Self-Promotion for Authors

[ozmosis7]

Congrats, Randy!

[Randy D. Rubin]

Thankee Sai, Ozmo!

[RichardThomas]

way to go, guys. keep it up.

[Randy D. Rubin]

Thanks Richard, old friend, how've you been lately?

[RichardThomas]

Thanks Richard, old friend, how've you been lately?

Good, Randy. Busy. Lots of editing gigs opening up for me, a few stories out, a few accepted this year (10?), my agent still shopping my 2nd book, etc. All good, just trying to take that next step up. Thanks for asking.

[TerryE]

Way to go Randy!!!!

[Randy D. Rubin]

Wow Ricardo, you're having an impressive year. 10 stories, editing gigs, blog wriiting, single author collections, A SECOND NOVEL! Sir, YOU ROCK! Oh and Terry, thanks for the kind words my friend. How are you doing of late? By the way all, I've been reading Norman Partridge's "Halloween Boy" and it's fairly good. He has an interestingly light writing style that's easy to read. I just finished Laurell K. Hamilton's "Strange Candy" and she has a bunch of "I WISH I'D WROTE THAT" sort of stories in that collection. Fresh ideas and a smooth feminine writing voice; a style like every word was written with a feathery quill on the finest linen stationary. It was a refreshing break from the constant Stephen King reading I've been perusing.

[RichardThomas]

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New Storyville column is up. It's impossible to pick the top ten best short stories ever, but I gave it a shot. How did I do? You may recognize a few, yeah?

http://litreactor.com/columns/storyv...t-stories-ever

[RichardThomas]

Wow Ricardo, you're having an impressive year. 10 stories, editing gigs, blog wriiting, single author collections, A SECOND NOVEL! Sir, YOU ROCK! O

thanks. now if i could only make a living on all of this nonsense! :-)

[C.W. LaSart]

That's the key for all of us.

[RichardThomas]

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New Storyville column up at Lit Reactor—happy, not sappy. What do you think? Chime in, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I know we write horror, but the other side of that coin is valuable too.

http://litreactor.com/columns/storyv...appy-not-sappy

[Randy D. Rubin]

Okay, Here's a kick in the dick. I haven't sold a single copy of my novella in the Merry Merry month of November according to the bean counters that send me this monthly sales e-mail from the publisher. WTF? The real ass buster is that I have family around the country and students that have sworn that they have purchased copies and they obviously are full of proverbial, literal and inexorable bullshit. I thought I marketed the hell out of it on several forums and Twitty and FacePlace and Old Dominion University (my Alma Mater) and I just don't flippin' get it. I'm going back to my writing and keep producing more tales of whatever, Horror, Terror, Romance, Humor, Bizarro, I don't care what its called. I love doing it. It makes me feel happy and fulfilled. It gives me a sense of pride and worth and accomplishment. I hate this other part-- this marketing and administrative bullshit. Checking and selling and corresponding and more selling and begging folks to sample my wares. I hate it, I tell ya!

[ozmosis7]

This is just what I know from my own experiences, so the reality of the various publishers may differ.

Anything POD typically takes anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks to show up in royalties. Then, there is a minimum withdrawal balance. So if you don't hit that number, you won't get the royalties unless the publisher is going to front you the money.

For digital, depending on the venue, there are different payout periods (monthly for some and quarterly for others). All of those also have a minimum payout, so until you hit those numbers, you likely won't see a dime again, unless your publisher is fronting you the money.

The good news is that if people are buying the novella, eventually you will see a payday. It may not be millions, but you will see one eventually.

Probably the hardest thing I have learned about this business is that you need to have an incredible amount of patience (something I am still working on myself). It isn't easy by any stretch.

And yes, the necessary evils of self-promotion suck. It is often hard to find the right mix, but I'd be careful of doing too much, as it can turn some off. I always feel like I am bothering people. Be careful, but also enjoy and be proud of your accomplishment.

[Randy D. Rubin]

Thanks Ozmo. At this stage of the game I'd be satisfied to have sold a few copies of the book, as I'm really just looking for some feedback. The money would be nice but I'm not starving or destitute so I don't need it. I can pay my bills fine without it. I just wanted some validation, I suppose, as we all who do this want. I've been lied to by friends, acquaintances, colleagues and family alike and that's what pisses me off. But hey I appreciate the friendly "pat on the back", really I do. Thank you again, writer Brother!

[ozmosis7]

It will come. Keep at it and it will come. Feedback is often harder to come by than the money.