Introduction & Top 10 Tips for Promoting Yourself as a Writer
We know it’s a sweeping generalisation but quite often, being a writer doesn’t go hand in hand in with relishing the act of self-promotion. It’s not that we’re all happier hunched behind our laptops, clad in our pyjamas, not speaking to another soul for days on end, it’s just that putting ourselves out there doesn’t always come naturally to us writer types.
That said, self-promotion is vital to anyone wanting to forge a career as a playwright. It’s not enough to write a masterpiece, you need to be able to convince others that it’s worth their time to produce or even to go and see it!
With that in mind, we’ve come up with our top tips to help nudge you out of your shell and into the spotlight! And we’ll be following these up with some practical exercises to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for the art of self-promotion.
1. Connect with other writers and creatives.
As you’re a member of London Playwrights Workshop, you’ve already made a significant step in connecting with other writers. Yay! Why is this important? Well, building your network is a great way to promote yourself and who knows, the next person you make an effort to connect with could end up being your next writing partner or co-producer.
2. Perfect your pitch.
You’ll already know that pitches come in many different forms and as a writer, you’ll often be put on the spot by people asking you ti give an impromptu pitch by questioning you on ‘what your play is about’. Swerve the awkward silences by perfecting your pitch in advance, and don’t be afraid to rehearse in front of a mirror!
3. Don’t overlook application forms.
We’ve all been there, we’re submitting for a competition or writing scheme and we’ve left it until the last minute…only to realise there is a detailed application form to fill in! Cue frantic typing and barely giving a second thought to the answers you give. It’s ok though, surely application forms are just a formality, right? Wrong. An application form is like a window to your soul. Ok, perhaps it’s not that dramatic – but since the person reading it doesn’t know you, application forms are the digital equivalent of ‘making a good impression’. Sell yourself, get the tone right and don’t forget to include a bit of personality. And most of all, don’t forget to factor in time to fill it in!
4. Sort out your social media.
Is your Facebook profile picture a photo of you necking a bottle of wine whilst dressed as a flamingo? Do you share outlandish opinions on everything just for the LOLz? And are you using the said Facebook profile to comment in playwriting groups or apply for opportunities? Everything is so easily searchable these days, unless you’ve got your privacy settings on lockdown, it’s best to keep your social media profiles professional and inoffensive. That doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself or share opinions about things you believe in, just don’t share stuff you wouldn’t want potential collaborators to see. Profile pictures of you dressed as William Shakespeare are optional but encouraged.
5. Hone your bio.
Writing a bio can feel like sticking pins in your eyes. What do you include? How far should you go back? How long should it be? But having a concise bio that is ready to go when you need it is so valuable and will save you time later when filling out those dreaded application forms. (Check out our exercise which will help you write a brilliant bio!)
6. Get on the scene.
Apply for opportunities (like the ones you see on our blog), put on your own scratch nights, go to see other scratch nights…get involved; some of these things might seem small but they are giving you exposure, go for things with an open mind and build up your experience one step at a time.
7. Keep writing.
One of the biggest things that hinders us in self-promotion is not feeling worthy – or imposter syndrome. How many of us have felt shy describing ourselves as ‘writers’, particularly when we’ve got other day jobs or don’t feel like we get enough writing done to justify the title? Remember, the only requisite for calling yourself a writer is that you actually write. So keep at it. And so what if you only get a few pages done each month because you have a busy job or kids or whatever – as long as you keep going, it still counts.
8. Talk about your work.
This one goes hand in hand with not feeling worthy enough to be a writer. In the midst of every day life, it’s often easier to keep your writing to yourself, but this does nothing for our confidence. When people ask what you’re in to, tell them you’re a writer. You’ll be surprised at how many people find this intriguing and answering their questions will help you to clarify your ideas and feel more confident about your work. When it comes to talking to people who are actually in the industry, you’ll be a seasoned professional at discussing your ideas.
9. Step out of your comfort zone.
The word ‘networking’ can make the most outgoing person feel like Mr Bean at a party. It’s awkward and not many people actually like it. But pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and can be the difference between your play being picked up by literary agent or languishing on your laptop. It’s worth bearing in mind that other people in the room are probably feeling exactly the same as you are about the situation, so what have you got to lose?
10. Believe in yourself.
It’s a totally cheesy way to end to our top tips but it’s so true. Believe in yourself, believe in your work and believe in your ability to make things happen…as they say, if you don’t believe in yourself, who will?