When I first decided to self-publish, I knew I would also have to do my own marketing–something I’d never had to do before. But how difficult could it be? I didn’t do my own marketing at Berkley, but I’d learned a great deal from the people who did….
I was in for a rude awakening. The world of self-publishing might as well have been another planet! I had a lot to learn…and I was determined to get it right. While Collin went about learning to publish through Amazon, I started my own education.
First, we needed a website. I was advised to go for simple. Complex sites that take a long time to load and require special flash players, I was told, are not recommended because most people will not bother with a site that’s difficult to enter. No problem there. I didn’t want a site I couldn’t enter, either!
Social networking was a must: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter…no writer (except maybe those already occupying the top slots on the New York Times bestseller lists) could find success without social networking. Okay. I signed up for all three. Then there were writers’ sites like Goodreads and Shelfari.
Blogging was also strongly recommended. I balked at first. Wasn’t blogging just an online journal? I’d never been any good at keeping a journal. I’d do it for a week or two, then lose interest.
Today, I have three blogs. And two duplicate blogs.
The problem with this game plan is that it’s so time-consuming, where does one find time to write? As I’ve stated here before, to succeed, one needs the support of other writers. That means reciprocation–not just buying, reading and reviewing other writers’ books, but their blogs as well. If you’re maintaining your own blog and reading and commenting on twenty or thirty fellow authors blogs, you’re going to be spending a lot of time at it.
Again…when does one find time to write?
Earlier this week, I was mildly upset with a friend who had not commented on my blog in over a month. I got over that when I was trying to read a blog post by another friend and found it so difficult to access his post that I finally gave up. Go to this page…click on a link that takes you to another page…fill out an application and deliver it with a couple pints of blood and your firstborn child…and enter a captcha that can probably stretch across the state of Rhode Island…. Okay, the last part was a bit of sarcasm, but you get the idea, right?
In most cases, I’ll avoid blogs that have captchas, not because I don’t want to read them, but because, with my poor eyesight, making several attempts to decipher them on a number of blogs adds up to a lot of wasted time.
I’ve wondered before, when my primary blogs were at Blogger, why there was not a place to simply click “Like” to let the blogger know I’d been there even if I didn’t have a comment to make. WordPress has this…which is why WordPress is now my primary blogsite for all three of my blogs. If you read any of my posts and don’t have time to comment or don’t really have anything you’d like to say, just click “Like.”
I won’t complain!
Norma, I agree with you. I like my site and prefer others’ sites to be easy, assessible and user-friendly. I love to read for my friends and like interesting and informative blogs, but when it becomes a chore just to leave a comment or to even login to read, then it definitely eats into one’s time. Thanks for saying what is on most of our minds! Take care!
I’ve given myself over to wordpress totally. It’s been 7 months almost, and for me, it’s the way to go. I don’t have to fill out anything, try to get in or post…it has me already there. Blogspot used to be my blog home, but not anymore.
I agree with you about posting on other fellow bloggers blogs, but it does get time consuming. I do try to post a comment to every comment that someone makes…but, I must confess that I don’t get to as many blogs as I should. I need to start, but as you say, there has to be time for marketing, promoting, reviewing (yes, I find the time to do this for my friends) and of course, writing. Sometimes you can’t get to every blog, but it would be nice to just hit the “like” button…Oh, look at that…I did!!!
Maybe one day I’ll go to WordPress. I’m still trying to figure out how to do one more social network thingie.
Our business email is through Google, so each time I want to comment on Blogspot, I have to log off business and log into personal. So much easier with a WordPress website. After an initial do-it-yourself webmastering with a WYSIWYG program, I jumped on WordPress for my own website. It’s been pretty versatile and easy to work with. If you find out how to achieve balance in your writing career, let me know. My writing has been on the back burner way too long.
Karla, I’ve been trying to catch up on my writing, too! Nothing like real life to interupt a writer’s life! LOL. I guess the secret is to keep pushing forward and just write out a schedule and try to stick to it (and if other people would also honor your schedule it helps). Take care!
Boy did I enjoy your post. I find the marketing world of self-publishing an all-consuming chore that never ends. I’d love to read more posts on this topic. How do you do it all? Are you glad that you made the switch to self-publishing?
Sometimes I feel a lot of pressure to reciprocate networking and worry that people will take it personal if I don’t, but we all go through spurts of having more or less time to network. Sometimes I prefer the support of genuine readers to other bloggers who are simply wanting comments in return. Of course it’s wonderful when those fellow bloggers are genuine readers and friends. I do think it’s incredibly important to reciprocate whenever I have time, but I also try to maintain balance and responsibility to my readers by making time to write even if it means I have to cut out some networking time. Something always gets put on the backburner…like my novel for the last year and a half! And I hear ya on the capcha’s. I tried to leave a comment on a blog the other day, and it actually redirected me to sign up with some online discussion network! Um, no thank you!
Christina,
I think writers like us do the best we can with the time we have and that is all that we can humanly do. And I think friends understand when (and some fellow writers) that we are all busy, so when we are able we will do what we can for each other. But I’m sure we are always in each other’s minds and thoughts. Take care of yourself, and I hope you get back to your novel soon! In the end, it is the writing that makes us all writers. And yes, the like button at least lets us know we are thinking of each other, too.
A most helpful blog. I’ve taken down the name as I really need to do something like this. Thanks.
Mari, it seems like a great idea. I don’t really have time to start up another blog, so for now I’ll stay on blogger but maybe in the future I’ll give wordrpess a try. I just need it to be really simple; everything needs to be quick and simple these days because my 3 kids keep me so busy! Esp during summer vacation! Good luck, Mari!
We went to wordpress because we could use it in conjunction with my website … but within a matter of weeks it was being overwhelmed with hundreds upon hundreds of spam messages. We were able to find a plug-in, though, and all it requires of humans is a cut and paste of a simple password that doesn’t twist across the screen like a serpent. It’s been trial and error for me, figuring out how to stay in contact with everyone and all my social networking sites without spending all my free time doing it, but keeping things user-friendly is the most important thing. I’m still working on it, and always appreciate constructive criticism.
I still find Blogger more preferable to use; it’s easier setting up a blog then wordpress. Either way, there shouldn’t be jumping through hoops and fire circles trying to comment. The captchas tend to be ridiculous.
Hey Norma – I do read your blog. I might have to put the captcha back because I have been getting so much spam – about three to four a day and mostly in Russian. Two years before it was Chinese.
I haven’t written in the last week because of the tooth problems, but I’ll be back. I just don’t have time to read every blog either. I decided yesterday that I needed to write every day. If I can’t then I can’t call myself a writer…. so what I am saying is write first and then if you have the time or energy, you can blog.
It’s so true–I’ll often read a blog post, but not leave a comment since I’m not logged in to the right acct. And blogger hates me. I think the Other Lisa must have done something horrible to/on/with blogger and gotten us banned for life.
Blogging is time consuming! I’m impressed that you manage three:). Any advice on time management?