Where Are The Readers?

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I come before you this week a bit perplexed. I didn't scramble to get my debut vampire novel listed on Amazon this summer - after losing my small publisher - with the thought that once it was accomplished that I could sit back, sip Brandy and puff cigars as I awaited money to come flooding in. For the record, I don’t smoke. Nor did I start writing books as some get rich quick scheme. However, I had hoped that I would sell some books…

I have been on the social networks now since early 2010. I started in Blogger and then created a Facebook page. From there I soon joined Goodreads, Twitter and then Google Plus, with several other sites and groups spread amongst them. I have a good number of followers on every site which is very nice, but what does that really tell me? My hope is this is the calm before the storm. After all, I currently only list one book on Amazon and am exclusive with them. You might suggest that I discontinue KDP select and get back on all of those other outlets, but I was there before for a couple of years and it wasn’t "all that" either. Again, I only had the one book…

Why I have had but one book is a long story. I will be rectifying this in the coming weeks when I release Dance on Fire: Flash Point. When that has been completed in both ebook and paperback, I will immediately turn my attention toward a paranormal romance novel that I began writing this past spring. My aim is to have three books listed on Amazon by next spring. But what then? Will they sell?

I have spent a lot of time working to increase my reach and my numbers; however, I have come to realize as many of you have as well that all we are doing is networking with other writers. I have spent the time in those Facebook groups where we like each other’s pages, etc., but to what end? Those writers are just like me with limited time and money to be buying the works of other writers, and spending most of their non-writing time trying to extend their reach.

I have enjoyed my time reaching out to other writers and watching my numbers climb, but I am no longer going to spend chunks of my week or weekend just accruing more numbers or followers who really aren’t my fans or even friends for that matter. Do you know what I mean? Does that make me sound callous? I want to help other writers and make friends - and will continue to nurture any and all relationships that I establish along the way - but if all we're doing is knocking on doors and saying hello to people that we'll never see again, then no thank you.

I love dropping in periodically on blog posts, catching up on Facebook feeds, and having conversations on Twitter. That won’t change. I adore the friendships that I have in this community of writers and want to not only continue to nurture those, but discover new ones. However, I need to spend time reaching out to the readers. Otherwise all of this time that I have spent married to my trusty laptop and away from my family will have been for naught.

So, I ask you, have you managed to find the readers? Where are they? Is my problem that I am marketing to the Horror Community while the big market is the Paranormal Community? Those of you who have multiple books listed, did you find it slow going until you released more books? I have tried very hard not to let myself become negative in this thing, but I would be lying to you now if I didn’t say that I have already wondered whether I might need to prepare myself for shutting this down at some point next year.

I did not pen this post this week because I wanted to hold a pity-party or because I knew a post like this one might garner multiple comments from encouraging writers. Do I need some encouragement? Absolutely. I really think that things are going to improve this fall once I get that second book out and begin to promote it both in the shops and on the web. But what if it doesn’t? I really hope it doesn’t come to that eventuality.

 

So, I ask again: Where are the readers? I have done interviews and been profiled and reviewed. My novel is getting very good reviews, and has been for two years, but very few seem to know it exists. What have you guys found to work? I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks for your time and assistance. 

We’ll talk soon.

Why Do You Write?

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts.

You know, it dawns on me that many of us who are writers are probably going through much the same kinds of trials and tribulations: there are those who pound away at the keys, hoping to complete their novels, but not entirely sure that they’re ready for public consumption; there are those who have a completed manuscript, but are struggling to land an agent who will give them the chance that their work needs; and there are some, like me, who already have a published novel in the marketplace, but struggle getting the word out.

Now, I didn’t write this post in order to enact some sympathy. What I really wanted to do was hear how others are handling whatever part of the game they find themselves in. This isn’t about me, it’s about us.

Why do you write?

