Some Wise Advice

Just read the following quote by marketing guru Seth Godin:

“The best time to start promoting your book is three years before it comes out. Three years to build a reputation, build a permission asset, build a blog, build a following, build credibility and build the connections you’ll need later.”

So those of you struggling to get published can take heart. It takes time to become a writer. Many writers practice their craft for years--10+ years is not uncommon--before they see their work in print. So if you're at the early stages of your career, now's the time to start blogging, building your platform, and making connections. Then when you find a publisher for your novel, you'll have all the pieces in place to promote it.

I've learned that marketing can eat up a lot of time. I write under several pseudonyms and juggling all the promo efforts often devours hours of what used to be writing time. I find I enjoy social networking. So much so that I sometimes spend hours reading posts and responding to even the silly and mundane ones. Not sure that any of that gains me more readers or sales, but it sure is FUN!

Anyone have any advice on how to cut back on the social media addiction & find more time to write?

More Bang for Your Buzz

Spent three days last week at a conference soaking in marketing knowledge and discovered that most marketers consider their books only as a stepping stone, a way to get in the door. Their real goal? Lucrative speaking engagements. Selling themselves, their products, their expertise, their services, their ideas. I realize these are non-fiction writers, but is this something that can and should be applied to fiction too?

Here's my paraphrase of a speaker's advice: Write one book, then spend the rest of your life promoting it. It evidently worked for him. He's a New York Times bestselling author.

For me, though, the be-all and end-all isn't sales, it's the writing. It's the thrill of seeing another book in print. The joy of playing with words. So maybe I'll always be a fingerpainter, mushing around in a creative muddle of color for the joy of it rather than hanging in a prestigious art gallery. Which is the better choice, I wonder. Thoughts anyone?