The Writer's Uniform

 

Okay, I admit it. When I’m at home writing, pjs are my outfit of choice. Usually teamed with a messy ponytail and no makeup.

That’s the thing with writing; I gotta be comfy. The problem? It leaves me utterly ill-equipped for the times I have to leave the house. Casual attire, I’m okay with but when you bring writing events into the mix, I confess I’m lost.

Networking usually results in me worrying about it before attending over-dressed. I just can’t get the hang of fashion. My first writing event – networking with TV people – I had my hair loose (an anomaly for me,) there was makeup on my face, and I wore a dress with heels. Not tall heels, but still heels. The people there were in jeans. Dang it! I’d got it wrong. This happens more than I’d like it to. Over-dressed or under-dressed; it’s confusing to a girl whose wardrobe is basically made up of pyjamas.

Somewhere along the way, I think I forgot to learn the skills of personal style. Unless lounge-wear is considered style, in which case, I’m nailing it.

On the other hand, if it’s not, then I may need some help. Here are the tips I’ve come up with so far:

·       Plan ahead: I find it kind of helpful to think of what I’m wearing ahead of time, so there’s no last-minute plan. It’s not a flawless plan, because, as I said, I am sometimes overdressed, but at least I’m never under-dressed.

·       Dress for yourself: There’s no point being uncomfortable in an outfit you don’t feel nice in. If you’re out of place in your clothes, it’s not exactly going to bolster you for talking to strangers.

·       Simple is better: This one is personal for me. I’m not adventurous with fashion, but if you are, the last thing I want to do, is tell you to go against yourself. Like I said, dress for yourself. But personally, for me, I find it better to keep it simple. I just don’t have the personal style to pull of something adventurous.

That’s all I’ve got so far, but maybe the more I network the better I’ll get.

Behind the Mask

When an introvert writer steps outside and learns about the promotional side of writing... I did not sign up for this.

Imaginary Friends

Being a writer always seemed like the perfect career to me. I'm an introvert, most comfortable in my own company, in my own home, with my dog and imaginary worlds to keep me company, so the idea that I could do this as a job was ideal. To sit at a computer and put words on paper - words that give others a chance to experience the exciting worlds and lives that inhabit my brain - was just what I was looking for.

What no one warned me about was that there's more to being a writer than writing. It sounds crazy, but it's true. There's a whole load of PR that comes with the job. Talking to strangers, putting yourself out there, trying to find your way into a community of people who all know each other and help each other, when your natural instinct is to blend in. It's like going to a masquerade and being forced to take off your mask.

I know I'm not alone in this discomfort. I've heard it mentioned a lot between us creative type people. That the social side of writing wasn't what they were prepared for. Over time I've grown better at faking my discomfort in person, but strangely, I still find myself socially awkward online.

It takes courage to step outside your comfort zone and that is something that is a constant battle for me. My natural instinct isn't to step forward, it isn't to bare my face, and there are times in my life when even my closest friends have struggled to understand my introverted tendencies and have called me miserable because in a large group I'm not the person who stands out. When other personalities overpower me, I grow quieter, and I wish I was at home.

Which is what makes the promotional side of writing such a challenge. I like talking to people, especially in the literary world, where we can discuss words and books and writing, and all the things I'm passionate about, but what I can't do is use those conversations to sell my work. It is a constant struggle; the line between promotion and conversation.

I've always been more comfortable with fiction than reality and there is a certain sense of security, writing books without giving too much of myself away. When I write I see through the eyes of my characters and it gives me an insight into other personalities but when it comes to the core of the matter, I still like to view things from the outside.

If I'd known writing wouldn't be as reclusive as I expected it to be, would I still do it? Absolutely! Because if all the uncomfortable moments, the awkwardness, the over-thinking are the price to create fantastical worlds and talk to like-minded people then I guess I can go to the ball and leave my mask at home.

For more of my blog posts or to read about my books visit my author website here.