It's hard work, and generally fruitless, and it agitates every humble nerve in my body. Also, it's massively distracting.
After a month of trying to push Punchline, I have reached the following conclusions:
1. Giving away free copies is a double-edged sword, and a sharp one at that - readers might take up the free copy offer who wouldn't normally go within ten feet of your book.
2. Punchline is a Marmite book. I've always suspected as much, and evidence observed so far seems to support that theory: two reviews from Goodreads readers, a five-star rating and a one-star rating. The difference between not rating a book at all and giving it one star is equal to the difference between "didn't like it" and "hated it".
3. I have no idea where the market for Punchline hangs out, or if one exists. I am my ideal buyer, but I don't like to hang around in crowds.
4. People on the Amazon US boards are considerably more hostile than those on the UK boards; but also more entertaining.
5. If I spend too much time fucking about with this at work, I will probably lose my job.
What I need to do, I think, is chill out for a bit on the promotional side and get back to some writing.
I haven't seen you pushing Punchline much Paul - I've been doing it for you here and there. I really enjoyed it and found it dark, funny but most of all very refreshing. I haven't read anything quite like it!
ReplyDeleteYes, get back to some writing. I can't wait.
(You know me as Ignite)
Point 5, Kath, point 5 is the key one here ...
ReplyDelete... and thank you.
I too hate self-promotion. "Leave no stone unturned!" scream the guides. Apparently we're supposed to have infinite time.
ReplyDeleteAdded to which, writing is a largely solitary, creative process. It shares no common ground with repeating the same sales pitch over and over again to random strangers.
Anyway, I found this blog because I'm looking for places to visit during my virtual book tour.
Might you be interested?
Sure, Rosen - what did you have in mind?
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in getting a few interviews on blogs by similar writers (and happy to return the favour, obviously.)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Punchline yet - I only got my Kindle today. Do you think our target audiences overlap at all?
My recent book is comic, but very light - it's a queer romance. Before that I wrote a slightly darker mystery, but it was about families, not serial killers.