Marketing
2012: Who’s betting on the Mayans?
According to the Mayan Calendar Guys, this is it folks. The end is nigh. I, for one, don’t buy it. I call ‘World Keeps Spinning’ in the Apocalypse Pool. Since that’s how I’m betting, I guess I should share a little info on what I have planned for the new (not last) year on the 3rd rock.
I’m not calling these resolutions. Any one who’s read “The Track” knows how I feel about those…however, there will be some changes in 2012.
This Blog Thing
Yes. I’ve got to get this under control. A post a month just won’t do. For the record, I do blog frequently. You can check me out on a regular basis over at Sleuths, Spies, and Alibis and The Lucky 13s. Still, I can’t neglect this blog or you loyal followers any longer. Look for a minimum of one post per week going forward. No themes though…I have to stick to the rules on those other blogs. Here, you’re going to get whatever leaks out of my skull on any given day. Straight, no chaser. It will be fun.
This Newsletter Thing
The official L.R. Giles Newsletter will start going out sometime this winter and will continue on a quarterly basis. I know a bunch of you have subscribed (if you haven’t, see the signup form to the right of this post…it’s FREE y’all) and I promise to get you the goods. I’m talking great info, contests, and giveaways. Look for Issue #1 sometime in February.
This TV Thing
The blessing and the curse. I’ve written about how episodic TV in modern times can be one of the great teachers for aspiring writers. But, you can have too much of a good thing and I’ve got to get this TV habit under control. It doesn’t affect my fiction, but it probably does play a role in my inability to balance my blogging responsibilities. There will be a TV cut this year. But what should go? Breaking Bad (nope), Big Bang Theory (hell no), Supernatural (probably…sorry Sam and Dean, the schtick’s getting old). This one makes me sad, but if I’m going to finish those TWO NEW NOVELS by early spring, I need to free up some time.
This ‘TWO NEW NOVELS’ thing
Oops, did I let that slip? 😉 More on that soon…
Happy New Year.
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Bloggers, Indie Spotlight, MarketingMy eVolution
Been awhile, folks. Happy New Year (he says, three weeks late).
As always, I apologize for the M.I.A act, but I’ve been gone for a good reason…well, I hope you think it’s a good reason.
Of course I’ve been writing, and also been prepping for the next (immediate) step in my writing career. Indie Publishing.
As of yesterday, you can purchase two of my novels for your Kindle, Nook, or other compatible eReader device.
For the record, this isn’t an ad for either book. If you care to download a free sample or purchase either book, you can utilize this link, or any of the links in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
This is more like the first journal entry in a year long experiment. You see, I don’t know how to market things, and I don’t know if people will like what I’m offering, but I gotta start somewhere. I expect there to be a lot of trial and error as I attempt to strike a balance between my natural inclination to not annoy folks with the necessary assertiveness it takes to make people aware that I have a product they may want to take a look at.
As always, I’m an open book (no pun intended). I’ll post about my efforts, the results, and any hurdles I hit along the way. So far I’ve sold 3 books total. Not bad for the first couple of days. I’ve heard of much slower starts. Time will tell if this first 3 was the start of a movement or the peak.
More to come folks…
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ebooks, eReader, Kindle, Marketing, Nook, publishingGaining traction in ePublishing
This week, I’m debuting two of my novels, LIVE AGAIN and THE DARKNESS KEPT, in Amazon’s Kindle Store and on Smashwords.com. Anyone following the recent trends in the business know that ePublishing to digital platforms like Kindle, Nook, iPad, and so on are making many authors small fortunes while potentially redefining (or destroying, if you let some tell it) the traditional publishing model. I can’t say seeing some of that ‘small fortune’ money wouldn’t be nice, but I have other motivations in taking this route.
I’ve spent years trying to break into publishing with some minor to moderate success. Ultimately, I want to sell a novel (what writer doesn’t?) but have been met with the same heartaches and frustrations that most writers encounter. I’ve had numerous form rejections, as well as ‘rave rejections’ (meaning agents really liked what I was doing, thought I was fresh and original, but couldn’t commit due to a soft marketplace). I’ve spent years in front of my computer pecking out words only to amass a number of manuscripts that would never see the light of day…until now.
I’ll be the first to admit that everything I’ve written is not publishable. But, I’ve got some things I’m really proud of, and I’m kind of tired of waiting for a stranger in New York to shuffle through their slushpile and recognize that I’m more than a 1 page query letter. So, I’ll attempt this difficult task of self-publishing and promoting my older work while still producing new material to shop traditionally.
Does anyone out there feel the same way? Have you already taken the leap into ePublishing? If so, comment. Talk to me about what you’re doing. What works, and what doesn’t? I’ll be happy to keep you posted on my efforts as well.
Until next time…