And no I am not talking about the story behind the words, the emotion of the characters or anything related to what is between the front and back cover. I am talking about the marketing, the publicity, promotion, blogging, podcasts, word of mouth, and every little thing that authors do to try and prove that their work is worth reading. Of course, someone will inevitably respond that if an authors work is worth reading it will get read. And to a small point that is true. Four or five friends might read it, genuinely enjoy it and say good job. But that's not what said person means. Said person means that it will take off like wildfire with only word of mouth starting with one person who reads it and is so passionate that the book is all they talk about till someone, either friend, family coworker, or stranger who over hears them, decides to pick up book in question and read it. Of course this somehow continues to spread like wild fire and within a month of no money spent on advertisement, no money spent on exposing the author, no money spent at all, said book will explode because someone said that an author worth reading will get read.
Now, we all know that's not real. In any way shape or form. There are books out there that were published, advertised, became best sellers, and were all the craze. But reading them after the fandom, after the shine and luster has diminished, leaves a different taste in your mouth. Something about the book that everyone once loved just isn't as great as it was when it first came out. It's happened throughout the years. I am not saying that the books weren't initially worth reading. Nor am I saying that they aren't worth reading again. I am saying that every good book that becomes a craze - there are countless more, many of which are on the same level of writing and talent, or higher, who get over looked, passed by and left to die a lonely death because the author never got the publicity right. The author never stepped up to advertising, social media, book signings, conventions nor any other thing that can be listed to help get the word out on what a great book is sitting there.
I am also not saying that authors don't put in some effort. No author has ever written a novel then watched it sit on their shelf, waiting for the magical moment the book sprouted wings and flew off into the hands of adoring readers only for them to rain money down on that author. That'd be sweet. But that's not how it works.
It's getting past the introvert in all authors. It's getting past that awkwardness that made us write in the first place. Past that experience that shaped our lives to compel us to sit and write about it in 95 thousand words. Past the self-doubt and shyness to get to the computer and google how to promote and how to make sure their book gets the attention it deserves, then face the public from behind their monitor and start promoting. So they take out a book of faces ad. They spend twenty bucks to test the waters and see it gets a couple of like but no sales. They take out a keyword ad on a website that's synonymous with a rainforest or a river, and spend fifty in a week to see one or two sales. Then they stop. They feel like they are sinking. Losing money on a passion project they felt should grab everyone who laid eyes upon it. So they feel rejected, disheartened, and stop advertising. Stop social media posts about their books, and go back to posting memes about their favorite fandom and politics and cats.
But let's face it. We are authors. We craft stories, and with no small amount of words. To make an ad on any social media platform, you need ad copy. You need to grab a viewer in about 15 words what took you 90 thousand to say properly. You need to tell the viewer in those words why they should read it, what it's about, and where to buy it now. All in 15 words...and a button.
Self promotion, whether self or traditionally published, is a never ending, wake up - to bed time process that takes persistence, moxxy, and courage. All of which gets chipped away at each day and every moment we try to get someone interested and they say no. I don't mean telling someone who normally reads historical non-fiction about your contemporary fantasy series saying no. I mean telling people within your niche and them passing on it.
IT'S NOT YOUR WRITING. It can't be that your writing is bad (it might be but let's assume it's not) Why can't it be your writing? Because they haven't read it. They have no idea if you're the next Capote, Chandler, King, Picoult, Hamilton, or Trumbo. They wouldn't know because they haven't read your work. It's your elevator pitch, your 15 words, your ad copy that needs tuning.
So how do we make that better? If I knew those answers, I'd be a NYT best seller. But I know this. A great man once said, 'Never give up. Never surrender.' And that's exactly what you must do. Try, tweak, adjust your ads, your posts, your little rays of light that shine to make them shine brighter so people notice. Keep at it until people notice that your work is one to reckon with. That those little ads you take out call to them to click and read. So that strangers on a train can start a conversation about your works. So that you can keep the electricity going in your apartment one more month because you sold enough to pay that bill. Ask your friends, your family, a co worker, anyone you can to give you honest feedback as best they can about you ads, posts, keywords searches so that next time you promote a post, it gets you the attention you deserve.
Hell if I know if the above is inspirational, motivating, soul crushing, or somewhere in between. But I do know that there are a bunch of authors who need to hear something in order to keep writing. Writers who need to know that if people reject your work without having read it means they aren't rejecting your work, just your sales pitch. So stay strong and do not go softly into that night. Keep at it and as that great man once said, "Never give up. Never surrender."
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