The privacy conundrum

There has been a steep learning curve in my journey as an indie writer, and everyday I find new and marvellous things to imbibe. There is one aspect though that has left me with a bit of a dilemma. Unlike trad publishing where the marketing was taken on by the publishing house and the author remained a remote entity, revealed only through the author bio in the book or via any interviews they may give, indie publishing works on a different premise.

You are not just the writer, but you are also the publisher, marketeer, blower-of-your-own-horn and general dogsbody. In this strange new world, you can only garner readers and followers if you build relationships with them. How do you do that?  By being authentic and coming across as a human being with a life (and without the sole agenda of profiteering by targeting your readers’ wallets). That is all well and good. After all, as a consumer, even I like investing in companies that have people I can relate to, behind them.

The problem lies in just how much of oneself does one reveal? I am a regular user of Facebook and Instagram, and am not shy about posting things. But my audience, in this case, are my friends, my family and my colleagues. Birthday pics, holiday plans and all other trivia of my life that I choose to share is with people I actually know. Do I really want strangers having access to all of me? Where do I draw the line?

My Facebook author page has information about my books, any new launches and a link to my latest blog post. My Insta business page displays pics of interesting destinations, funny quotes, inspiring people and the occasional photo of myself grinning vapidly into the camera. Is this not enough? Apparently not. As I delve deeper into the murky waters of social media, I am exhorted to reveal my ‘process’, my likes and dislikes, that ugly photo from when I was four etc. etc. Really! Must I?

In that sense, I almost envy the trad writer who can focus on the business of writing, and let all other shenanigans be taken care of by other parties. Yet, as I also know in my gut, in indie publishing lies the future.

I was watching a popular talk show the other day. It was quite amusing to note how these celebrities on the couch gave out snippets of information to the host, without giving too much of themselves away. The more he tried to extract, the more they dodged and deflected. Aside of a few sound bites, he came away with precious little. My heroes!

A friend complained the other day about a famous celebrity wedding where only a few pictures and scant details were revealed to the press. Why, she bemoaned, wasn’t the public given more access? After all, they were public figures, and had signed up to be scrutinised for an eternity. I nodded sympathetically while mentally high fiving the couple for doing the impossible: holding on to their privacy amidst the chaos and madness of public living.

Gone are the days of Greta Garbo, the reclusive film actress whose mystique was only enhanced by her need to ‘be alone’. These days, either you play the game, or consign yourself to being ignored. In such a scenario, what is an indie writer to do?

I would love to hear your ideas or suggestions. Drop me a line in the comments & don’t forget to have a look at my books!

mybook.to/PWell

getbook.at/Damage