At Word Vancouver (formerly Word on the Street) I sat with other CrimeWriters of Canada talking about writing, publishing, and promoting. We interrupted our conversation when fans or other writers interested in the genre stopped to talk. Throughout the two hours, we talked about many things, but one stuck with me–the problem of getting writers who are introverts, and that is many writers, to commit to promotion. Trade publishers insist on promotion; self-publishers are forced to promote. Most writers would rather stay in their hole, hide out, shove email files through the ether to publishers and never appear in public. Once in the public sphere, at a conference, a reading, a library or a classroom, I, for one, enjoy it. It’s a little like being on stage. Many years ago, before social media, publicity tours included radio and television in many different cities. Writers had to travel, dress respectably, be prepared with knowledge of their subject and submit to questions from a live audience. Now, most publicity is done locally, at conferences or on line. It is still necessary. Readers want to know about your next book, want to comment on your last one and ask how the writing process. Readers are what make writing worth while. So, for our readers, we haul ourselves out of our comfort zone and from the thralls of the current writing project and interact. I’m sure it’s good for us.