What do I mean ‘act like a professional’?  In the horror genre, it is well-known that the authors like to party.  I’ve said in the past that in the writing world, we are the kids who sit in the back of the literary world’s classroom and throw things at the others and lob spit balls.  Many in the field are known to really let it hang out at conventions.  I know at the few I’ve attended, I have no problem with throwing down tons of beer and smoking some cigars.  All of that is fine, but I’ve found recently that the rest of the time I want to treat this gig as a job.  This choice has made me change my approach to everything I do online and in public.

The more I put myself in the public eye, I want to make sure the image I put out there is a good one.  While I’m working on building a base of readers and contacts, I really don’t want to put myself out there as a rude guy with no self-control.  Starting out, I can’t afford to drive people away with how I portray myself on Facebook, Twitter, or even here on my blog.  There is a time and place for everything and knowing when those times and places are, I believe, will help me on my journey.  Believe me, there are times I have to really try hard to remain silent or to keep my comments and such toned down.  One day, I want to make enough writing to either quit my job or move to a part-time job.  If I want to fulfill this dream, using control in the public sphere has been something I’ve focused very hard on.

In the end, this is a business.  I want my work to carry me and not just the way I come off on the internet.  Every time I reread something, no matter how much everyone tells me they love it, I doubt if what I wrote is really good enough.  The fact that my stuff has been in over twenty publications to this point tells me I must be doing something right and it hasn’t included being a complete blow-hard on the web.  At the end of the day, it is all about branding and I want to grow my base naturally without being a complete ass or being so much in your face that it turns you off to my work or to me in general.

I hope everyone can understand where I’m coming from in this post.  I want to explain myself and how I’m trying to grow in this profession.  In the beginning of the post I called this a job, but it is a job I enjoy.  Even when I feel deadlines crashing down on me, I wouldn’t trade this for the world.  I’ve found the job I’m finally passionate about and I’m thrilled to have everyone hop on board this journey with me.

So my friends,

Goodnight…