Eva Pasco's Blog - Posts Tagged "promoting"
Plunge or Plane?
A shout out to all diehard Rhode Islanders who will partake in Rhode Island’s 41st Annual Penguin Plunge on January 1, 2017, 12 noon at Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett for the worthy cause of Special Olympics, RI.
All that thrashing in the brine will create a flash-in-the-pan splash preserved on all the local news channels.
An Indie author, I’ve taken a few too many foolhardy plunges into the brine for the worthy cause of marketing and promoting my recent release in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction: AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE (Paperback – August 22, 2016; Kindle Edition – September 20, 2016).
Shared in a previous blog—my one-month Book Blast with “Pump Up Your Book” from November 7 – 30 was a bust, my being the only elephant loitering in the blog rooms! I also threw away more money I’ve yet to earn from book sales on paid promotional venues such as eBookSoda, People Reads, and The Fussy Librarian, though I’m inclined to stick with the latter in the upcoming year.
Rather than plunge headfirst into shark-infested waters, I intend to plane in 2017. For starters, I have three upcoming author interviews and three promissory book reviews—Long and Short Reviews; LILbooKlovers; The Empty Pages. I am also waiting in the wings for reviews from those still reading my novel, thus far having accrued two 4-Star and thirteen 5-Star reviews at Amazon.
I’ll be planing and soaring with high hopes at each local library book signing event I’m hosting throughout the months of January and February in the New Year. I’ll be sure to encourage attendees to consider inviting me to any future speaking engagements.
While I still can’t predict the potential for success from any marketing strategy I’m willing to try, nothing beats word of mouth in creating a ripple effect which is longer lasting and more profound than a momentary splash!
All that thrashing in the brine will create a flash-in-the-pan splash preserved on all the local news channels.
An Indie author, I’ve taken a few too many foolhardy plunges into the brine for the worthy cause of marketing and promoting my recent release in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction: AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE (Paperback – August 22, 2016; Kindle Edition – September 20, 2016).
Shared in a previous blog—my one-month Book Blast with “Pump Up Your Book” from November 7 – 30 was a bust, my being the only elephant loitering in the blog rooms! I also threw away more money I’ve yet to earn from book sales on paid promotional venues such as eBookSoda, People Reads, and The Fussy Librarian, though I’m inclined to stick with the latter in the upcoming year.
Rather than plunge headfirst into shark-infested waters, I intend to plane in 2017. For starters, I have three upcoming author interviews and three promissory book reviews—Long and Short Reviews; LILbooKlovers; The Empty Pages. I am also waiting in the wings for reviews from those still reading my novel, thus far having accrued two 4-Star and thirteen 5-Star reviews at Amazon.
I’ll be planing and soaring with high hopes at each local library book signing event I’m hosting throughout the months of January and February in the New Year. I’ll be sure to encourage attendees to consider inviting me to any future speaking engagements.
While I still can’t predict the potential for success from any marketing strategy I’m willing to try, nothing beats word of mouth in creating a ripple effect which is longer lasting and more profound than a momentary splash!
The Measure of Success
For an Indie author such as myself, gaging my success as a writer is not measured in the number of books sold or royalties earned each month. Achievement isn’t about attaining a delusional benchmark by climbing a ladder of success either. Oh, it’s an upward and uneven climb alright! Without the benefit of proceeding step by step along the rungs of a metaphorical ladder in the hope of becoming a popular author whose books are read by many. There are no safety nets or guarantees whatsoever along this precarious journey.
I admit to struggling more days than others trying to wrap my head around a pursuit propelled more by intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards grounded in reality. Being one’s own best advocate involves time, energy, and if you’re relentless as I am--often shelling out money to stay in the shell game by procuring promo venues to reach the reading public at large, and entering literary contests on the off chance of gaining recognition and merit.
2017 Fiction Finalist & 5-Star Badge from ATAI (Authors Talk About It):
http://tinyurl.com/jgxsa42
Hence, my measure of success as an Indie author derives from seizing those elusive, few-and-far-between, short-lived jolts of euphoria and capitalizing upon them as I am now in real time.
