Self Publishing - Blog Posts
I have never liked the the skill versus luck debate, but it's acquired an intolerable dimension with the self-publishing groups I've joined.
The argument is deceptively simple, if you work hard, you should be successful. If you aren't, you aren't working hard enough. It doesn't take into account that luck has a part as well. A chance meeting with the company president may get me noticed. Or coffee spilled on my shirt means I miss that same meeting. Butterfly effect. Neither of those examples take into account how good I am at whatever I do; it's based things outside of my control. It gets more complex when you take into account economic background, education, race, gender, etc., but that's beside the point here.
This blindness gets worse when it comes to self-publishing because it involves two different skill sets: writing and marketing. I could be the best author out there, but if no one knows I exist, then I'm not selling anything. Likewise, I could be a marketing guru with a crappy book to sell and while I might do better initially, people will catch on and I'll not sell anything.
You can sharpen both skills, but only so far because luck is still a factor.
Perhaps I'm just frustrated by the lack of awareness that working hard doesn't always equal results.
I hate the culture of trying to be a "successful" self-published author. I'm a part of a lot of writers groups and so many want to over-stress marketing: Do you have a marketing plan? Do you have a blog? Do you have followers? Are you on booktok?
That's great and all, but have you finished your book? Have you gotten it edited? Is your book even worth reading? Like, how do you have time to actually write if you're spending all this time being a social media personality? I barely have enough time to come home from my day job to write, let alone try to market as an introvert who is used to the internet being a lovely anonymous space.
Why Book Reviews Matter! Part Two-The Financial Side
Why Book Reviews Matter! Part Two-The Financial Side
Okay so *cracks knuckles*.
We promised we’d make a post about how both retailer site reviews help on the creative side and another on the financial side of things. Both are and should be important because, let’s face it, writing isn’t all about creativity and entertainment, it’s also a business and a ton of writers make their livings off writing alone.
There are tons of reasons why reviews impact…
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Hello World
Time to expand the footprint a bit! My name is James Kenwood, and I am looking for a place to experiment with self-publishing: flash fiction, novellas, novels, and whatever else tickles my creative fancy. I will be using this blog Grim Acres to share and promote some of my writing. What do I focus on? Very simple: Lovecraftian dread set during World War Two - and sci-fi. Perhaps some sci-fi with tentacles too, since the intersection is already there. Or maybe sci-fi Nazis, although that trope is wearing a bit thin by now (says the one who just made a tentacle joke). Regardless! The Grim Acres will be the place where all this dread and darkness is shared. Feel free to send me a PM if you like what you read here, or have any thoughts to share. PS: you can also find me on Substack, under the same names. I'll post a URL for that once I'm sure tumblr won't shadow-ban me for linking to a "rival"...!