Publishing and Marketing - Love and Marriage.

It is the weekend and I'm only a third into this tedious business of line editing. Why am I not more patient? I was excited by the long hours it took to write this novel and the previous two. Watching the story unfold, living the lives of my characters, I loved every minute of it. 


But this business of going back to examine, with the the help of my editor, every line, is tedious indeed. Yet it must be done. It is all part of the process of publishing, much like the tedious process of building a house. 

But the process does not stop there. Now that I am my own publisher, as it were, I must also be directly involved in marketing. The professional company I've chosen to work for me and with me in this process is Wheatmark Book Publishers. Already I am grateful for their assistance and guidance. 


My first two novels were published by a "traditional" company. I received royalties. Hah!

The problem was soon evident. This publisher's model was to give no support to marketing, no guidance, nothing. I was completely on my own. And what did I know about marketing? Nothing. In fact, I was a bit put off, because I thought that once my novel was in such a great online store as Amazon, people (whoever they are) would rush to buy it and I could get on with my next masterpiece.


Wrong. My first masterpiece soon disappeared into the great pile and was forgotten. A year later my "traditional" publisher put out my second novel. Once again we sent out post cards to my friends and family. I even visited a few bookstores, but long story short, same old same old. Novel two fell precipitously down, down, down into that slush pile on Amazon and B&N and disappeared among the hundreds of thousands.


This time I am determined--determined! The third in the series will not disappear. I am following the guidelines provided by Wheatmark. Further I am working with Penny Sensevieri and her wonderful staff over at Author Marketing Experts. They are also guiding me. Once the book is published we'll be off on an online book tour. 


I wish to express my gratitude to everyone for teaching me. It took me years to accept the reality that I must be personally and deeply involved in marketing. These days that means primarily online marketing. 


We old dogs can learn new tricks. I'm getting ready to watch my newest work climb to the best seller level on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Wheatmark and elsewhere. And I am going to reap the benefits of self-publishing.


Publishing and marketing, like love and marriage, must go together.