Guest blog by Carol Carroll
Oh My!
What a week it’s been. As I have recently published my first full novel, I have moved into trying to figure out how to market. I can’t believe how many sites out there are devoted to instructing people how to do their own marketing. Of course, most of what I find says pretty much the same things, and they usually want to sell me a course to let me in on all the details.
One thing leads to another and before I know it another day has slipped by without my writing a single word on my new story. Hopefully once I get all this good advice into some kind of organized plan, I’ll be able to get back to my novel. Let’s see, the first and seemingly most important issue is to build a hub from which all the other facets can take off from; the hub being either a blog or a website. Okay, that part I started about a month ago. I enjoy blogging and reading other’s blogs. No problem.
Next thing is to grow a mailing list. I have to work on that one. It is suggested getting social is a good way to let people in the cyber world know I even exist. All well and good, except I’m enjoying the social aspect too much! I’m spending a lot of my time getting to know people, which I love, but how do I fit in some time to write?
Then there is figuring out how to launch my new book. I’d never even heard of a book launch before getting into all this marketing business. I need to learn how to set up book signings if I want the general public to know I live and breathe and sell books! Okay, I will do that just as soon as I find the time.
Book trailers, what a great way to advertise what my mystery book is all about. One more thing I have to learn from the ground up. I’ve never even videotaped anything except my children with a super eight camera forty years ago. That one I will put on hold.
I go into the internet to find an answer to one of my many, many questions. Before I finish one thing it links me to another that I just have to see before I lose track of it, and then there’s a new link there vying for my attention. I’m gleaning a wealth of information, which is boggling my mind. And I still need to get back to my writing. My helpful sites tell me all this marketing strategy takes time, lots of time. Patience is essential, stick-to-itiveness is a must, and fortitude helps a lot.
Meanwhile my husband is beginning to think he’s a widower. Now that will never do. He is, and always will be, my number one priority. So I will keep plugging away. I will make time for writing. And most important, I’ll spend quality time with Marv. Everything else will just have to be patient. 🙂
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