An interview

It's always difficult to gauge the effect your work will have in the market. Some years ago I received a three-quarter page response to a poem I'd written. The editor had read my very personal poem about how challenging it is to accurately and honestly represent a person to someone who has never met them. The editor however interpreted it as me attacking the entire male population! We had some great conversations back and forth after I'd cleared up that confusion. And yes, he published my poem. But it was a powerful lesson...once your work is out there, the audience will bring their own interpretation, based on factors the author cannot imagine. So the author must believe in the writing, because they cannot control the reading and they cannot 'know' the reader.

Gauging the effect of having a website or a blog is a bit the same. Even with the statistics data showing where visitors have come from, it's sometimes surprising who's popped in. A week before Christmas I was approached by a US blogger, Jessica Kennedy, requesting an interview.

I strolled on over to her blog for a bit of a look-see. Jessica interviews people about their experience in promoting their work. So we emailed a bit, Jessica asking questions, me answering. The result is here if you'd like to have a read.

And already, the interview is impacting on my visitor stats. Thanks Jessica.