Why I no longer will publish books

Since I could remember, writing was always a passion of mine. As a child I kept slips of papers that had pieces of my thoughts on them. I’d later take those thoughts and turn them into short stories. As I got older my writing got better and I was able to sit longer to write. That childhood dream became real for me in the year 2012 when I decided to write something that would be published. Until then I wrote for fun. I took my writing time serious and self publidshed my first book on December 14, 2014.

I chose self publishing over the trditional publishing companies because I had done my research and realized how hard it was to go through a traditional publishing company. I basiclly found out if you don’t have a large social media backing you won’t even get looked at. I wanted to get my book out there without it being refused. This may sound selfish, but I felt my book deserved a real chance like anyone else’s book.

Once I was self published I quickly realized how much work I would have to put in to market myself. Although I had a full time job I went to work in my new role, Marketing Director, for myself of course. I made flyers using Microsoft Word and sent my draft to Staples via email for printing. The next day I was on my way to pick up 500 color copies. I had developed stratigies for marketing my book on my days off. I was so excited and things were on the up and up. It wasn’t until my family and friends all purchased my book that I noticed my sales went to a whooping zero. It was confirmed at that moment that I sucked at my new job of Marketing Director.

When my book sales dropped to zero, I felt like I was grasping at straws. I made business cards with my book cover on one side and a description of the book with the price on the back. I took that business card and did something that I now know is not okay, I put them in magazines and books at my local grocery stories and the local Walmarts. I was leaving cards on local busses and at the bus terminal. This resulted in zero sales. As I shared my marketing experiences with other entropronores they said I needed social media.

The fact that I needed social media was a hard hit. I was too scared to put myself out there like that. I had left a really bad abusive relationship just the year before. I had moved and changed my phone number but I didn’t trust putting myself out there. So what did I do? I stayed to myself. I marketed in my city to new co-workers, at my local grocery stores, on busses, and at the bus terminial. Was I successful? Nope. Could I have done more? Sure. Why didn’t I? I could go on for days; it takes money to market yourself, fear from an abusive ex-partner, along with not enough hours in the day to do it all, plus I was a mother to small children. I slowly stopped marketing.

My focus became more geared to writing. I purchased notebooks, spiral and bonded styles and I wrote my heart out. Some of it was poems, past experiences, short stories, and blogs that I started all with pen and paper before transferring my words onto the screen. I would share my book with people who were interested from time to time. I’d sell copies here and there. I began posting my stories on my blog and once I realized that people were reading them I grew more consistant. I have since slowed down a bit with the exception of posting my Olivia Stories on Sunday’s at 8am. The slow down is due to a slight demand at work as we begin the new fall school quarter. Once I pass that time frame, maybe by about October, I’ll be able to post more regulary.

Honestly, I find more enjoyment in posting my blogs and knowing people are reading them then publishing it and waiting for someone to buy it in order for my words to be read. Instead, what I’ve decided to do is copyright my work and post it on my blog for free for all to read and enjoy. No one has to buy anything or download anything. I don’t get any money for my work doing it this way but I get views. I get more attention as a blogger than I do as a published book author.

The number of strangers that have read my blog posts supersedes the amount that have read my published book available on Amazon. That’s okay with me because I learned something about myself in this process. I enjoy the art of writing for an audience that will actually read my stories as opposed to no one reading them because of the lack of interest in marketing on my part. Based on my marketing skills those books would be sitting on a shelf for a long time. []