Ryan T. Pozzi

I had a productive work day.

I still need to simplify my website, tighten up the way I handle the newsletter, and revisit my broader content strategy...you know, the deeply meaningful stuff that drives us all to be authors in the first place...🤔😑

It worked! Way to go, Internet. 🎉

I "finalized" my blurb request list, filled out another of the manymany info forms for my publisher, and went back through my own written book marketing plan to note additions and changes I want to make this week-ish.

Okay, pals. Imma take a nap.

By the time I come back, I'll expect you to have my flagging motivation all sorted out so we can get some more debut launch planning done before my wife gets home and family takes back the day. #booksky

Hey, you remember when I posted about how authors are often provided language for their blurbs and all of Bluesky came for me and lit me up with the "that never happens..." and the "Wrong. I've been doing this for 20 years and..." etc?

Yeah, okay. Guess what my publisher's marketing dept suggested?

Working on a list of folks to approach for "blubs." Ten authors, some of them big swings.

The book is quite good and the creatives who read it will benefit, but I still look at this developing list and laugh at the idea that some of these intensely well-known CNF authors would bother with it. 🤷‍♂️

After the publication of Blood Dazzler, we had the opportunity to book Patricia Smith for an embarrassingly small amount of money.

Back then, we just couldn't get schedules to line up. Now that she's added a National Book Award to her mantle, I wonder if we can still get that same deal. 🤔 #Unlikely

Hot mess sounds too appealing. I'm really more of a lukewarm mess. #ManageYourExpectations

(It's hard to tell what will set me off from day to day.)

Fuck it. I'm showing support for the completely appropriate way @elysemyers.bsky.social spoke with her disappointed reader by buying her book immediately.

Done and done.

Now I've made myself mad and I have to go to timeout. 😠

I say she did the right thing in the right way and the supposed backlash about it is unconsidered, short-sighted, and needlessly critical.

Apparently I'm more worked up about this than I thought.

I'm seeing all these headlines that the "book community" called it unprofessional.

1. The who now?
2. Ignoring the whole thing would have been safer, obviously, but it wouldn't have been the greatest good she could bring to the situation.

This @elysemyers.bsky.social "controversy" is bunk. Her response to a disappointed reader was empathy and polite customer service.

How dare she respond to a negative review with empathy and polite customer service! 🙄😑

If that's what drives negative headlines for her, I'm completely screwed.

I got some of the gluten-free version as well, just in case, and weirdly I think I like them better than the original. (Had to taste test them, of course.)

-Loose leaf teas from The Tea Smith themed to artists from the book
-Walkers Shortbread Rounds straight from Scotland
-Wildflower Honey Sticks from The Honey Jar
-Sticker by @a-lone-ghost.bsky.social

All in a book-shaped gift box

Book box gifts for my dream team

It took a while because Fall is a very busy season at our house, but our thank you boxes are finally going out to my agent, my editor, and her assistant for the closing of the deal for my debut at Bloomsbury (pub date TBD.)

Thanks for stopping by to say so. I'm no expert, of course, but I've learned a few things along the way.

Feel free to drop me a line anytime if I can help.

Choir, let me share a thought with you.

If justice for child rapists disrupts society, then society needed to be disrupted.

Oh, he's a job creator? Oh, the economy will suffer? Oh, the uncertainty? Oh, our whole political system?

If it's built on raping children, burn it all the fuck down.

Amen.

When does the War on Christmas start this year and how do I enlist? #HalloweenisHoly #ChristmasShmistmas

White House aide?

New Life on the Midlist drops in a bit: this one is about literary agents, why the internet has you scared of the wrong people, and how the query trenches turned into a conference guest list. Your future agent is not the villain.

Sign up to get your copy: www.ryantpozzi.com/midlist

Whatever You Think, You're Wrong: A Guide to the Comments Section

Today I'm working on how to do a better job of having real relationships with writers and readers instead of just tallying list size or follower counts.

My publisher will always see numbers, but it's important to me that "storytelling as product" doesn't eclipse "storytelling as human connection."

How my work day went today:

“I hate writing, I love having written.”
― Dorothy Parker

#booksky #writingcommunity

Or it would have done if they hadn't backed down before courts had ruled on the permissibility of withholding aid and with no concessions that positively impacted healthcare or food assistance (other than for a vote in only one of the two houses of Congress that they don't have the numbers to win.)

I know this isn't her platform BUT consider chasing down @anyasaysstuff over on Insta if you like weird inspiration.

Today (in a recirculating past video) she introduced me to the very useful mantra: Pickles forever, self-hate never.

Depends on the component. I think FEMA should still exist, for example, though it would be nice if it could operate as a genuine aid function instead of a mismanaged political weapon.

I agree that a number of them can and should just go away.

I really want to start a @RealRyanTPozzi or @RyanTPozziOfficial account specifically bc I'm so insignificant in my profession that there's no danger of fakes or confusion about whether you've found the right author.

You have. I'm the only one. No one else wants to be confused with me. Promise. 🙂

Sorry, got distracted by the headlines again.

Here. Lemme just...

I like books or whatever. 📚📖

Cool. We're back on track.

Yeah okay, abolish ICE or whatever OR

Eliminate the Department of Homeland Security altogether. Move TSA back to Transportation and restore FEMA as an independent agency. Sort the other half-dozen component agencies back into their natural homes.

Less criminal abuse and around $40 billion savings.