TMI has come to mean ‘too much information’. And when does TMI become too much? When someone gets too graphic about a personal experience, we throw up our hands to stop them—TMI! That’s the context where we know the definition.
But in my personal dictionary, it has another meaning: Too much interaction! The definition goes on to warn that this can cause burnout, indifference, and depression. Perhaps even cause a block in creativity.
I’ve written a book, and I am working on another. So, I’m a writer. Whether I’m successful or not is beside the point, because publishing companies everywhere think I’m going to be. Or I’m going to be if I’ll let them help me.
When a phone contact starts out with the offer of a ‘partnership’, I’m going to hear a large fee which will be greatly reduced if I’ll partner with them. I want to tell them, but I don’t, that I think my portion of the partnership is already invested. I’ve researched, written the manuscript, proofed it, edited it, and have the finished book in hand. That should count for my part of the partnership.
Then there’s the call explaining that my book isn’t selling because the price is too high. If I will let them ‘rebrand’ my book, lowering the cost, it will be more marketable. The price of this ‘rebranding’ is almost the cost of the first publication.
One publisher wants me to hire a professional to incorporate my children’s trilogy into an animated cartoon for them to peddle to potential film buyers. Sounds great. The cost would only be the price I paid for publishing all three of my children’s books in hardback and full color. Another wave with the potential of sinking me under.
My website is up and working, I’m on YouTube, my business Facebook page gets updated, and I bug my friends on my personal Facebook page. You know what I’m afraid of? I fear that when I get a good legitimate recommendation, I won’t recognize it.
I will keep listening because I’m grateful for their interest. One day everything will come together!
