A Sense of Community

When you start out with a blog that you also hope will promote your writing, the advice is always that it’s not about selling or marketing directly but becoming part of a community.  I didn’t get this at first but over time, I began to understand and now I would reinforce this advice heartily.  The writing community, and especially the indie publishing bloggers, are generous, helpful and very supportive and I am so grateful to be part of this.  Whatever social media you use, it is all about community.  That’s why people enjoy and engage with social media, because it’s a way of connecting and communicating.  It’s what life is all about.

Walking along Folkestone Old High Street recently, where new, enterprising ventures constantly spring up (and sadly also close down) I was reminded of this.  I tend to visit the same cafes, not just because I like the food and coffee, but because it’s about familiarity, chatting with people, being part of the community.  And it hit me that being part of a community isn’t specific to writers - it’s essential for all new businesses and enterprises.  Whatever you sell – product or service – success depends on building trust and relationships with customers.

Community.

Related post:
http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/connectivity-and-communion.html

http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/on-books-and-reading-and-pony-books.html

http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/on-ways-to-read-book.html

The Business of Writing: Part 1

Apparently, the majority of new businesses fail in the first year – something like 85%.  This can be a trifle discouraging if you have an entrepreneurial tendency.  
 

If, like so many writers,  you are going to self-publish, you are creating a commercial enterprise and you have to become a retail sales specialist and take all the steps needed to make it work.  For example:

·         product quality control

·         packaging

·         distribution

·         marketing

·         sales

·         customer support

You have to write a good book (product), make sure it has a great cover (packaging) and then make it visible so people know how to buy it. (marketing and promotion).

This all sounds surprisingly simple.  Which it is. But simple isn’t the same as easy.  Which it isn’t.

It helps if you enjoy every aspect of the process, because it is a lot of hard work.  But it can be fun and you will learn loads on the way.  I did.  And I’m still learning.

Six months ago I brought out my first backlist title: Matty and the Moonlight Horse.  I was so stunned that I had actually achieved this, I then became terrified to promote it in case everyone hated it.  Very silly indeed.  I didn’t tell anyone it was on Amazon for the first week, and therefore it never sold a single copy.  Then I started promoting actively, and gradually, over the next few months, sales began to build and continue to be steady.  Important, since I donate the royalties to Redwings Horse Sanctuary. 

By contrast, I recently brought out my 5^th backlist title for the kindle.  It’s called Beware of the Horse.  Within a few hours of it being on Amazon, I already sold one copy, which astonished me.  This was before I had even told my partner it was there, let alone anyone else!  So I feel I have made some progress and that the continued work is paying off. 

Note to self when motivation is flagging:  Amazon.com was founded in 1994 but did not show a profit (a tiny one) until late in 2001.

There are lots of brilliant blogs out there that provide invaluable information for anyone considering taking the indie route. I have listed a few below and will explore this topic further in a future post.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/09/25/1-year-author-entrepreneur/

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2013/01/matthew-turner/

http://joannegphillips.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/self-publishing-guide-step-2/

http://www.sandalpressonline.com/blog/2012/12/why-some-self-publishers-arent-indie/


Related posts to check out:

Blog Taking Stock reposted on Carnival of the Indies

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/09/self-publishing-carnival-of-the-indies-issue-24/

Blog Backtracking: Lessons in Indie Publishing Part 1 reposted on Carnival of the Indies
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/10/self-publishing-carnival-of-the-indies-issue-25/

Blog Backtracking: Lessons in Indie Publishing Part 2 – Cover Designs reposted on Carnival of the Indies

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/11/self-publishing-carnival-of-the-indies-issue-26-2/

Blog E-Books and Writing for Children reposted on Carnival of the Indies
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/12/self-publishing-carnival-of-the-indies-issue-27/

http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/publishing-writers-vanity-and-hypocrisy.html