Standing at this familiar crossroads on my writing journey makes me wonder if now might be the time to revisit some of my older posts and notes I wrote after the launch of my first novel a couple years ago. You know, the usual circumspection number analyzing the process and results of that promotional campaign so I can compare the bottom line with my new release, Core Haven, realign my goals, and so on.

But given the fact I have hundreds of files from that time period with notes scattered here and there among them, that’s not likely to happen.

Besides, I’ve always leaned into the notion of moving the ball forward with as little glancing into the rearview mirror as possible.

So my best strategy at this point seems to be asking myself a series of tough questions, answer as many as possible, and move on:

1. What the hell is my end goal, anyway?
2. What do I want to accomplish along the way?
3. How long am I going to consider Core Haven a new release?
4. How much time, effort, and money do I want to devote to promoting a novel that has so far garnered solid ratings (4.6 on Amazon/4.8 on Goodreads) and great reviews even if the sheer number of them hasn’t reached the golden goal line?
5. How can I expect to cross that magic line of 20/50/100 reviews if I don’t continue actively promoting it?
6. How can I avoid comparing my latest novel to other indie books I’ve read that have hundreds, if not thousands, of reviews?
7. How long do I continue questioning my overall strategy?

As I mentioned above, two years ago I summarized the results of promoting Pearl Fields and the Oregon Meltdown, then shelved them when I took a deep dive back into working on Core Haven.

Now, for the sake of example, let’s say that instead of writing fiction, I design a coffee cup that lets users set a steady temperature and record their own voice announcing when the coffee gets too cool or, more important, the amount remaining gets dangerously low. I’d no doubt spread the word, give out free samples, make ads, recruit help, encourage people to consider rating and reviewing on Amazon, then adjust my strategy accordingly. Consumers might request added features, or a competitor might lower their prices, or I might decide to up my game by designing a matching coffee pot or…

The possibilities are extensive, as are the parallels with self-publishing a book—except for one vital difference.

In the case of designing a new line of products similar to the coffee cup, I’d probably only need a month or so while my new ad team takes over the promotion side.

However, in the case of a self-publishing author such as myself, when I begin my next writing project in earnest, I’ll need at least a year to finish it. And whenever I immerse myself in a new project—as I’m about to do with my third novel—the last thing my focused writing brain wants to do is get out of the pool, so to speak, and tend an advertising campaign for a previous project.

But until I experience some significant shifts beyond my control, that’s precisely what I’m going to do.

Keep you posted.

Drew

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Latest BookFunnel Promo LINK

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I invite you to check out Lee Hall’s excellent video review, especially the first book he includes on his short list of memorable indie reads—uh-huh, that would be Pearl Fields and the Oregon Meltdown.

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