A Hidden Treasure.
Last time I wrote for the Newsletter, it was about the source of a language spoken and written. I still intend to do more on that subject, but for the time being, I would like to share some thoughts on the promotion of books old and new.
In the very beginning, I had a publisher, but that was quite short-lived. I switched to Indie and have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of choosing when and what I would like to write. I also have this urge to write across the genres, so it doesn’t help my being discovered by some publisher who is going to offer me a six-figure income, fame, and the number I in Kindle Amazon. No, I don’t think that’s going to happen. So I shall stick to saying tongue in cheek, I am pleased to be writing for myself.
So onwards and upwards. I see Amazon now has a genre named Mashup, which suits me. At present, I am writing an erotic comedy and also a semi-serious medical book, following that is a historic trilogy weaving away in the back of my mind. They are all so different in genre though. I didn’t mean to write erotica, and maybe it isn’t. Instead, it could be sweet erotica!! Nothing (cough – cough) ever happens if you know what I mean. But there are some humorous, side-splitting expressions.
These thoughts lead to the visibility of an author’s works. For a few years, I relied on Facebook, Twitter, and the occasional Google Ad but now I find the latter can be pricey and often ineffective. Especially as Facebook has insisted on Author pages, therefore keeping the main news thoroughfare free of authors promoting their books or readers searching for them. The author pages are a good idea, as authors can freely interact, concentrating solely on our books, but where does that leave our pool of would-be readers? I notice there is one author page that centres on readers and writers and, that is great, but so far, it seems to be the only one! But, still I feel especially with FB, we authors are not allowed to engage with the general public for would-be readers and buyers. I have found that putting my novels on the Authors Billboard website does engage with the public.
Through ill-health, I have been off the scene really for some time, but before this period and now on recovering, I’ve just had a couple from India asking for two of my books that formed part of a trilogy. I had unpublished them while I renewed the covers. I feel sure the people read the first book of the trilogy in a box-set.
Now, to come to the subject of visibility, there are some brilliant authors out there who are most probably feeling disheartened as the usual outlets of FB, Google, and Twitter fail to bring a response from would-be buyers of their new books. I was too, as I put on a new comedy, having never written in that genre before only to find it was to put it politely a ‘bummer’ I’d tried FB and Twitter to no avail and then I got caught by those ‘TWEET ‘sites where they happily promise to get the book viewed by thousands upon thousands of readers, only to see my happy comedy die and sink like a brick to the ocean’s bottom.
Feeling a little low and vowing never to write comedy again, a friend, a fellow author, kindly showed me the way – promotion sites – yes, I know they’ve been around forever, but these are different, they do promote and effectively. I am stunned at the response from using just two of these sites. My book shot up into the stratosphere in the Amazon Satire genre. So a big thank you to my friend. I realize now promotion means visibility through authentic promotion sites to the general reading public – no promises of thousands of tweets, no assurances of honest reviews, just pure advertising. So I shall stick like glue to them.
I hope this helps some authors out there. Don’t feel disheartened; you know you can write. You have created something precious; something never read before, an original work – a creation. It’s like a new tree never seen before, yes it might have a trunk, branches, and leaves, but it is an individual. You’re good, even maybe a genius, your book can be the next high flyer; the next no. 1. It’s not the book that is failing; it’s the visibility that is lacking. It’s rather like the fairy-tale, the princess imprisoned in the tower or another hidden away sleeping for a hundred years. The prince searches for them bringing them awake with a kiss. However, the author does not have a prince or a kiss. Neither do they want their book to languish for a hundred years? The Indie becomes a one-man band, a writer, a cover artist, and a banner-waving promotor of their precious book. It is here that the trustworthy promotion sites come into play saving the sleeping novel with the kiss of trustworthy promotors. So nurture your creation, nurture it with authentic promotion sites – google them. I wish you every success. Visibility on the promotion sites is the way.
Just a little addendum, my book soared, but now it needs a cannon to shoot it back up into the dizzy heights of the paid lists. I realize you have to keep it up. One promotion is not enough, and you have to promote and promote. So good luck dear authors, I am glad to be with you all again and wish you every success.