The foundation for my elucidation:
1 – My Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel received another 5-Star Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon. I’m so proud to share this excerpt:
“AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE is a delightful read for those who enjoy women’s fiction written with pun heavy pageantry. Eva Pasco is a tuneful wordsmith. A first-class ink slinger. Every paragraph of ‘An Enlightening Quiche’ is a novel in itself. Pageantry and drama aside, it’s a story about home and that’s something we can all relate to. There’s no place like home and Eva Pasco provides the ruby slippers.”
Review in Full - http://tinyurl.com/y8txchn6
2- My novel was featured at “My Book Place”:
http://mybookplace.net/an-enlightenin...
3 - My fifteen minutes of “fame” via my feature book interview on “The Authors Show” where I share the single most important idea in my novel which has potential for adding value to the reader’s life—among other things behind the scene!
http://wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsS...
4 – And, a beautiful by-product from The Authors Show in the form of a 29-second book trailer to upload on my websites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25h92...
If “the true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good” (Advice Columnist, Ann Landers)—then, the true measure of success for an Indie author is manifesting determination and resilience whatever the prospects or lack thereof.
I admit to struggling more days than others trying to wrap my head around a pursuit propelled more by intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards grounded in reality. Being one’s own best advocate involves time, energy, and if you’re relentless as I am--often shelling out money to stay in the shell game by procuring promo venues to reach the reading public at large, and entering literary contests on the off chance of gaining recognition and merit.
2017 Fiction Finalist & 5-Star Badge from ATAI (Authors Talk About It):
http://tinyurl.com/jgxsa42
Hence, my measure of success as an Indie author derives from seizing those elusive, few-and-far-between, short-lived jolts of euphoria and capitalizing upon them as I am now in real time.
The foundation for my elucidation:
1 – My Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel received another 5-Star Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon. I’m so proud to share this excerpt:
“AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE is a delightful read for those who enjoy women’s fiction written with pun heavy pageantry. Eva Pasco is a tuneful wordsmith. A first-class ink slinger. Every paragraph of ‘An Enlightening Quiche’ is a novel in itself. Pageantry and drama aside, it’s a story about home and that’s something we can all relate to. There’s no place like home and Eva Pasco provides the ruby slippers.”
Review in Full - http://tinyurl.com/y8txchn6
2- My novel was featured at “My Book Place”:
http://mybookplace.net/an-enlightenin...
3 - My fifteen minutes of “fame” via my feature book interview on “The Authors Show” where I share the single most important idea in my novel which has potential for adding value to the reader’s life—among other things behind the scene!
http://wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsS...
4 – And, a beautiful by-product from The Authors Show in the form of a 29-second book trailer to upload on my websites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25h92...
If “the true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good” (Advice Columnist, Ann Landers)—then, the true measure of success for an Indie author is manifesting determination and resilience whatever the prospects or lack thereof.
Cooperation and Comradery
A former elementary school teacher, cooperative learning played a key role in my third-grade classroom. The banner suspended from the top of the front wall captioned the theme in our learning environment—“Compete with yourself; cooperate with each other.”
This week in real time:
July 12th – The cutoff in voting for authors who are semifinalists in the “Golden Box Books Quill Award”. I sure hope my Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel, ‘An Enlightening Quiche,’ is one of the finalists announced on August 1st.
http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/golden-...
Nevertheless, cooperation and comradery in the Indie author community got it nominated. The judges who read my book nominated it one of the semifinalists. I’m very grateful and honored my book is amongst an impressive roster.
The way I roll, it was very difficult for me to ask for the popular vote, though I recognized I had to in order to make the most of a golden opportunity. Fortunately, one could vote for more than one book which enabled me to give a shout out to those few books I’d read and reviewed.
By and large, cooperation and comradery are prevalent among those who comprise the Indie community. I’m always glad to cast my vote for a book at the request of a fellow Indie if I’m familiar with it from author takeovers, or its reputation among readers precedes it.
