Connecting With Readers
Author David Black recently published I, Bipolar: A Southern Man’s Memoir. It’s a solid read about what it’s like to struggle with this condition, and I recommend it for the diagnosed, their family members, or anyone curious it. The photo for this post, which looks like Edward Munch’s The Scream on acid, is taken from the cover and seems to capture the internal anguish bipolar patients face.
But this post isn’t a book review–it’s about connecting with your readers. And David’s site, dblack.org does a great job of that. There’s the typical information about him and his book, etc., but there’s also an outreach aspect to it, a chance for author/reader interaction. He’s encouraging people to submit their own stories of dealing with bipolar, and he’s putting up facts on controlling it. It’s not just a cold list of facts about the condition, but a helpful, practical list for self-management.
In short, I like what he’s doing. It’s not about telling readers to pick up your book–it’s about being open with them. Take an interest in what your readers have to say, and they’ll take an interest in what you have to say, too.
If you have any interest in bipolar mental health, check out David’s site and his book!
In the interest of full disclosure, I edited David’s book through my position at AlbanyEditing, but I was in no way paid or asked to put up this post. This was my idea because I truly like what he’s doing with his site.
John Briggs Books 