Joyce Carol Oates on blogging

At her website, novelist Justine Musk passes along some comment from Joyce Carol Oates that may surprise you. She offers an account from a friend who was on a panel with Ms. Oates:

Someone in the audience asked the venerable Ms. Oates what she would do today, if she had to launch a writing career all over again.

She said

(drum roll please)

“I would blog.”

She said

(I am paraphrasing)

“I would blog before I wrote a book. I would create a voice that connects, and I would build an audience online, and then I would write a book in that voice.”

Someone from the audience asked, So you would consider self-publishing?

“Yes! Of course!” In today’s publishing climate, she added, publishers won’t do anything to promote you “ ... until you’re ... well ... until you’re me.” However you’re published, the job is the same: finding and developing your audience. Breaking free from anonymity.

Someone from the audience asked, So you would abandon traditional publishing?

“No. Why not take advantage, when you can, of what they do best? But first, I would create a voice that connects with people. I would blog.”

— Ron Kovach, senior editor, The Writer

Comments

Rafael Juarez wrote re: Joyce Carol Oates on blogging on Thu, Jun 14 2012 10:35 AM Ron, Thanks to share this treasure. Brief and clear. The goal is breaking anonymity. Then you have your readers, then you have a clearer idea about whom you have to write to. Great advice. We have to take as much advantages as we can. Thank you again.