year process. And I got help! You are a smart man not having a FB account. That’s why you’re such a prolific poster. I’m glad you were able to find a job online. Actually, I found a job on Craigslist, not the red-light district. : )
Nothing wrong with a bit of huffing and puffing. Wait. Was that some kind of sick attempt at a pun?
Oops.
I love your writing. Keep sharing it.
I love “huffing and puffing.” Gotta love those puns. And I do!!!!
Thank you. I hope you get a chance to swing by HuffPost to comment or huff and puff. Doesn’t huffing have something to do with drugs?
I used to be so bad at self-promotion. Now I’m an unrepentant ho. This is a FABULOUS piece, Lauren. So funny and sharp. I shared it on Facebook. Looking forward to reading the whole book. Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Jayne!!!!
I want to get to the point of being “an unrepentant self-promotion ho.”
Thanks for sharing it on FB.
Congrats on making the Huff Post! Very cool!
Hope you have a terrific Labor Day weekend! Enjoy and have some fun.
Phil -That was such a touching tribute to your grandmother. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and comment here. When will you be posting about the big change in your life? You’re so right about making the most of our lives while we’re passengers on this planet.
Lauren, I think it’s so tough to self-promote because most of us have absorbed messages from childhood on: “Don’t be a show-off!” “No one likes a person who only talks about themselves!” “Bragging is bad!”
But the reality is that self-promotion is necessary–and the good news is that online, unless you ONLY promote yourself, people think absolutely nothing bad about you when you do it. I try to follow the 4:1 ratio–I promote other peoples’ stuff 4 times as much as our own–so that might be one way to feel a bit less uncomfortable.
And now…off I go to read your HuffPost piece! 🙂
Karen -Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I love your 4:1 ratio of promotion. It’s a great rule to follow.
Interesting point about the “Don’t show off!” message absorbed from childhood. I also think writers have a tough time promoting their work because they never think their writing is good enough. At least, that’s how I feel.
Thanks for reading my HuffPost piece.
Just found your blog, congrats. on your published piece!
Thanks Shelley!
I just found my blog, too. I had been away for a while.
I can’t wait to read it… will go to look!!!! That is awesome and you should absolutely promote your writing. The way I look at it, you are sharing… you are such an excellent writer! I am interested…. do they edit a lot before they post your work? Or do they leave it be? Or do you have a say about what they might want to change?
Thanks Katherine.
Yes, the editors make punctuation changes and one time they changed a title on a post. It’s a learning process. When I saw the new headline in the dashboard, I waited a couple of days. I wasn’t sure if the editor wanted me to change the title…because (again I thought) one time they didn’t publish one of my pieces after a week, I contacted the blogging team and told them I had some problems with the piece. They told me to change the status from “submit” to “draft” to make revisions. After I made the revisions, changed the title and submitted it, it was published.
So, when the piece with the title changed by the editor wasn’t published after several days, I went into the dashboard and changed the title, assuming the editor wanted me to change it. Well, I assumed wrong. During the summer, the turnaround time was slower. Apparently, I had overwritten the editor’s edits. She sent me a friendly email. I apologized.
Every time I press submit in the dashboard, I get a knot in my gut. The fear is overwhelming, but somehow I get past it. Oh, I had another post published last week which I haven’t promoted yet here.
Just found your blog, congrats. on your published piece!
Thanks! And thank you for reading and commenting on several posts.
Hey Lauren, may I know what’s the exact step to land a guest post on big sites such as Huffington Post?
Congratulations on getting published on Huff Post! Have you continued to promote yourself and secure more articles?
Hi Claire,
Thank you. Yes, I’m getting better at promoting myself. I haven’t submitted any pieces in a while. I’ve been going through a creative journey, trying to find my writing self. I guess I should be writing about it instead of torturing myself. : )
Do you find it hard to promote your writing?
Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
Congratulations on making Huff Post. I can’t wait to see your post. I love your writing style so much. I always support you.
Thank you!
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