So frustrating isn't it? It all sounds great, getting a publishing contract, but it can often end up backfiring. I hear so many stories!
Did they say you can pay and, if so, roughly how much? Don't feel you have to answer that if you feel I'm being too nosy -- I'm just curious.
@TheStorySmith @ericlewis That's what happened to me. I was trad published in 2014 and I jumped at the opportunity and ended up with an ill fit that saw my work languish.
I went indie in 2017 and its been hard, but it's worked out alright.
Knowing what you know now, what would have helped you the most when you went #indy?
That a lot of the advertising, boosts and things that are marketed to independent writers do not guarantee an audience.
Marketing is the hardest part for me, but Ive had the most success via occasional blurbs on sites like these and just being here to talk about my philosophy and my work.
Successfully selling your work isn't about flashy ads, or expensive sponsorships, it's about connecting with your audience.
The author of Fifty Shades didn't do much marketing, she was just very active in the BDSM community, and that's what sold her books -- small, enthusiasts first, who then talked about it and recommend to others. Then the mainstream adopted it. Same as the Potter books, actually.
Don't go wide, go deep, when it comes to marketing. But in the right community is also important, which often isn't other #writers.
@TheStorySmith @NiveusLepus @ericlewis thats great advise. I call it having laser focus, my wife calls it "an inch wide, a mile deep".
If you look at successful authors of the past, they had a niche. They weren't everything to all people, because then you risk being nothing to anyone.
@DanIsWriting @TheStorySmith @ericlewis One sized fits all ignores the fact that every work is bespoke.
Ignore that and you blunt the hooks you need to snare the imagination of a reader.
@NiveusLepus @DanIsWriting @ericlewis
It's much like the tech industry -- enthusiasts become the early adopters. Their adoption creates market awareness, and that leads to breaking down resistance in the wider market. Not all the market will adopt, but more will once others had tried and tested the product.
#marketing101
#publishing
#writingcommunity