I've exhausted the marketing aspect of my latest work titled, "Plantation." I had my graphics artist create several different ads for the work along with the appropriate wording for the various platforms that I use. She is very good at what she does and worth every penny spent and I am extremely fortunate to have her on my team.
As authors, we can get frustrated when you are creating content, managing your own campaign on each platform that you use all while working a full time job. This includes learning the industry and launching various ad campaigns all while being bombarded by legitimate marketing professionals mixed in with a whole lot of scammers. It's enough to make you pull all your hair out (assuming that you have hair.)
But here's the thing...this is the process. This is the industry. This is a learning experience. Many new authors assume that they have learned everything that there is to know about this line of work. It can be extremely gratifying while also being maddening.
This experience has taught me so much...patience being at the top of the list. I've developed a little bit of a hard edge with a good dose of cynicism when it comes to who I do business with. I've lost money when I first entered this industry because I simply trusted the wrong people. You can always replace money but true friendships not so much... emphasis on the word true. I vet anyone that approaches me claiming that they can do the job that I need to be done at the moment. You have no idea how many scammers I turned away because they couldn't be vetted. It is critically important to vet anyone who claims to be able to do what needs getting done.
If you're providing a service, you have to have a website along with examples of your work. You can't simply tell me that you can do a job without providing some kind of proof showing that you can. Not surprisingly, scammers are bold. They fast talk you, tell you how much they charge and then say those all too familiar words, "when can we start?"
I'm abrupt and I stick to my guns. If I can't vet you then we can end this conversation right now. What surprises me about this is that the same scammers will come back in about a week with the same proposal using the same tactic. My answer never changes.
Finding time to write your next work is difficult...at least it is for me when I work eight hours a day while living life. Sometimes I lay awake at night thinking of how I'm going to knit my story line together in a way that makes sense. I play the scenes over and over in my head but when it comes time to write it down, I'm not always afforded what can at times feel like a luxury.
People say "make time." I get that. But everyone's circumstance is different. At the end of the day, I know my work will get published because I own my own publishing LLC.
Still, this is all about living your dream and learning the marketing piece is critical. I'm still figuring it out.
And as long as I'm willing to do that, I will claim success...just like I know you will.
Good luck fellow authors.
You got this!
~ J.L. Whitehead
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