A couple of days ago I met a photographer in a bar in Utrecht who said she worked in the field of author photography. Interesting specialisation. I mean what makes taking pictures of a novelist so different from taking pictures of the postman? She said that writers and novelists are different from other 'subjects' because they are not used to posing. So you need to approach them differently to put them at ease . She can live from doing just that: author photography. So she must be good in putting novelists at ease. Later she added that another reason for her success was aftercare. She always made sure to send a few of the taken pictures to the novelist and maybe call them up for a chit chat. People remember you that way, she commented. I think aftercare is the key to success, not self-promotion.

Arnon

What does this friend consider very succesful: good reviews or good sales?
Bram: are you the kind of guy who calls a woman after he dumped her, just to ask how she feels?

speaking about self promotion (clever or not)

To all Dutch reading bloggers:

I am happy to announce that my first novel 'Ingewikkeld kind' (Querido)
will be in the bookstores on the 18th of March and ...
that it is selected for the 'Literaire lente' (more info on www.boek.be)
...very happy.

Margot
Hmm, interesting presumption, what gave you that idea? But to follow your peculiar line of thought: "What would one gain by making such phone calls, ever lasting gratitude?"

This is obvious Arnon. It's about self-promotion AND an easy digestible feel-good content that makes the sales go up.

@Vera M
On which bookshelf will they promote your book, fiction or non fiction?
Congratulations.

Margot

A combination.

Arnon

Congratulations!
I ‘stopped by’ the blog to read how things are going over here and was happy to read you have experienced the feeling of optimism.
I hope it was enjoyable!

Vera

Congratulations!

Bram

Nothing, except to be remembered as a gentleman.

@ Vera

Congratulations

@Jan, Mieke, Margot,...
Thank you!
It's a novel. Fiction.
Probably there will be a shelf 'Literaire lente.'
Info: on www.uitgeverijq.nl (imprint of Querido)
www.boek.be and www.anneprovoost.be

@Vera, wonderful! Make sure to soak up as much positivity you can while experiencing the launch of your first novel. There's only one first and to sexpose yourself as yourself is a monumental moment. But by the time you're about ready to start writing a second, you'll be wondering how on earth you ever managed to write a first. It'll help to be able to lean on the positivity you're experiencing now. Trust me, I know!

@Vera, oops: Freudian typo "sexpose" is supposed to be "expose"....

@ Noa

Maybe a freudian typo, but a very funny one.

@noa
Thank you, that is very sweet. I do my very best to take my time
and enjoy this special period in my life.