Have you ever seen The Big Bang Theory storyline where Howard is “an astronaut” and all he ever talks about is being an astronaut.
I don’t want to become Howard.
But, damn! This is exciting! But it’s also a lot of hard work. I have even more respect for all the published authors who have gone before me, and who successfully marketed and promoted their literary treasures.
This is harder than plotting, world building, and even harder than perfecting The First Kiss.
Where I used to find myself living, breathing, and dreaming Deanna and Cord’s journey (Or Beth and Ian’s journey, or Katie and Jesse’s journey) I know I now have to focus on the reality of MY journey. And that journey is to promote and market my book as much as possible.
There’s a lot that goes into this. There is creating a brand, then creating a presence, then interacting with potential readers, turning readers into fans, engaging in the writing community, coming up with contest ideas, learning social media, and especially deciding the most frugal way but exciting way to thank readers for supporting me. How much is bragging? How much is promoting? How much is seeking support? How much is nagging?
So, I’ve been taking everything one step at a time. But the first task I had to undertake and I’m still struggling with is expressing with confidence the fact that I am a published author. Achieving this is a huge, huge dream for me. And to see it becoming reality is at times breathtaking and overwhelming.
I’m writing this because I’ve JUST created my Amazon Author Page. It still has to be approved by SMP so Amazon can make it go live. But I did it. It took me three days, asking for help, and then finally finding a number to call at Amazon before I figured out how to do this. But I did it.
Having a professional photo taken (By RETRO RUBY’s IN HERKIMER – CHECK HER OUT – SHE IS AMAZING!), setting up a blog that has been inactive for the most part since 2013, sorting out the differences between Facebook PAGES vs PROFILES, and ordering business cards, are all things I can check off my to-do list.
But now I have what seems like the unsurmountable task of building my fan base, entering contests, submitting to review sites, coming up with daily posts to keep everyone updated, and again coming up with contest ideas, and setting up tour dates and a release party left to tackle.
My fellow writers have been amazingly supportive, and I’m so thankful to have them all here to listen to my unending questions and what seems like incessant whining.
There is lots of Googling, trial and error, and going off on tangents when I find something really cool to read about that I didn’t know. Then there is my family, my real life, my day job, my house, my editing responsibilities to my clients, and my other responsibilities that keep diverting me from these tasks.
I will also have to work on my “Professional Published Author Who Exudes Confidence” persona. I’ve Googled for help with that and I come up with nothing.
But I guess, in the end, by this time next month I will be preparing for my release date, and all this will be in place, and I will be soothing the butterflies in my tummy, drinking lots of coffee and wine, and trying not to screech in excitement when people ask me how things are going.
So, for anyone reading this, forgive me if I pull a Howard, or if I screech, or if I stutter when you ask me about being a writer and how my journey is going.
Because underneath all the promotion, the details, the decision-making and date-setting. . .I’m still Janine. Don’t let me forget that. That is YOUR SOLE TASK. And I’m holding you to it.
So. With that said… keep checking my Amazon author page at amazon.com/author/janinagrey . It should be live any day now! 😀
And remember… life is for living. So live it.
Janina Grey 