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  • I think that's a fair question, intellectually. It makes for a solid baseline test of the theory that, if your product is nicely packaged, it should sell of its own volition.

    For most product, though, the reality is that it takes a mix of push as well as pull to build up word of mouth and sales velocity. People are too busy to easily focus and pay attention on an unknown writer and an unknown work.

    Ultimately, with everything in place and working well, it still comes back to this: one can market all one wants, one can tell people and annoy them, one can spend money on advertising and time on social networks, but if the product itself does not grab potential buyers and make them feel "I have to have that or I'll die" then it's probably not going very far.

    I think ultimately we must plan on juggling all those pins in the air at the same time.

  • Yep, I learned years ago from the publisher of my first book, and from my agents, that the writers who get out there and promote their books can be more successful. It just makes sense. Today with Internet marketing, it's so much easier to find ways to get your name out there as opposed to 10 - 20+ years ago.

    I'm one of those readers who reads every book in a series. It's introducing the reader to your first book (even though you're on #12 now?) that remains the challenge, I suspect.

  • Hah! Not likely. 

    • Riiiiight - not likely. And, along those lines -  my new book hasn't sold yet, but I am getting lots of interview requests about the book - I am doing about 3 radio interviews a month now, just from word of mouth and from the interview vimeos I have on Google. I am getting the book website started, and continuing to grant interviews and promote it before it's even out. Working to promote your book is work, no doubt, but fun, fun, fun.

    • Sure is, Janet.  I have written TWO this past winter/spring and althought getting interviews and doing my promtional flyers, STILL have to work feverishly to get the new ones notice.  But JEFF, I can't see how anyone can sell without doing a bit of leg work.  Right now, my sales are of books I wrote a few years ago moreso than my new works.  I kind of balm my literary ego by blaming slow sales on slow READERS!  LOL  I KNOW (ego speaking!) if,as my personal slogan says, "if you read ONE of my books, you'll want to read all ELEVEN!"   But as with the squeeking wheel parable, you GOTS to make some noise about your works.

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