Oftentimes, it’s cooperation and comradery among fellow Indies that keep our books in the public eye. Only another writer knows the anguish and struggle to publish and market a book despite the vagaries of life which compete against us to do so. Only another writer understands the importance of mutual support while seeking recognition. Whether or not my book wins any award, pales in comparison to my self-respect in the Indie community.
Eva’s Byte #223 – Missing Links
Mine!
As pertaining to hypothetical extinctions connecting my book to major online retailers. Meaning, I no longer provide my separate Amazon purchase links on Facebook ad posts.
Instead, you’ll notice:
EBook and Paperback available @ major online book retailers
My reactionary policy stems from upcoming changes in FB algorithms with potential to send Indie authors down the river:
1. Facebook is tracking the link funnel which could trigger the Click Gap Signal:
If your link leads to a retail page with questionable content (also-boughts and sponsored books) in violation of community standards, your reach is suppressed and your ads could be denied.
So—send traffic to your own website—you think? Not so fast!
2. Links in posts can be determined click-bait, or something that flags the Click Gap Signal:
Website link or not, Facebook will reduce the reach of a post if the number of clicks from Facebook is higher than it is in other areas of the internet. Your post will be construed as click-bait or spam, prompting Facebook to suppress your ad and/or shut down your account.
We Indies have enough strikes against us!
On that note—I don’t need no stinkin’ links.
Potential readers can find any of my books by typing the title in Amazon’s search engine.
Best wishes to all Indies for navigating the land minds on social media.
Eva’s Byte #233 – The Price is Right!
For Indie authors whose books are enrolled with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing…
I mention this program because it’s the one I opted for when publishing my Contemporary, Mr. Wizardo (May 2019):
As of October 9th, the Paperback Edition, originally listed at $5.99, is currently retailing for $2.80.
The Kindle Edition, originally listed at $2.99, is currently retailing for $2.80.
A die-hard fan of The Honeymooners reruns, a classic American TV sitcom starring Jackie Gleason portraying Ralph Kramden, a working-class stiff who drives a bus for the Gotham Bus Company (Oct. 1, 1955 – Sept. 22, 1956), my initial reaction was that of uttering one of Ralphie Boy’s—“Hamina-hamina-hamina-hamina!”
Aren’t most self-published books retailing in the $.99 - $4.99 range feasibly priced?
Purportedly, according to Amazon’s knowledge base, it’s either:
You’ll sell more books at the discounted price.
They want to free up warehouse space.
Nevertheless, whether an Indie author publishes exclusively with Amazon—KDP Direct or Select; or distributes “wide” – we have our work cut out for us when it comes to marketing our books. The price might be right, but does the cover and content entice a reader into making a purchase?
At any rate, here’s an out-of-context, Kramden wish for making sales at any price to increase our book rank—“Bang! Zoom! Straight to the moon!”
Authors Den Page: https://tinyurl.com/yycm7d2w
I mention this program because it’s the one I opted for when publishing my Contemporary, Mr. Wizardo (May 2019):
As of October 9th, the Paperback Edition, originally listed at $5.99, is currently retailing for $2.80.
The Kindle Edition, originally listed at $2.99, is currently retailing for $2.80.
A die-hard fan of The Honeymooners reruns, a classic American TV sitcom starring Jackie Gleason portraying Ralph Kramden, a working-class stiff who drives a bus for the Gotham Bus Company (Oct. 1, 1955 – Sept. 22, 1956), my initial reaction was that of uttering one of Ralphie Boy’s—“Hamina-hamina-hamina-hamina!”
Aren’t most self-published books retailing in the $.99 - $4.99 range feasibly priced?
Purportedly, according to Amazon’s knowledge base, it’s either:
You’ll sell more books at the discounted price.
They want to free up warehouse space.
Nevertheless, whether an Indie author publishes exclusively with Amazon—KDP Direct or Select; or distributes “wide” – we have our work cut out for us when it comes to marketing our books. The price might be right, but does the cover and content entice a reader into making a purchase?
At any rate, here’s an out-of-context, Kramden wish for making sales at any price to increase our book rank—“Bang! Zoom! Straight to the moon!”
Authors Den Page: https://tinyurl.com/yycm7d2w
