First I would just like to say that anyone who tells you getting a book published is difficult is lying. It's one of the easiest things that I ever done, and I have to say, one of the most rewarding. No, that part is all peaches and cream, but the REALLY hard part, the part that'll give you headaches is what comes afterwards.
If you're thinking about getting a book published, read what I have to say first. Please.
I became a first time independently published author on April 12th of 2012. I had been working on my book for quite some time, and I finally finished it and was so excited, because it was done, and then I had it published for free (thank you Amazon.) What I hadn't anticipated is the work that I'd be putting into getting the word out.
You see, just because you publish a book doesn't mean people are going to start buying it and you'll get famous overnight. Chances are, they don't know your book is out there; not if you publish independently.
So it begins. The insanity of emails, creating accounts on innumerable websites, making useful acquaintances, begging, pleading, and crying to get someone to write about you on their blog. And that's just the beginning. I was lucky; I met someone, who knew someone, who knew someone. So, basically I'm doing better than most first time authors.
The headaches, the constant thinking, wondering... If you want to speak at the library, do you call them, or do they choose who they want? Would anyone show up? Will you be able to do an interview with a famous promoter? In my case, I was lucky there, but with the blog I got sent from one person to the next, to the next, finally washing up with a bit of relief on a handy little website called Indie Ink. Authors out there, if you have an ebook published on Amazon, check this place out, because it's worth it. Or if you're looking for something to read cheap; some books go for free.
In any case, the point I'm making is that you'd think being an author was easy... Well, think again. But if you think it's insanely rewarding, you may be right.
I need to explain something about my obsession with publicity, quickly. The truth is, I don't care about the money. I could just not make a penny from my sales, and I wouldn't give a rat's... Well, you know... But I want people to read it. I want all the fantasy-loving young nerds of the day and age to pick up my book, take a good long look, and then read it all in one night. Sometimes I wish that the whole world was a person so that I could walk up to them, wave my book in their face, and go "Hey! Read this, because you'll like it if you do!"
Really.
Well, I am headed out for the night. It's been a productive day publicity-wise; I put a snippet of my ebook on Indie Ink, and so far 58 people have requested my book on a giveaway that I'm hosting on goodreads.com. And just been one day. As for writing book number two... Well... I'll work on it, but right now being my own agent is a full time job!
Love and thanks to all you readers. I hope you weren't bored into a comatose state. Yours,
-Eva Marie Gould, Author
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