Lurking feels like the wrong word, actually. It has such a negative connotation. I'm not maliciously hanging out in the Internet's dark corners waiting to strike. I prefer to think of myself as a back-of-the-room, friendly kind of lurker. I'm like that awkward single guy who shows up to weddings, looks uncomfortable and won't ask any of the girls to dance.
In school, I had a favorite spot in most classrooms: off to the side in one of the back rows. In my group gym classes, it's the same spot. At the movie theater, I head straight for the back row. The back is where you have the best vantage point. You can see everyone around you and take everything in at once. It's also a great place not to attract attention to yourself when you're shy and insecure.
When I had finally finished the first draft of my first novel, I settled myself into the back row of the Internet to learn about querying. I read every blog I could find, every thread on every forum of AbsoluteWrite and the BlueBoards, digested every piece of advice that was given, checked out books from the library...and then promptly ignored it all and queried before I was ready. Once I got back on the right track, I continued to read, and read, and read until I had read it all. I joined Query Tracker and ponied up for the premium membership. Now I knew about all the stats, the probabilities, the hard work, the timing, the luck, and magic that it takes to break into publishing. And part of what I knew I had to do was start setting up camp somewhere in the vast, tangled World-Wide Web.
But how? How do you go from being an anthropologist to a member of the tribe? For a lot of writers, I think the building a social media platform is terrifying. Putting yourself out there, especially when you don't have much to show yet, is stressful. And stuff on the Internet stays there FOREVER and EVER. There are no take-backs online.
I don't pretend to have all the answers or even know the right way to do things, but I will say that although I've taken it slowly, I have had a great experience online and have felt completely comfortable every step of the way.
Joining Twitter was one of the first things I did because I could be anonymous yet still participate. All of a sudden, I was listening in on a new side of the publishing conversation. At first, I was too scared to put up a picture of my face, so I was an egg for a while, and then a cartoon, and then one day I was ready to put my best camera phone selfie out there for the world to see.
Around the same time that I joined Twitter, I started posting critiques during the secret agent rounds on Miss Snark's First Victim blog. Authoress' site is wonderful and offers lots of opportunities for writers to encourage each other and improve at the same time. I wasn't brave enough to enter my own work in her agent rounds, but I took advantage of the generosity of K.T. Crowley to post my first 250 words on her blog for critique. The feedback I got was kind and helpful, and tough to hear sometimes. But I was so glad I had put myself out there.
When Pitch Madness, a fun contest where agents bid on pitches, was being advertised on Twitter, I was immediately interested. I decided to give it a try, and my entry ended up being chosen for a team. I was thrilled! It was great to be part of a team and connect with other writers on social media. I started tweeting a little more and slowly poking my head out from my shell.
I found Janet Reid's blog and participated in her informal flash writing contests last summer. Getting a shout-out from the Shark herself was the height of cool. Reading the other entries was a lesson in humility. In November, I submitted a story to a NANOWRIMO-inspired contest put on by new publishing company, REUTS. Little by little, each step I was taking helped me grow as a writer and figure out my place as a member of the writing community.
When an open critique round on Miss Snark's First Victim came up, I submitted the first pages of my latest manuscript. Getting chosen and then getting positive feedback felt like coming full circle. Hearing that your work is on the right track is even better than a plate full of cookies.
Yesterday, when I posted a review of Holly Webb's book and she retweeted my post about it, I could have pinched myself. Here I am contributing (tentatively) to the industry I love, and no one is coming after me with torches and pitchforks telling me to get out of town.
My advice to any fellow lurkers out there is to take it slow. Stay in the back of the room until you're ready to sit up front and raise your hand. Follow the advice of people who are in the industry and those who genuinely support other writers. But don't be afraid, because whenever you're ready, you'll find a great community out there full of friendly people.
I'm still not sure exactly where my place is in the www. world. Is it critiquing, offering advice, or back to friendly lurking? I don't know, but one day, in my wildest dreams, I hope to join the ranks of those like Brenda Drake, Authoress, and K.T., who have been so generous with their time and expertise to help anthropologists like me join the tribe.
No comments:
Post a Comment