Though I have been writing all my life-- or at least thirty years of my life (since a teen), I have never published before and now that I have finally gotten my book online as an e-book with the print copy coming out (finger crossed) in November, my thoughts turn to marketing. How do I bring people's attention to my life's work? How do I advertise something so important to me without sounding totaling like I'm tooting my own horn? How do I bring it to attention for those who have never heard of me or this adventure? I have tried to be humble-- truly humble, not just sounding like I am-- all my life. I don't like attention, and I don't want to say 'look at me', but yet everything I read tells me this is what I need to do. There has to be a way to give The Key to Her Heart full light without illuminating me. This is about the story, and how it will be healing to some, and perhaps fun for others. I know my story is not for everyone, but how do I help the ones it will be good for to see it? What avenues can I use?
Most of my extended family don't even seem to be interested. How do I interest a public I don't even know? How do I keep myself from being slightly disappointed that only a few people have even looked at it? This story has been loved by those who have read it, but they are close to me, and now I wonder just how good it really is if those are the only ones even interested now that it is out there for the public to see, and no one is looking. Is this disappointment normal? Is this all I should expect? Or have I missed the way to do this? Or am I taking this too personally to early, and wanting more than I have a right too?
I figure I have to do an excellent job marketing. Maybe that is what I am missing, but then I do not know how to do that and stay within the bounds of who I am. I need help, but I do not know who to trust for advise. Point blank I don't know how to do this!!!!
Beyond everything else, I am scared of failure and scared even more of success, and most of all confused by the barrage of emotions I did not expect. There is disillusionment and disappointment when I expected to be feeling as if I had finally done it. I thought I would be ecstatic to just have my life's work story out there. But it didn't feel any different than the moment before when I was only a writer and had not published. Now it's like I'm saying 'I'll believe it when I've sold a thousand copies'. Instead it is not enough. Will that even do it? Or am I just fooling myself?
I am so bewildered by my sudden need to see it become 'popular' for lack of a better word. At the same time I am in a place I have never been. This publishing thing is one of my life goals that I made when I was just a child. It has been my most important one, and now I've accomplished it. Is this all there is to it? Does this change my life? Or do I remain who I have always been? What if I only sell one copy? or five? or ten? or even a hundred? Will that ever be enough? Are we just programmed to never accept what gifts we have been given? Are we just greedy? Or maybe it's just me. Does anyone out there have an answer? Please respond. I need to hear from someone with more wisdom than me.
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