post-publication angst

This should probably be read after my post of April 24: rollercoaster.

Nine days after being published, I have learned a lot.  Doubtless there's more learning to come.  In writing this, I am probably addressing myself, rather than imparting noble and original thoughts.

Lesson one:   Do not go onto Amazon every five minutes to check for evidence that someone else has bought your book.  As sales figures aren't revealed to authors who aren't self-published, such evidence would include an additional 'like',  info on books which buyers of yours have proceeded to buy.

Lesson two:  When requesting publications to advertise/promote your book, be prepared to be asked to pay.  Obvious, in retrospect, but something naive little me didn't anticipate.








Lesson three:  Focus more on the content of a review than the number of
stars awarded to the book.  To date I've had two positive reviews, one in particular of which is exquisitely written. Nevertheless, I have anguished over the rating of 4 stars out of a potential 5.  A more positive person - the type who considers the bottle to be half full rather than half empty - would delight over the strengths in the novel highlighted by the reviewer.  Anyone can write that they loved a book and give it five stars.  But a well-written review, provided it doesn't slate the book, is arguably more helpful.

Lesson four:  As well as spending time promoting your book - a seemingly necessary evil - make sure you also work on your next one.  As a fellow ThornBerry author stated, sometimes promotion can feel 'like shooting through a keyhole into a dark room, trying to hit something'.  If you've spent several hours on promotion stuff which may or may not be effective, spending another several on writing or editing your next work will leave you feeling more satisfied.







Lesson five:  Things take time.  Unless you are a whizz kid, things won't happen overnight.


Like anyone trying to change an undesirable behaviour, the task for me is to acquire abovementioned balance in promoting and writing, to learn to think more positively (and calmly).  First off, to gradually and manageably reduce frequency of checking Amazon for an update.  No mean challenge.

Jane