The Art Of Shameless Self-Promotion

I used to roll my eyes at the art of shameless self-promotion and the things people would say or do to self-promote themselves, a product or service. http://bethfinke.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/the-shameless-art-of-self-promotion/  I'd think, I'd never do something like that.  But, I'll now be honest with myself, I would have self-promoted, given the right circumstances.  I just didn't have a strong enough reason yet.



 My different outlook on things started with the death of a loved one- last year.  I suffered the terrible loss of a wonderful/beautiful person to me-my mom.  I started writing and the need to express myself about the very important things that touched my life-was born.  So the recent article that I wrote, at the following link:

http://www.inthepowderroom.com/read/shit-happens/the-healthcare-dilemma.html really touched my heart, as it was similar to some of the things my mom went through- without insurance, several months before her death- as well as the things I face now, having no insurance, as well.



But self-promotion, though it may seem distasteful to some- is now a very necessary part of our lives.  The competition is fierce -for all areas of work- with a recession, and the incredible amount of people without work and still needing jobs.  Self-promotion, of course, is probably not necessary when the jobs are as thick as the leaves on trees, but in lean times, when the leaves are yellow and falling from the trees, people feel the pressure, and do all they can to insure they continue to get a steady flow of work.



This is never more prevalent -to me- than when I go to small retail stores and the smiles are hopeful and bright.  Hopeful that you will buy something, bright because that smile might draw you closer, close enough to talk into buying something.  This used to make me feel uncomfortable, and I'd guiltily turn away, no eye contact, meant I did not see just how badly they needed the business. And sometimes, when your doing bad, money wise too, it's you that survives, or them.



So in a way, as a writer, in a world of fierce competition for every writing gig, I am that hopeful retail salesperson too. I am, now too, that self-promoter.  I am looking towards the writing world, and my eyes are bright as a birds, before it grabs up that worm and flies off into the bright blue,cloudless skies of summer, and hopefully that worm has a fistful of money in it's little worm hands.