Today is the day I joined NetGalley as a Reader/Reviewer. Yes, you read right. I did not join as an author. Why?
Because I am as good as I am at crafting stories and because I know what kinds of criticism has been helpful or damaging to my writing, I happen to know how to give critiques. So I started a book blog a few weeks ago, downloaded some free eBooks, read them and wrote some reviews. My grand total so far is 3 and I am more than a little displeased with the quality of books available for free reading. I need a better source. I chose NetGalley.
What does that have to do with the title of this post, you ask? Nothing and everything. I am going to do book blogging because I like reading books and I am okay at reviewing them. Plus, building a book blog readership may lead to book sales of my own titles, which I would very much like. But the fact is that I have found it is very easy to locate free indie books that, pardon my language, are crap. I have also found that getting people to read the eBooks I write is very, very difficult -- likely because there is so much garbage out there, but also because my friends and family are just that: friends and family. They are not reviewers. In fact, most of my friends and family will not even read what I write much less leave reviews of my work. (This feels pretty awful, by the way.)
So how am I supposed to even begin building my audience? I'm not. I think that is the point. If I had started indie writing when I was in college and had professors to give feedback and/or their recommendations to inspire readership, I could easily have been successful. Or if I had a spouse to support my efforts by helping me pay for professional services, I could do it. But doing everything all by myself with no external help to gain readership, all while living well below the poverty line, is just really a lot.
As a result, I have been thinking about quitting writing for several weeks. This would leave The Legend of Lord Randall Castle eSeries unfinished for the... 1... 2... 3, yes, 3 readers I do have (my beta reader, my marketing person and my mom). That would be unfortunate, but is it unfortunate enough to inspire me to devote months of my time to writing and editing, at the exclusion of all else?
When I went to update my LinkedIn profile with my new book blogging "position" this morning, I saw that I have been trying (and failing) to make a career of authoring books for almost 7 years. Seven years is a long time. It is long enough to declare a missing person as dead. The question I am asking myself today is should I altogether give up writing books for my audience of three? Or is there some way I can take action to build some readership to keep me writing (books)?
I am making a last-ditch effort to gain some readers before I decide whether to quit. For the remainder of today, Engaging Enchantment (book 1 in The Legend of Lord Randall Castle) will be free from Smashwords. If I can get three reviews from today's downloads, I will consider writing a little longer. If not, I think I am done writing books.
FREE TODAY ONLY:
Download your copy at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/545669
Because I am as good as I am at crafting stories and because I know what kinds of criticism has been helpful or damaging to my writing, I happen to know how to give critiques. So I started a book blog a few weeks ago, downloaded some free eBooks, read them and wrote some reviews. My grand total so far is 3 and I am more than a little displeased with the quality of books available for free reading. I need a better source. I chose NetGalley.
What does that have to do with the title of this post, you ask? Nothing and everything. I am going to do book blogging because I like reading books and I am okay at reviewing them. Plus, building a book blog readership may lead to book sales of my own titles, which I would very much like. But the fact is that I have found it is very easy to locate free indie books that, pardon my language, are crap. I have also found that getting people to read the eBooks I write is very, very difficult -- likely because there is so much garbage out there, but also because my friends and family are just that: friends and family. They are not reviewers. In fact, most of my friends and family will not even read what I write much less leave reviews of my work. (This feels pretty awful, by the way.)
So how am I supposed to even begin building my audience? I'm not. I think that is the point. If I had started indie writing when I was in college and had professors to give feedback and/or their recommendations to inspire readership, I could easily have been successful. Or if I had a spouse to support my efforts by helping me pay for professional services, I could do it. But doing everything all by myself with no external help to gain readership, all while living well below the poverty line, is just really a lot.
As a result, I have been thinking about quitting writing for several weeks. This would leave The Legend of Lord Randall Castle eSeries unfinished for the... 1... 2... 3, yes, 3 readers I do have (my beta reader, my marketing person and my mom). That would be unfortunate, but is it unfortunate enough to inspire me to devote months of my time to writing and editing, at the exclusion of all else?
When I went to update my LinkedIn profile with my new book blogging "position" this morning, I saw that I have been trying (and failing) to make a career of authoring books for almost 7 years. Seven years is a long time. It is long enough to declare a missing person as dead. The question I am asking myself today is should I altogether give up writing books for my audience of three? Or is there some way I can take action to build some readership to keep me writing (books)?
I am making a last-ditch effort to gain some readers before I decide whether to quit. For the remainder of today, Engaging Enchantment (book 1 in The Legend of Lord Randall Castle) will be free from Smashwords. If I can get three reviews from today's downloads, I will consider writing a little longer. If not, I think I am done writing books.
FREE TODAY ONLY:
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