I ask myself this question, too. I love to write. I have many stories that seem to want to come out of me. My problem is I don’t have enough time to do everything. I work eleven hours a day. It’s a day that begins at 3:00 am with the alarm, 4:00 am in the office and one which doesn’t end until about 3:00 pm. Considering that I need to get to bed at about 8:00 pm, that doesn’t leave a lot of time for the fiction writing that I do, the blog posts I do every week, the articles I write for a local magazine, plus housework and relationships with my wife and teenage sons. I’ve been attempting to do it all since I started so late in life (this began after 40 years of age), but I can’t possibly keep this up forever.

How about you? Are you writing because you love it and can’t dream of giving it up? Are you writing because you are trying to live the dream of being published?

Thankfully, I wrote the sequel to Dance on Fire while I was going through the process of editing and preparing it for publication. It is titled, Dance on Fire: Flashpoint. Soon, I will have to make some difficult choices. As I write this post I have yet to receive my edits, but they will be arriving any day now. When they do, I am going to have to clear some time for making those corrections, as well as to do some rewriting that my publisher and I have discussed. When that part of the job has been completed, I will need to immediately turn my attention toward writing the next novel.

What difficult choices have you had to make? Can you see some point of decision on the horizon which will cause you to hit the brakes and head in another direction?

I’m not as of yet sure what my next project will be. I have a third book in the Dance on Fire series that I would like to begin writing; however, having lived with these characters for twenty-plus years, I would very much like to venture off the beaten path and go in another direction. It would still be horror, but it would have nothing to do with vampires. Yet, that brings us to another point of decision: do I have a choice what I write next? Perhaps either my publisher or my audience will dictate what is next. Were I Uncle Stevie (Stephen King), I could do whatever I wanted, because of the sheer size of my audience. I hope I get to choose my next project. On the other hand, being forced to write book 3 would be a good thing, wouldn’t it? It would mean that my audience is growing and demanding more… *sigh*

There’s so much to consider.

We’ll talk soon.

Wicked Writers

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How's Monday so far? Not a fan? Me, neither. I like them only when they are holidays...or when it's 3:00 pm and my eleven hour day is over. That's when I usually like them.

As some of you know I am a member of the Wicked Writers Blog. One of the first things I did when I got started doing PR for my writing last year was to do a guest post. It was a huge thing for me. Back then I didn't know what in the world I was doing. Now I mostly know. *grins* Sometime thereafter I was asked to join as a regular and handle the every other Friday duties.

In any event, I have met some great people over there and I thought I would take a moment to give them a shout-out, not only for the confidence-building and inspirational stuff that they are doing for writers all over the globe, but also because my partners in crime are a great bunch of wonderful people.

Writing from seemingly every Fictional Genre, coming from every imaginable background and bringing varied styles and tastes are the following writers:

(Ladies First)
Anastasia V. Pergakis
Carole Gill
C.J. Ellisson
J.D. Brown
Sharon Hamilton

I have a school-boy's crush on them all. Thankfully, they all live so very far away...except Sharon. ;)

David Sartof
George Allwynn
Gregory Marshall Smith

I was going to say that I have a man crush on these guys, too, but I'm not quite liquored up enough for that!!

Everyone of these talented writers inspire and hold me accountable, whether they know it or not. Sometimes this writing game is too much and I feel like pulling the plug; however, each and everyone of them has a similar story which keeps me going. I thank them for this.

If you haven't heard of the Wicked Writers I hope you'll surf over and give us a look. Our writers go from Romance to Fantasy to Horror to Erotica and everything else in between. I try and stay away from the Erotica, myself. I giggle too much! Okay, not really. We follow a prompt all week long and our goal is to help others with their writing...hopefully helping our own writing at the same time. Beginning Monday, we will ask where the best and worst places are to write. I'm up this coming Friday. I just looked up our prompt Sunday afternoon. I like to give myself a day of so for inspiration to strike. It usually doesn't take me very long...

I hope you'll come by and make yourself at home. We'd love to see you there.

We'll talk soon.