Blogs by Glenda A Bixler
Yours to Hold.....and Sell!
8/2/2008 5:43:37 AM
You've authored a book, maybe more... And what you find is that it's lonely out there, isn't it...
For me, the reason I do book reviews is to help authors promote the "baby" of their efforts. I believe that book reviews help, or I wouldn't do them...it takes much time to read a book carefully, and evaluate its content. Most of the time, I'm reading about 6 to 1; i.e., I read 5 books for which I do not write a review. Those books are by the major authors that I enjoy! Lisa Jackson, the Kellermans, Dean Koontz, et. al.
Many who choose to self-publish find that they are left out there all alone! Some may find a "publisher" while others choose to put some upfront money out to have their book published. There are so many options these days that choosing which way to go is "a project" in itself!
My partner quotes statistics to me all the time. One of them that I just hate to hear is that a new author may find that only 2-300 books have been sold. I cringe every time I hear this, because I know just how much work it takes to write! Although I've not "written" a book, per se, I've worked as an editor on so many that, together, I've probably created at least 3 or 4 or more books! One book, I remember, I took completely apart and separated into two books...Wow, was that a lot of time and effort...however, I knew that the book, as it was written, together with its length, would never be published. The author later chose to use the original...it was never published but it was self-published and he made quite a few sales.
You know how? He schmoozed online...he'd enter chat rooms and participate in writing groups and other related groups.
Sound like something you want to do? You may find that this is one of the ways you begin to be known as an author and sell books!
I find that as I think about promoting a book, I'd have to look at my overall life before I considered what options I'd use for marketing.
I'd consider:
Do I want to spend all of my time promoting my book(s)?
Am I dedicated to selling my books? If yes, why? Do I need the income? Can I make enough money from writing in order to live? Is my life goal based upon my need to succeed as a writer?
And, finally, just how good IS my book?
Hello'...remember that I said that the average for books self-published or by small publishers is 2-300. Bottom line is...that is insufficient to live on!
If you add on the personal costs you incur to have your book published...then you will need to realize that you more than likely will never recoup those costs.
Or, you will find that you have published your book...but that the publisher does nothing to sell your books, except send letters out to all of YOUR friends and family so that THEY will buy YOUR book!
Guess what...you may find that your friends and family have no desire to support your writing life!
~~~
This is the bad news... now let's look at the good news...
Comments (3)
More Blogs by Glenda A Bixler
• Have you Checked Out Raw Talent by Dave Ross - Thursday, April 29, 2010
• Attention Poets - Wednesday, April 1, 2009
• Free Books! - Tuesday, January 6, 2009
• Thought for the Day... - Tuesday, January 6, 2009
• Welcome My Friend Doug Boren - Saturday, January 3, 2009
• Welcome to Richard S. Lucas - Friday, November 14, 2008
• Standing the Watch - A True Story of Love! - Wednesday, October 15, 2008
• Check out the Gray Fox! - Saturday, October 11, 2008
• Peer Critical Reviews - Friday, September 26, 2008
• Check It Out! - Saturday, September 20, 2008
• A/D's youngest author??? - Saturday, September 13, 2008
• Do we Want Only Good Reviews? - Friday, September 12, 2008
• The Reviewer Gets A Bad Review... - Thursday, September 11, 2008
• Honor Defended Coming Soon! - Tuesday, September 9, 2008
• Starting to Read a New Book - Monday, September 8, 2008
• A New Friend - Sunday, September 7, 2008
• Critiques - Tuesday, August 26, 2008
• Oh Boy... - Tuesday, August 19, 2008
• Charlie's Book - My Review - Monday, August 18, 2008
• Bob Noonan Snags Award Finalist Recognition! - Tuesday, August 12, 2008
• Sweetwater's Sips... - Wednesday, August 6, 2008
• Charlie's High! - Wednesday, August 6, 2008
• The Good News - Tuesday, August 5, 2008
• Yours to Hold.....and Sell! - Saturday, August 2, 2008
• Edit Me, Honey - Friday, August 1, 2008
• Proofreading and Grammar - Does It Matter? - Thursday, July 31, 2008
• Saturday at the Computer - Saturday, July 26, 2008
• Didn't Know, Did You? - Monday, July 21, 2008
• So Many Writers... - Sunday, July 20, 2008
• I'M So Excited! - Saturday, July 19, 2008
• Taking a Break - Friday, July 18, 2008
• Color Me... - Wednesday, July 16, 2008
• Good Morning - Tuesday, July 15, 2008
• Reading A Book a Day - Monday, July 14, 2008
• Thoughts on online publishing - Monday, July 7, 2008
• Browsing Authors' Den - Saturday, July 5, 2008
• Hello - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
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