Have Fun

[Stephen Brayton]

<a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/964635566?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/964635566?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-full"></a>Whenever I leave work I usually depart with the words, “Have fun” to the person on the next shift. It's been a fairly standard saying for years. I never mean it as a sarcastic statement as if I expect the next shift to be droll or rockin' crazy with problems and I wish the person luck in handling it all. I really mean for them to have fun in whatever they do.

Years ago, I made some mistakes that landed me in trouble and, unfortunately, after more than fifteen years, I'm still dragging myself out of it. I hadn't planned on being in the hospitality business for so long. It has put me in touch with lots of material for past and future stories but I expected to find some other career long before now.

Well, maybe soon.

Anyway, I've been thinking about what jobs I've done and my role as instructor of a martial arts club. I've had fun being a broadcaster, a sportscaster, a graphic designer (and here is where I want to be again), a martial artist, and of course a writer. I did not enjoy being a salesman. I enjoy the creativity, the learning process, the satisfaction of producing a quality product.

Lately, I've been thinking, in part about my role as instructor and whether I need a change. Last year I was away from my club for over five months and part of me missed the weekly lessons, the excitement of class, of watching students progress. Part of me, though, was happy I didn't have those weekly responsibilities. Of course, I didn't get to enjoy the 'freedom' because my work schedule was ridiculous.

I do want to continue being a student, practicing and honing my form so that I can test for my next rank. I also wish to continue instructing my students. However, I'm an hour away from my club and I don't get down there every week and like a lot of things I want to do and should do, it is so much easier to make excuses NOT to go because I know the other instructor will handle things. This is wrong thinking if I want to be committed but right now I feel separated, or very nearly so.

My fellow writer friends were worried I would give up on my writing when I was away last year. I didn't, but I also didn't have a lot of time to write. I tried to do some promotion but of the half dozen libraries I contacted, only one made an initial response and I couldn't get anything from them afterward.

I have fun wherever I go to promote my books. Sure, the attendance from prospective buyers is slim (and in one case nil), but I always put my best effort. Being here in the Des Moines area, I have gotten back into whatever promotion I can attend. In a couple days I'll be at a winery. Last month I was at an authors' fair and I've signed up to be at one in September. I enjoy blogtalkradio, although I don't think too many people listen and fewer buy. I have a show scheduled later this month.

Sure, I've had my share of non-responses (even though other authors have enjoyed a scheduled appearance at these same venues) and rejections (note a previous blog entitled The Snork Effect). So, I'm still frustrated.

However, I do have some things scheduled and plan to have fun.

This week, I had planned to post the first of my restaurant reviews featuring one of the characters in my books. I even came up with a good title for those reviews – Food for Thought – with the name of the restaurant afterward. Pretty catchy, no? I even came up with a name for the blogs featuring the tourist complaints that were listed last week. - A Writer's Life. The cool thing about that title is that I can use it even after the complaint list has been exhausted.

Anyway, I thought about this week's post and was wanting to ask you, my loyal fans, what areas of promotion do you have fun with? Maybe you can give me some other areas in which to explore.

As always, thanks...and have fun.