Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Hello everyone,

I've just launched the first episode of my novel on my site (www.ericmatthewfarrell.com) and am now moving into the phase of doing some PR.

I'm based in Los Angeles - a big but particularly brutal market for DIY authors writing their first novel. I'm doing my part by creating a social media foundation to help build readership (hi guys!) and I'm also beginning the initial stages of developing relationships with local bookstores and coffee shops that can get me book readings and consignment deals. I've formulated my own press release and business cards and will be displaying these in the local shops' community bulletin boards. I've blasted my press release to every major literary blog I could find as well as the local newspapers, particularly honing in on me being a local author for the latter category.

My site hasn't even been live for a week yet, and I blasted all the PR stuff on a Friday, so it's still too early to see any returns on my efforts. Building an online presence through sites like Tumblr or Goodreads is very hard (have I given you guys a wink and a wave yet?) I realize it's a bit like online dating, where you play the numbers game, but I've followed, liked, and reblogged hundreds of items on Tumblr and can't get a single like on my own posts!

Anyways, I'm considering hiring a book publicist and am wondering if I could get a wide range of opinions on this. I'll just bullet point a couple questions/concerns below:

- I can't pay somebody $40 an hour to market my book. I've done some research, but not enough. I've seen offers floating around online where for a flat fee of about $200 somebody can get me some radio spots and online blog touring. Is this worth pursuing? Are the places I'm being sent to or published in going to be worth it?
- Are the resources and connections book publicists use that inclusive, or would I be able to forge my own path with a lot of persistence?
- I've searched pretty far and wide for online communities or blogs that can help a new writer out but so far have witnessed this pretty wide gap - there are tiny blogs hosted by 15 year olds and then there are major literary forces that command thousands of readers. Am I missing some important resource?
- What would you guys say the percentage of time would be for me to invest in between real life PR and online PR?


Thanks in advance for reading. I look forward to hearing some solid replies!

Eric Farrell
www.ericmatthewfarrell.com
http://ericmatthewfarrell.tumblr.com/

Eric,

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to the services from which you wish to benefit.

There are only two viable options:

1. Land a contract with a traditional mainline publisher who will assign one of their marketing agents and publicists to promote your work for as long as it is commercially viable. All you have to do is stay out of their way and let them do their job. Demonstrate your appreciation for the time and energy which they expend on your behalf by following up on all leads; prepared to deliver a well-rehearsed interview or presentation in a professional manner, with book-signing pen in-hand.

2. Obtain the services of a professional freelance publicist or agent who has established a solid reputation within literary circles. They will provide the same opportunities as those employed by a publisher, only they will be paid by you instead of by the publisher.

Although well-meaning and sincere, amateur bloggers, reviewers, and interviewers very seldom, if ever, have the skills or means to be of significant benefit to an author.

It sounds like you have laid effective ground work, but things don't happen overnight, regardless of how much "work" you've done. There are thousands of people doing exactly the same thing. I would say:

1. Be patient and follow any leads you get with professionalism and humility.

2.Make solid contacts but avoid annoying people. Remember: there are thousands of people doing exactly the same as you. "Look at me!" gets old pretty fast.

3. Avoid spending money. It rarely pays off.

4. Make your book available (free) to unbiased reviewers. Reviews may not sell books, but solid, independent reviews do give it some validation.

5. Put most of your energy into writing your next book!

B.B. wrote: "It sounds like you have laid effective ground work, but things don't happen overnight, regardless of how much "work" you've done. There are thousands of people doing exactly the same thing. I would..."

Addendum to number 5: money paid to a qualified editor is well spent. :)

Hi there - this company is really good and cost-effective for authors just starting out: http://www.pagecurl.net
Good luck!

Hi Eric...

I looked on Amazon and didn't find your book. Perhaps you are not wanting to go that route and only want to provide the chapters via email subscribers as you're doing on your website. Let us know, I am trying to learn this routine as well. The first few sentences of your book read well.

Unless I am missing something, I also notice that you haven't created a book cover. If I am right about that, I suggest creating or having a good one created is a step worth taking.

My novel was a first self-publishing step for me. I edited about 5 times but did it all myself, paid no one, not even for the cover. Did my own publicity (very very limited, a little on discussion boards and word of mouth). I have made about $500 to date on that.

My collection of nature based and travel essays I did the same, even less word of mouth. I have sold about 30 copies and as a writer with years of experience in TV, even a regional Emmy award, worked as a newspaper writer too, made it to the semifinals of the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting... I don't think they are THAT bad of stories. LOL.

