Marketing & Promo: If you’re going through hell…surf Pinterest for inspirational quotes.

{image via Pinterest, where else?}

While I've been a published author for a few years now, I am new to the indie world, and even newer to marketing and promotion. Basically, I suck at it. Like, really, really suck. It's hard. It's expensive. And right now it's kinda depressing because I recognize what a long road I have ahead of me, and I wonder if I have the fortitude and the patience to see this thing through. I admit I'm pretty scared it's not going to work out. I'm scared this thing I've dedicated so much time and money and effort to is never going to go anywhere. I felt brave taking that risk six months ago. Some days I still feel brave and hopeful. Other days…not so much. It's been a rollercoaster to say the least, and I'm not quite sure how to manage the lows except to keep going. Keep writing. Keep working. Keep learning. And keep finding inspirational quotes on Pinterest to get me through the dark times.

{Image also via Pinterest}

I've reached out to several authors and have read hundreds of blogs and threads. I troll message boards and listen to podcasts. I've learned a lot, and I'm super grateful that the indie community is willing to share their experiences, tips, and advice. One theme that comes up again and again is luck. So many publishing–indie and traditional–success stories mention luck as an essential component to that success.

Now before you get all “WTF is that noise, you make your own luck DUH” on me, I did notice another theme or element pop up in tandem with luck–and that was years and years of hard work and perseverance. Years where the author patiently wrote and waited and wrote some more before they encountered that one stroke of luck (indie pubbing in 2013, getting picked up by a big blog, a starred review, a mention by another famous author) that changed everything. Luck alone didn't change their story. But it definitely played a role in their success.

I was reading Delilah Dawson's blog the other day, and she says the “recipe” for “writing a bestseller…seems to be GREAT BOOK + HARD WORK + TIME + LUCK”. I couldn't agree more. I've spent the past five-plus years honing my craft and working really, really hard on every book I write. And I know I have to keep writing like that, balls to the wall, if I ever want to encounter the “LUCK” piece of the puzzle.

So in the meantime, I work work work work and hope. As hard and sucky and depressing as that can be–knowing I'm doing everything I can right now to make success happen but it's really up to luck, something I have no control over–I gotta keep fighting. Because I love to write. And I believe in myself. Most days, anyway.

And on the days that it's hard to believe (like this one…Mondays are a bitch, am I right??), I remind myself of how far I've come:

I've received a *WONDERFUL* response from several bloggers I've reached out to for reviews. Like, they are the ones who single-handedly have kept me going these past months. Their reviews, comments, and support have really been a gift. I mean, I am completely new, and no one knows me or my work. So the fact that these fabulous ladies took a chance on me is humbling to say the least.
SPANISH LESSONS (Study Abroad #2) has more than THREE TIMES the number of reviews on Amazon than my first published book, THE GENTELMAN JEWEL THIEF, does. I take this as a sign that I'm getting more books into more readers' hands.
And the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive! Like, “best book I've ever read” mentions. THAT is the kind of book I set out to write, and I hope I'm getting there.
Every time I open my Goodreads page or check out my website, I'm kinda stunned by how PROUD I am of my work on this new series. I mean, I worked my ass off to make this indie thing happen. And it's happening, albeit verrrry slowly.
I'm getting braver – both in my writing and in my career. I feel so much more confident about my books and my writing. I'm reaching out to other authors, learning from my mistakes, and voicing stronger opinions. I know what I like and I'm not afraid to chase after it.
I've found an amazing editor who is SUPER smart–and with whom I work really well. Her guidance and enthusiasm has changed my life, no joke.
I've also found an amazing cover artist who lights up my life with her superb and sexy covers AND her amazing feedback on my books.

So, yeah. It's easy for me to get all doom and gloom about my career when I see other authors absolutely KILLING it and selling bajillions of books a week. But it's all about perspective, right? Compare myself to those superstars and YEAH I'm going to feel shitty about myself. But compare myself to…well, myself of five years ago, and I have come a hella long way. I picked a fucking HARD career that is 99% rejection and isolation and bad news, but I've lived to tell the tale (so far).

Now back to the hoping and Pinteresting…