Less Than Random Thoughts From a Science Fiction Author and Generally Good Guy [ Fawkes ]

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Wither the Bell Wethers Are?

 
  Who writes like that - the title I mean?  Sheesh, Craig, get over yourself already!  Why not just say, "I'm looking for something hard to find and it is not easy, clear where it lies, or how to obtain it."  Well, it's five words versus twenty-one, my title is sexy if you think about it, and it's my blog so I can be fuffy if I so choose!
  I am sticking my tongue out now at myself.
  My point?  As an indie author, like so many of my ilk, I continue to struggle with getting my work noticed = selling some product.  Fortunately, unlike many of my compadres, I don't need the money which would come from increased sales, so that pressure is eliminated.  I am not going to say I am, thus, selling books altruistically, because I don't even know what that means.  But, I make a creative product which I believe contains great value and I wish for others to benefit from it.
  Why did you just say that?  It really deflates my hot air balloon.  Oh, you knew it would, that if you said I want to sell lots of books because of my vanity, it would get under my skin?  Hey, remember, I carry a pick axe, so don't get too cocky.
  Well, I guess there is vanity involved, competitiveness, that type of thing.  And who - besides Bill Gates - does not need a bit more scratch?  Okay, let's move on from motivations for increased sales and move onto the conundrum.  Yeah, riddles without answers are cooler than base-human emotions.  I like cool things.  You like cool things.  We were made for each other.  We're cool!
  The issue is, I submit, that it is hard to get noticed.  If I have a talent and a view point, I'd like it heard.  But, there is no express line for meritorious authors in the supermarket of life.  I've tried paid ads on Goodreads, on selected popular blogs (comics for example), and e-distribution sites like Book Bag.  I am not significantly convinced these exposures resulted in many sales.  I looked into Book Bud, a popular website for promoting books, but they want $300 - 500 to post you book and they don't even say for how long they will list the "ad."  Like anything else, if you knew it worked you'd do it, but $500 is an expensive lesson in I guess that was a dumb idea.
  I even had the cajones to mail unsolicited paperbacks to top reviewers (NY Times, etc.) on the off chance one might give it a go, but nada.  Not even hate-mail by way of reaction.  I actually imagine there is a hefty fee required for top-reviewers to review one's book, so at least I got of cynical chuckle out of a couple of them, right?  So, I keep writing and publishing and hope for acknowledgement.  I guess my bottom-line here is that it ain't easy.  But, then again, if it were easy, anyone could do it, right?  And I'm not just anyone - I'm me!
  Wow, the post started lame and ends lame.  I need a drink.

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