Intro or Extro?

Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? What strengths and/or weaknesses come with this personality type in regards to book publicity and marketing, and how do you mine your strengths?

From Frank

For years, I actually thought I was an extrovert. I thought this because I liked being around people. I enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with it, especially in smaller groups where you really make a strong connection. But I was also happy and comfortable spending long stretches alone. That sounds more like an introvert. So I started to question which one I truly was.

Then I learned the best definition of the difference I've heard to date. It doesn't have much to do with whether you like being around people or not. It's all about energy. An extrovert draws energy from being with people; being with people drains energy from an introvert. 

Bam. I'm definitely an introvert by this definition.

I like people. I enjoy talking with them, listening to them, being around them. But it doesn't energize me. It exhausts me. 

I know that can sound bad but it really isn't. Listen, I love hockey, too. I enjoy every second of a game, from getting ready in the locker room, to the play on the ice, to the cold beer with teammates afterward. But playing hockey exhausts me, too. So you can be exhausted by something you love without it being a negative.

I suspect most writers are introverts. Yeah, I know - not exactly a risky supposition to make. But I think writing suits us. The creative, emotional and intellectual effort that goes into writing can be exhausting (exhilerating, too!). I think that the added crush of whatever an extrovert feels when s/he is alone for that long would be overwhelming.

That's the strength of being an introvert - we can spend that time alone to create and feel happy and at home during the process. But then comes marketing and publicity, which seem more suited to an extrovert.

When I said I was an introvert, I'm sure that some people who know me a little might call BS. True, I'm not shy in groups, speaking in public doesn't faze me, and I do well at book events and the like. I very much enjoy my time with people. It just exhausts me. Therefore, I think the key to in-person marketing is pacing myself. Have a little down time/alone time to recharge.

Online publicity and marketing, on the other hand, is not an issue for me. We're all a half-step removed in those interactions, and they don't tend to be as draining (or, admittedly, quite as enjoyable... although I have forged some pretty solid friendships through this medium).

Honestly, I wish this was a question the entire panel of ten was answering and not just half of us, because I'd be very curious to hear the self-assessment, experience, and strategies from everyone. So if this is your off week and you feel like dropping a few nuggets in the comments - please do!

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Blatant Self-Promotion

My newest book with Lawrence Kelter, No Dibs on Murder, is on sale for 99 cents (Kindle) this week. In fact, all three of my collaborations with Larry are discounted to just a buck - Fallen City and The Last Collar.

While the latter two are gritty procedurals, No Dibs is a dark comedy/mystery. 

Tanner Fritz has it all—he’s good-looking, well-liked, fabulously wealthy, and has a beautiful wife. He’s a veritable well of goodwill and happiness.

So why do his four best friends want him dead?

Each of them believes they have a genuine reason—he stole Marty’s wife, swindled Carson out of a fortune, caused Barry’s traumatic brain injury, and… well, no one is exactly sure why Serena wants to kill him.

The foursome’s grievances quickly escalate into something truly terrifying, planning Tanner’s murder—only to run into a seemingly insurmountable hitch. Who actually gets to do the deed? Who has suffered the most at his hands?

A cacophony of bumbling exploits follow as each tries to off Tanner Fritz, while the other three sabotage those efforts. Sprinkled with site gags and belly laughs to tickle both the cultured and the philistine, No Dibs on Murder pulls no punches… and neither do these harebrained would-be killers.