Is it ever enough?

Are the words of those who encourage, exhort, praise, or enthuse ever enough? Apparently not. We writers bleed insecurity. “Did you like it?” “What did you like about it?” “How about the part where . . . ?” “Do you think it’s really really good?”

You’ve read too many times here how much I detest marketing. Why is it that I don’t like it so much? I mean, I understand that “I” am the best person to “sell” my own work. After all, I believe in it enough to have written it, finished it, fallen in love with the characters, plotted their lives, and so on and so on. So what’s so stinkin’ hard about putting in a few good words for my work? People get that I’m responsible for selling it.

Yes. Everyone gets that authors must now market their books more than ever because the funds expelled for marketing a no-name or even a mid-list author are slim. Or so we’re told. Well . . . they’re even slimmer for those of us who elected to spend the big bucks on getting that novel into print.

Honestly, I don’t know how some of the good marketing authors do it. They’re dreams-come-true to the marketing divisions of their publishers, but there simply must be a better way than sharing every positive word a reader has ever spoken about your book. Isn’t there?

After awhile, I can’t read or listen to one more effusive report of a reader’s comment about a novel on the author’s blog or website or Facebook posts. How much praise must be shared by an author? Is it ever enough?

Those comments from readers mean so much to a writer. They’re like wood to a fire. Necessary to keep the creativity burning through us. Gifts from unexpected places. Thoughtful. Meaningful. Appreciated. But must all of them be communicated or displayed like badges?

I keep saying the oversell bugs me immensely. And I keep guessing it must just be me. Hmm.

Lord, you know what’s right for your people. I don’t. Please make sure I understand what you want from me and help me not to judge the needs of others. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Comments

[Kristen Torres-Toro]

It does bug me when it becomes a money game and not about getting readers to come to the story. I'm not in this business to get rich. I do want to sell books. I want people to read my stories. But if it's about the bottom line, I think we're all missing something. That's not the most important point.

[Nicole]

But you've nailed the conundrum, Kristen. The publisher is in the business to make money. And, as you noted, we writers certainly want to sell our books. It's balancing the promotion of a novel with the publicity factor and the me-my factor. That balance seems illusive.