Who's Awesome!
May 18, 2021:
Sometimes, I feel like I’m on a treadmill. My feet are moving and I’m breathing heavy, sweat is even dripping down my brow. I’m working out like a Peloton commercial, but I’m going nowhere fast.
I had a one-hour consultation with a promotion’s specialist through the publishing company that I used for my book MISTY LAKE. Click this link (https://tinyurl.com/xrfp5ewb) for a free preview and purchase. (See what I just did there. Clever right?)
She told me that I should make my presence known all over the various social media sites, but truthfully, in my experience anyways, if you're not already famous who's going to give a crap? And why would they? I mean, no bikini shot here. No BBL (Brazilian butt lift), or 750 plus cc’s of lifted breasts or airbrushed fake flawless skin, lip or cheek injections, micro-bladed eyebrows, or manicured anything.
Okay, maybe I’ve been watching too much “Botched”, but let’s face it, social media is all about visual stimulation isn’t it. So, when you’ve got a face made for radio (like me), it kind of gets tricky when you’re trying to attract followers. I mean, I can’t just randomly post a shot of myself showing off my Tim McGraw abs, can I? People might think I'm vain or something.
Okay, that's not me and maybe mine aren't quite that good, but I could just airbrush the shit out of my pic and who would know the difference, right? (Well…my wife would, but she’s sworn to secrecy).
Most people on social media who have a bucket load of followers, and supporters, were already famous before they got on these sites anyway. Now granted there are some who are incredibly creative and did make a name for themselves using some of these apps. My hat is off to them for sure, but they weren’t trying to sell a book until after they already made it doing something else. Most come from money and have the resources available to them to move their brand along.
Now, my promotion’s specialist did an incredibly thorough job in providing me with the resources needed for me to fumble my way through this process, but I have to tell you in all honesty, trying to sell myself online can be mentally exhaustive, time consuming (for me anyways), a bit fake and sometimes distracting.
Okay, I'll admit I'm easily distracted, but the point here is I'd rather be doing something creative for myself, like writing, playing guitar, or cooking, instead of trying to impress upon the masses that they should follow me, or buy my book. I mean, that should happen organically through word of mouth if the book is worth reading. A much slower process I have to say.
Okay yes, I’ve self-published my first book, MISTY LAKE, click here (https://tinyurl.com/xrfp5ewb) for a free preview and purchase (Oops, I did it again), and now it’s incumbent upon me to figure out how to get it to the masses. So as per my promotion specialist's advice, I’m blitzing all of the top social media outlets. You know, Facebook (friend me, who loves you man), Twitter (@BRMartinAuthor – follow me, ‘cause if you didn't already know, I’m worth it), Instagram (projectbigskinny - come on what are you waiting for, an invitation), Goodreads (Oh yeah, I’m a good read baby).
Interestingly, I’ve been doing this blog for a while now, as well as posting on FB, IG, and Twit (I like that acronym, because I think you have to be a twit to be on twit). Okay, maybe slighting it isn’t helping my cause any and I'm guessing that being on it myself makes me a twit too (oh well, better than the alternative).
I’ve talked about the book writing process, music and acting endeavours, some other hobbies like cooking and landscaping. I’ve posted pictures and videos. I’ve tried to be relevant and current and what have I got for my efforts so far?
I generally get anywhere from twenty to fortyish reads on my blog (my own mother doesn’t even read them, nor does my so-called best friend). I get maybe two to four likes and if I’m lucky one of my pals (actually, the same one every time) might even leave a small comment (which is super appreciated).
Feedback is like fuel to keep the motor running, but even though most seminars I’ve taken say that you have to promote a “call to action” in order to get that feedback, I’m struggling to be that kind of salesman.
Now Covid19 has put the kibosh on most organic interaction (for now), but I’m hopeful when life starts to get back to some kind of normalcy, I will be able to promote my novel through bookstores such as Indigo, Black Bond, or Coles, and even the local libraries. I’ve got the feelers out as we speak and there appears to be something on the horizon, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, the treadmill and my feet keep moving, even if nothing else is right now, but I guess the view ain't so bad from my perspective.
Until next time.
Call to action if you're still reading:
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Check out my book through my website BrianRMartinAuthor.com, or click here for a free preview and purchase (https://tinyurl.com/xrfp5ewb), or follow me at the above social media links if you want.
Cheers.