My third self-published book is now out and it is about a topic somewhat hot in the American public mind... off-grid living and getting back to a simpler life, surviving with less. I had this one edited by a professional (Jayne Haines over at Wordspinner), and created a Facebook Authors page.) I am lining up a reading but haven't done any yet. So, a little more effort and a topic that's a bit hot... I am still only selling/having loaned out about 40 books a month in the first four months. Tickled though, and honored to have those readers.

I am preparing to write my second novel.

It sounds to me like you are doing a lot of things right. Stuff I haven't done. Reviews/ratings of any kind seem to be VERY hard to get.

I think what I have learned from the educated here, in reading, and on Amazon boards is... keep writing well, have it edited, create a great cover, write what people want to read, what is selling (if you are concerned with sales yourself), promote promote promote, and be patient. Get back to writing.

Keepa goin.

Patrick

Lessons #2 and #7 seem applicable:

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.ph...

And the old adage that every overnight success is at least 10 years in the making.

I know the instinct and pressure is to create, publish, market, market, market...but you run the risk of consuming your life in marketing. It work might eventually. But the truth is that very, very few traditionally published authors will make it big on their first book...and far fewer self-published authors will. Those of us going the DIY route have to realize that the vast majority of readers (and an even bigger percent of the literary press) will simply ignore us as non-events until there's some serious word-of-mouth buzz around us. That normally happens only when you've got a body of work to stand on. And it's really impossible to build word-of-mouth buzz on your own. Seriously. It has to come about organically.

As with everything, though...YMMV

Patrick wrote: "Hi Eric...

I looked on Amazon and didn't find your book. Perhaps you are not wanting to go that route and only want to provide the chapters via email subscribers as you're doing on your website. ..."

Hey Patrick,

I'll admit Amazon's services is one area I've not done proper research on, but I am very open to having each episode of my work made available as a free ebook on the site. In fact, I'm just thinking aloud here... seems like it could get me a few readers as well.

My original thought was to only put the finished ebook up on Amazon, for sale. I just got my Goodreads Author badge and it is pretty dismaying to see my novel on the site without a cover - looks like I'll have to contract someone a little earlier in the process than I initially had planned. Setting up a Facebook Authors page is another great idea.

This has all been an amazing, nerve wracking, exciting experience. I told myself from the beginning that I had to be patient about readership, and that I would make mistakes. I've attacked the marketing from every side I can think of and really appreciate what everyone here has told me - sit back, get back to writing, don't kill myself with the PR.

Thanks again everyone!

I published my short story in January through Amazon KDP. Managed to sell a few copies. I did free giveaways to get review. I also used FB and twitter to put my work out there. Its a slow process but I'm seeing that its growing. To me never discount the power of every single person that you met online. And of course network, network, network.

Eric,

Most, if not all, local public libraries dedicate a section to books pertaining to all phases of the writing, publishing, distribution, and promotion processes; as well as low-cost or free seminars regarding these subjects.

Some contain lists of publishers that have established a positive reputation among literary circles and have sufficient resources to help aspiring authors achieve their goal. There are also lists of those publishers that claim to help authors, but actually do not.

There are also books that provide step-by-step instructions and detailed information regarding query letters, publishing contracts, copy and conceptual editing, layout design, cover/spine/backmatter design, licensed book distributors, etc.

Performing due diligence and extensive research are key to doing anything right the first time.

Eric wrote: "I'll admit Amazon's services is one area I've not done proper research on, but I am very open to having each episode of my work made available as a free ebook on the site...My original thought was to only put the finished ebook up on Amazon, for sale..."

You cannot put a book on amazon for free. The lowest you can price your book there is $0.99 (or higher in some cases).

You can try to coax them after it's been loaded to price match it to $0.00, but only if the work is available for free elsewhere. And they seem to be very fickle about doing even that. I distributed 2 short stories (Watching the Watcher: A Posthuman Cycle Short Story and Born Into Shadows) for free to B&N, iPad and Kobo via Smashwords back in July. I've had a small army of friends and goodreads authors notify amazon of the lower prices...Watcher got price matched, but so far Born Into Shadows did not. **shrug**

If you distribute your book on amazon exclusively, you can put it in their Kindle Select program, which will let you temporarily reduce the price to free for like 5 days per month. And it can be listed for free on their Kindle Unlimited lending program.

Also, there is a lot of reluctance in the reader community (and I think probably a growing reluctance) to pay for books by chapter. Especially for unknown authors. A Stephen King might get away with it, but most readers will balk at that when they can get so many complete works for free or for cheap.

Eric wrote: "I just got my Goodreads Author badge and it is pretty dismaying to see my novel on the site without a cover - looks like I'll have to contract someone a little earlier in the process than I initially had planned..."

Oh, and you should be able to add a cover yourself. Just go to your book's page on goodreads, click "edit details" and there should be a link called "add a book cover" or something like that.