One Book A Day

Months ago as I prepared to upload my novel I did research on other writers and their experiences. Of course, the stories that stuck with me were the lucky ones. The ones who became ‘overnight successes’. Sold thousands and got a book deal, or a movie deal. Fifty Shades of Gray. If it can happen to others, why can’t it happen to me?

As I got closer I downgraded my fantasies to…if I sold a few hundred a month I can supplement my income that much and continue working on the next novel. Everything seems within reach after completing a big project like this.

But the reality settling in after the first week, is that it’s a slow trudge through the mud. It’s a campaign of attrition. One Book a Day. That is my goal now. And even that becomes a grueling hour by hour process. Tweeting quick 180 character messages with the link to my book; messaging the link with a greeting to all new Twitter followers; updating my blog and FB page every day. Reminding everyone I know that I have a book out there. Slipping it in conversations. It’s the kind of salesmanship I despise as an artist. I mean, come on…I chose NOT to sell cars or copy machines. I chose to be an artist.

But here I am, trying to get that one sale every day. Like a junky. I wake up thinking about who would buy one, how I can reach that one person who doesn’t know about it. And eventually, that one a day will turn into two a day. Or three. And the more people that read it the more will hopefully recommend it.

And the whole time obsessing about what I’m NOT doing to sell more.

I honestly want to take a shower at night to wash all the salesmanship off of me. But, this is what independent artists do. It’s part of the game.

One Book A Day.