Well. Here we are again.
Once more, it’s been a reasonably productive week. I got a client edit done, the new version of Pledges of Honor uploaded with the new cover on ebook sites and going through the process at Ingram, started work on book two of The Cost of Power, prepared a report for a Soroptimist committee that I chair, and started edits on the new version of Challenges of Honor.
All this during a week where I had assorted appointments and went out on a morning drive with the spouse.
What didn’t happen this week was, primarily, promotion. While Federation Cowboy was released this week, I haven’t gotten it up on Ingram yet. I haven’t done much promotion besides having several books running at discount prices this month.
I don’t know what to do about promotion. I’ve paid for several ads that aren’t producing results. I don’t want to overpromote but dang it, it sure seems like that is the way to go these days. And then there’s some family stuff brewing that is going to create some drama over the next few days…sigh.
But the other piece is just plain overall discouragement about the writing work. I’m more or less prepared to be cut in the first rounds of both the SPSFC and the SPINC. It’s unlikely I’ll make it past quarterfinals at best, simply because I don’t write what is fashionable (at least I’m not submitting Martiniere stuff to competitions because I know it won’t go anywhere—it’s too niche for science fiction/science fantasy, too genre for upmarket or literary. No matter how well-written it is).
One of the sources of discouragement is the realization this year of just how much the indie world is starting to reflect the gatekeeping of the traditional publishing world. Oh, it takes different forms in indie. But it comes back to specific circles around groups of people, a willingness to engage in types of promotion that I don’t support (tit-for-tat reviews being one of the biggest problematic situations that I see), and assorted in-groups around the indie awards that are starting to rise up. I’ve always been an outsider of sorts, and seeing how things are shaking out in places like Substack Notes just slams that reality home.
I’m taking a hard look at certain expenses and thinking about cutting them because if they aren’t providing me with anything useful, why should I continue? The website that no one looks at. Buying ISBNs from Bowker instead of just accepting the ones from Ingram for paperback. Not paying for advertising venues that aren’t showing a return on investment. That last is disappointing because it worked so well last spring—but now it isn’t.
This also includes involvement in some groups.
I just don’t know. Right now I’m feeling sad about the writing work. I’ve more or less accepted that for various reasons, even though I get lots of complements and good reviews on my writing, I’m more or less doomed to obscurity. No awards. No recognition. One reason for going with the free Ingram ISBN is that I just don’t see the value in keeping up with the Bowker listings anymore.
But I’m not going to have TV or movie producers knocking down my door to buy my stories. I’m not going to win any awards. At this point, while I spend a lot of my day working on the writing and doing my best to turn out good work, the reality is…well. Sales aren’t happening. Reading isn’t happening.
I don’t like that reality. I don’t have to like it. But it is my reality and where I am at. If I’m lucky, maybe fifty years from now someone will stumble across my work and I’ll be praised as this obscure but visionary or excellent writer, and why wasn’t I better known in my day?
Odds are, that isn’t going to be the case. Sigh.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s one I have to accept because there just is no alternative.
I am sorry you are feeling so discouraged. What has worked for me is free first in series, even for my science fiction series when it was a trilogy, and then periodically spending between $75 to $150 using the relatively inexpensive email promotion sites, Fussy Librarian, FreeBooksy, Hello Books, etc. (and making sure my books are in the right categories.) This usually gets these free books up to best seller lists in these categories, which slowly builds up reviews, and sell through. My books are wide, but this also worked when in KU, using the 5 free book days. I have found 99 cents for the first in series just doesn't work very well with this strategy.