Marketing... what? This magic wont sell itself?

For all the challenges of indie publishing, marketing, it would seem, is the biggest drag. How big is your network? How many facebook friends do you have? Linkedin? Tweeter?

Even if your clout is huge for a non-celbritiy civilian, and your book isn't half bad, that isn't gonna make it sell. If you have a couple of $10,000 notes hanging around, you could probably swing your own marketing campaign. Good luck and screw you if that is your disposable income:)

What's left is the ebook platforms: iPad, kindle, nook, kobo etc...  Getting your book onto each of these platforms is the first step. In the blogs I have been reading, it seems like indie authors have managed only to get their book onto one of these, which doesn't make that much sense. Once you figure out how to upload to the first platform, why stop there?

Once you're on-air, ideally, your circle of friends will actually buy it, read it, rate and review it. It is very likely that your book will only be available by a direct search. There are about a hundred titles to browse through fiction on the itunes store. How does one get on that list? Presumably sales that you generate. I also think those user reviews are really important. If they feel it is worth promoting for their 30%, they will throw it on the list. knock on wood.

You have a website, you have a blog, you have a facebook etc... all with links directly to your product. It sure would be helpful, if somebody gave your book a review wouldn't it? This is where marketing is a drag. The publishing industry still has its hooks in this department. It is a closed shop, even if you work in the building. Reviews in local papers, online forums, literary magazines, major culture reporters... each of those tasks is really daunting without any connections, credible reputation, or leverage of any kind.

This is ultimately the power of the publishing industry. This power is why authors are willing to give up the ownership of their books to corporations. Mind-boggleing and frustrating.

Here in the adolescent age of online publishing there are, at the very least, alternatives. The world wide web. Intranets and kooky marketing schemes. YouTubes and kick starters! I am going to say, 'go it alone! Put it out there! Hustle! Get your swerve on! spread the good word!' Just continue to move at a pace you can sustain, but don't stop moving.

A friend of mine recently told me that A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 60 times before it was published. That is fortitude. And a significant amount of corporate idiocy.

Next blog: The Local release!!! Book reading and reception... how do you sign a copy of an ebook!