Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Website Woes

AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

There, that feels better. 

You may wonder about the source of my mind numbing, scream-evoking madness. Never fear, your curiosity will not be left unsatisfied. The etymology of my newfound lunacy (feel free to argue the "newfound," if you must) is one word: website. Or two words, if you prefer that incarnation: web site. Either way, I've thrown myself off the proverbial cliff with this one, and it ain't pretty.

Yes, friends, I am building a website! I am also certifiably crazy. As of 1:30 this morning I had spent 12 hours on the stupid project, and I've only got two pages done. Granted, one of them is the home page, but at this rate I will be creating my self-proclaimed gift to the cyber world for the rest of my life. Why is it such a time-guzzler? Because I am undertaking the gargantuan task of posting all of my poetry online for public, non-commercial use. (Of course, publishers, authors, composers, etc. will still have to contact me for permissions, but non-professional, everyday people will be able to use the poems as desired, with the caveat that the copyright information must be clearly visible on any copies made.)

My husband thinks I should just do another book, a poetry collection, but I am more inclined to handle the poems this way because I think they will get more exposure online. After all, my first effort, At the End of Your Rope, There's Hope, only sold 5,000 copies (the average number for a "successful" book). Awaken Your Spiritual  Power sold slightly less than that, and His Children has been extremely difficult to publicize (though I will brag that Dean Ravi Sharma of the Monmouth University Library wrote an online review rating it his favorite book of the year and saying that it "changed the way [he] looks at the world").          :)

Anyway, I digress. The point is that I've decided to put the poems online where they can be shared with and enjoyed by anyone who has an interest in them. After all, what's the point of writing a zillion poems, sharing them briefly with a limited audience, then relegating them to one of many binders on a closet shelf? Hey, they deserve better than that, right? The time has come to let those suckahs see the light of day! Free at last...free at last...thank...  (Wait a minute, I think I'm getting carried away.)

Did I mention that I am a complete nut case? Oh, yeah. I did. One day you will be able to see this for yourself on my new poetry website...coming soon.

=)

5 comments:

Kristin said...

I do think that you should make a book with all your christmas stories. those are the kinds of books that DO sell. Just a thought...

can't wait to see you site!

Susan Anderson said...

Yep, the Christmas stories will definitely be a book!

Leslie said...

Ah the reason I do not have a website. If you get desperate, I do have the name of a gal that does programming. She does Pioneer Woman's. But I don't know if you are too far away. Maybe Q has some tips or books to share. He teaches that...

That is awesome on the book numbers. Awesome. Are all by DB? Can you ask another publisher to take them over for more exposure? Like Doubleday?

My sister in law was published through scholastic once. It's a tough business. Maybe you need an agent.

Christine said...

This is also the reason I stopped blogging; takes too much time! It's a great skill to learn but there are too many whistles and bells that I want to make it look good and I could keep obsessing over changing it to make it look better!
I like facebook! Put pictures up, leave quotes, etc.
I still prefer talking to people face to face. So, if they want to get to know what's going on with me, they're gonna have to ask!
I really like what you've done!
Take care

Susan Anderson said...

I know what you mean, Christine. If I had kids at home I'd never get all of this done! (One of the little advantages of the "empty nest.")

=)