Beem Weeks's Blog - Posts Tagged "blogging"
Selling Our Stuff!
It's a common theme among indie authors, this struggle of marketing our work to potential readers. It's a tough and clogged market, no doubt about it. But whoever said it would be easy? I think we all fantasize about being that one author who sells a million copies, capturing the attention of major publishing firms. That happens very rarely. So once the book is released, we adjust the fantasy, scaling it back to selling a hundred thousand copies. And after that first year passes, we adjust yet again, hoping to sell a few thousand, with hopes that word of mouth and reviews will add to those totals.
I've already written blogs on this subject. But I feel compelled to do so again. The worse thing a writer can do is to grow frustrated by lack of sales. Frustration just comes at us, though. It's often something we can't control. But what we can control is the destiny of our work. This little invention that I'm using to tell you these very words you're reading, this Dell laptop computer, has the potential to reach hundreds of millions around the world. You are where you're at, and I'm sitting here in Lansing, Michigan, USA, sharing my thoughts with you.
While my sales of Jazz Baby aren't up to the level of my fantasy, I do receive emails and reviews from readers all across the world. It's mind-blowing to receive a message from Tehran, Iran, or Wales, or Ireland, or South Africa, or Australia, or Florida here in the States, messages from people who have actually read the very words I spent years molding and shaping into a story.
But a handful doesn't equal those big sales numbers I imagined. So what to do? Hmm. How did those few people around the world come to hear about Jazz Baby, a historical fiction/coming-of-age novel by a relatively unknown indie author called Beem Weeks? The answer is: the internet. Now, if I can see the full width this little invention reaches, I need to figure out how best to exploit it.
There are thousands of possibilities available to us indie authors. Koobug.com is a growing site that really has gotten it right. They support and promote indie writers and their work. They aren't corporate-owned. They accept zero money from advertisers (though if they ever do, to pay the bills, that shouldn't be an issue). It truly is about authors.
Twitter reaches something like 500 million people across the world. Sell to a tenth of that and you're set for life. But who do you follow, and who follows you? That's a biggie. If I'm selling my book, do I follow other authors, those who are selling their work as well? Sure. It's always good to get a fellow author's perspective, maybe learn a few tricks. But that should never be your core following. In selling a product, the seller must seek out those who are interested buyers.
On Twitter, each account offers a profile letting potential followers know what interests this particular person. Find those who tell you that they are avid readers, they love books and stories, they're always looking for the next great novel. These wonderful people are out there. The author just has to do the leg work.
But Twitter isn't the only option. Blogging is vital to getting word out about your work. I don't have a Beem Weeks blog site. I don't need one--yet. I use two main sites where I post these little tirades or tantrums:Koobug.com and GoodReads.com. As I stated earlier, Koobug is growing by leaps and bounds, and they are doing it the right way. GoodReads reaches millions. But I also use other sites like writing.com, readwave.com, and authorsden.com to post my short stories and to sprinkle breadcrumbs leading readers to my hard work. My publisher even has a Beem Weeks page at freshinkgroup.com. Every little bit helps.
Then there are the reviews. Book reviews are often the catalyst in igniting a reader's interest in your work. Somebody who has read it already is recommending this novel to others. The internet is filled with bloggers willing to read and review your work. Sometimes you'll have to send the reviewer a copy or a PDF of the work, but that's a worthwhile exchange. It's up to you, the author, to hunt for these blog reviewers. Avoid those who offer to review your book for a fee. They aren't worth the money or the knowledge that you've paid somebody to say something nice about your story.
The hardest part in the whole publishing experience is the part where we are now expected to market our work to the world--with little or no experience. The fact is, through your computer, the world is at your fingertips. Blog, tweet, seek reviews, use facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and any other site you can find. The greater your presence on the internet, the greater the chances some reader searching for a new book might give your work a try.
And writing short stories doesn't hurt, either. A short story is a sample platter of what the author is capable of creating. Write and post, let the world know what you can do. And whatever you do as an author, don't get frustrated. You might have to work hard for every copy you sell. If it's a good read, you'll likely have a repeat customer when your next book is ready.
