Tuesday, December 23, 2008

New Day #362

After risking my life to record a holiday commentary for NPR's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, I realized this morning I'd sent out an announcement to my mailing list without asking readers to click "recommend" or leave a comment, also known as "job security." A writer's career lives or dies by these kinds of numbers.

I could have shrugged it off as a missed opportunity, but, as I once wrote at Powells.com, my publicity role model is the tirelessly self-promoting though profoundly untalented Jacqueline Susann. Some people ask themselves, "What would Jesus do?" I ask myself "What would Jackie do?" Well, she'd make damn sure she got her readers to click "recommend" and leave a comment.

So I risked irritating my mailing list with a second e-mail, which indeed did prompt some people to opt out, though I figrued if they're that touchy they probably weren't fans, anyway.

More importantly, it totally worked. For the first time, my commentary was the Most Recommended on the NPR website by a ridiculous margin, four times more than the next contender. And it made #7 on the Most Commented list.


Lesson learned: heaven helps those who help themselves.

Thank you all for your support in this endeavor and always. In the current economy, continuing a writing career is an uphill climb and I need all the sherpas I can get.

9 comments:

Chris 'Frog Queen' Davis said...

I was home today, I "spammed" all my friends to help you out. As popular as I am. I am sure I added a whole two people :) Just doing my part. Off to work on my Yule log. Happy Holidzaed :)

David S said...

Henriette Anne Klauser said "Write it down and make it happen" and you've done just that. Excellent. You've inspired me yet again! You're future is indeed what you make it.

Anonymous said...

It is good to know that a simple thing like clicking on the recommend sign can be of help.

If there were places to click and convince producers of the huge buyer potential a DVD of "the original production of Holidazed" would have, please dont hesitate to send us the links.
I, in Madrid, am good for about a dozen. ( All fans of yours, ever since "How I paid for College", who are waiting impatiently for anything new you publish)

Marc Acito said...

Thank you all again. Chris, your place in heaven is assured. Or whatever the Pagan version of heaven is.

Marc Acito said...

Thank you all again. Chris, your place in heaven is assured. Or whatever the Pagan version of heaven is.

Fran said...

We enjoy helping out our friends and those we admire.

Stay warm, now! We're looking forward to more commentary!

Anonymous said...

Glad to help out any time we can. Hope to see many more books to be coming soon.

Hope you are staying warm!! What happened to the Palm Springs trip you used to take this time of year to warm up? Just think you could be as cold as we have been here in Iowa (-43 coldest wind chill) on top of about 8 inches of snow.

Hope all is well with you, Floyd and Sherman the wonder dog.

The Bose's

Valerie Willman said...

You rock, Marc!

Sue KuKu said...

Oh puleeze! We have all, ALL of us sent out emails without some pertinent info like the date or the time or the link.

I'm certainly not going to opt out just you emailed me more than once!

Yay for you for winning!