Guest Post: Anne Kemp

Welcome to another stop on the Rum Punch Regrets tour hosted by CLP Blog Tours! Today author Anne Kemp was kind enough to stop by Books Etc. with a guest post. Anne writes a blog and a column along with fiction so I was curious to see what she thought about each type of writing. I hope you all enjoy this post as much as I did!

When I focused on writing again, after a many-year hiatus, I never thought I would end up wearing so many different hats. Some days it’s a precarious balancing act, but it’s worth it. With social media and the internet having created a society where we need to know now and get our information justhisfast, writers in 2012 have more on their plates these days than just penning a book.

Me? I write the Abby George Series, I have my column, Anne In Progress, and run a blog…well, I actually run three, but who’s counting? Each format offers something different not only for me but for readers as well.   

They offer options. 

I think that’s why I like switching up and wearing so many other hats. How can anyone like “just one?” In my life, it’s all about options. I guess it’s something I want other people to revel in as well. I can commit to writing a full-length novel because I know I have a story that just has to get out of my system, or I can sit down and crank out (that’s a technical term, by the way) a column for my readers. If I have small bits of information I want to get across or share, I can create a blog post around a topic and use that platform for spreading the word.

Is it frustrating? Sometimes, yes. There are days I’d rather just work on my book, and honestly if I could just dream up blog post ideas all day and not always write them, that’d be swell, too. However, in the end? I love writing. It’s mine and everyday I wake up and I have the option to write whatever I want. At any given moment, all day long. Even to-do lists.

I also love social media because (again) we’re faced with options. Options for marketing ourselves to an audience much bigger than we ever imagined, options for different outlets and platforms of social media and outreach. For instance, I really love Twitter, crafting a tweet and getting it out there. Sometimes when I go to post on Facebook, I get stumped.  In steps Twitter! Or maybe I have a photo that works well with my mood, but I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I’ll use Instagram. Don’t even get me started on that rabbit hole they call Pinterest – love it! 

See? Options.  

That’s all a girl truly needs. I love the days when I feel like I’m juggling precious china plates; prepping a blog, organizing my tweets to go out, answering folks on Facebook and outlining my next book. Multi-tasking in the midst of something you truly love, in the midst of balancing your passion, is the most priceless experience ever. And I’d take that option over never being able to write again or having to pick just one.

Cause I like having the option.


And in case you missed it - my review can be found here!