Finally, I'll share a link to the mother-of-all-book-review sites. Click on this link, pull up the list of book reviewers, and get started. http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/ You're likely to find many bloggers willing to review your book. But be patient; some have a pile of books to read and may take awhile to get to yours. Pay attention to what the blogger accepts or doesn't accept. In other words, don't send your steamy erotica to the little old lady looking to review good Christian stories.
Have fun with this. You are in a wonderful position to succeed at something you truly love.
I've already written blogs on this subject. But I feel compelled to do so again. The worse thing a writer can do is to grow frustrated by lack of sales. Frustration just comes at us, though. It's often something we can't control. But what we can control is the destiny of our work. This little invention that I'm using to tell you these very words you're reading, this Dell laptop computer, has the potential to reach hundreds of millions around the world. You are where you're at, and I'm sitting here in Lansing, Michigan, USA, sharing my thoughts with you.
While my sales of Jazz Baby aren't up to the level of my fantasy, I do receive emails and reviews from readers all across the world. It's mind-blowing to receive a message from Tehran, Iran, or Wales, or Ireland, or South Africa, or Australia, or Florida here in the States, messages from people who have actually read the very words I spent years molding and shaping into a story.
But a handful doesn't equal those big sales numbers I imagined. So what to do? Hmm. How did those few people around the world come to hear about Jazz Baby, a historical fiction/coming-of-age novel by a relatively unknown indie author called Beem Weeks? The answer is: the internet. Now, if I can see the full width this little invention reaches, I need to figure out how best to exploit it.
There are thousands of possibilities available to us indie authors. Koobug.com is a growing site that really has gotten it right. They support and promote indie writers and their work. They aren't corporate-owned. They accept zero money from advertisers (though if they ever do, to pay the bills, that shouldn't be an issue). It truly is about authors.
Twitter reaches something like 500 million people across the world. Sell to a tenth of that and you're set for life. But who do you follow, and who follows you? That's a biggie. If I'm selling my book, do I follow other authors, those who are selling their work as well? Sure. It's always good to get a fellow author's perspective, maybe learn a few tricks. But that should never be your core following. In selling a product, the seller must seek out those who are interested buyers.
On Twitter, each account offers a profile letting potential followers know what interests this particular person. Find those who tell you that they are avid readers, they love books and stories, they're always looking for the next great novel. These wonderful people are out there. The author just has to do the leg work.
But Twitter isn't the only option. Blogging is vital to getting word out about your work. I don't have a Beem Weeks blog site. I don't need one--yet. I use two main sites where I post these little tirades or tantrums:Koobug.com and GoodReads.com. As I stated earlier, Koobug is growing by leaps and bounds, and they are doing it the right way. GoodReads reaches millions. But I also use other sites like writing.com, readwave.com, and authorsden.com to post my short stories and to sprinkle breadcrumbs leading readers to my hard work. My publisher even has a Beem Weeks page at freshinkgroup.com. Every little bit helps.
Then there are the reviews. Book reviews are often the catalyst in igniting a reader's interest in your work. Somebody who has read it already is recommending this novel to others. The internet is filled with bloggers willing to read and review your work. Sometimes you'll have to send the reviewer a copy or a PDF of the work, but that's a worthwhile exchange. It's up to you, the author, to hunt for these blog reviewers. Avoid those who offer to review your book for a fee. They aren't worth the money or the knowledge that you've paid somebody to say something nice about your story.
The hardest part in the whole publishing experience is the part where we are now expected to market our work to the world--with little or no experience. The fact is, through your computer, the world is at your fingertips. Blog, tweet, seek reviews, use facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and any other site you can find. The greater your presence on the internet, the greater the chances some reader searching for a new book might give your work a try.
And writing short stories doesn't hurt, either. A short story is a sample platter of what the author is capable of creating. Write and post, let the world know what you can do. And whatever you do as an author, don't get frustrated. You might have to work hard for every copy you sell. If it's a good read, you'll likely have a repeat customer when your next book is ready.
Finally, I'll share a link to the mother-of-all-book-review sites. Click on this link, pull up the list of book reviewers, and get started. http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/ You're likely to find many bloggers willing to review your book. But be patient; some have a pile of books to read and may take awhile to get to yours. Pay attention to what the blogger accepts or doesn't accept. In other words, don't send your steamy erotica to the little old lady looking to review good Christian stories.
Have fun with this. You are in a wonderful position to succeed at something you truly love.
