So a copy of my latest efforts is in the mail from my publisher. Now
comes the more demanding part which I dread
but have learned is a very necessary activity - the promoting and
marketing.
I
have no reluctance when it comes to plunking myself in a chair,
fingers on keyboard, and letting the words flow. Its this other half of
what makes a book a success that twists my stomach into knots.
For now I need to spend my time creating a concentrated blitz of email announcements and press releases, flood twitter and deluge my Facebook friends - all for the purpose of calling everyone's attention to the new book.
Promoting
and marketing a book means calling attention to yourself. It means
speaking out in every situation, announcing who you are and what
you've done. All this self-promoting is to get people interested
enough in you and your latest work so they'll shell out some dough
and buy a copy or two.
So,
what's an author to do? If we want our new book to be read, we do
everything necessary to get this latest production noticed. And isn't
that part of the reason I continue to write? To share my thoughts, my
imaginations with others?
I never gave this a thought when I started writing, and self promotion is not something I enjoy. It's all a bit hit and miss too, and might just be the final straw that breaks the camels back, if you know what I mean?
ReplyDeleteI've been writing and publishing long enough to know it's an iffy business to expect monetary gains for my efforts. I've decided to just write to satisfy myself and if it connects with others, that's a bonus.
ReplyDelete