Here is the full note:
"I have to respond to a few things I've been reading, and I think you would benefit from a little insight.
1) You will not make a good or even decent "income" with one book out, or even two or three for that matter. This can be true, but if you're having to divide your time between mass promo and marketing, your production time will be split. So if a publisher wants more books, then promotion should be as light on the author side as possibleto allow an author time to produce.So why push a list of promotion onto those who initially produce the work that brings money back into their hands?
Some genres do better than others, there are trends that happen in the book world and the trends sell and they sell well. Understand the trends and don't get upset if paranormal romance is not selling well but romance is and you insist on writing paranormal romance. You can't change what's hot in the market because you like writing in a certain genre. Okay, but how does this balance out in promotions? Do they then only fully promote the selling trends, adding to sustaining that trend? Or do they promote everything equally across the board?
2) It's VERY difficult to gain traction as a writer if you are only producing 1 or 2 books a year...or even 3. Unless you already have several books out and have a following. You should be at least producing 4 a year...at least. But then you need and have a right to ask for quality editing and production turnaround time to support that production, thus work with an author to get the best work out there, even if that means more rounds of edits and delaying a project. If the process is going too quick, are the authors getting quality production?I'm a content editor; I know how long it can take a script to go through content edits, then how long an author can need to work those 1st/2nd/3rd edits.
Readers have reading ADHD and they will forget you if your not feeding their reading obsession fast enough. That's a little unfair on readers. If you've all done your jobs right (author, editor, publisher) the reader won't forget you: I know I don't forget authors who have a left an impression. It's your job to make your work memorable: quality, not just quantity, sells, and it keeps selling a work.
Because if your not doing it another writer will. Leads back to question one: writers can only produce if they're allowed enough time produce.
3) Writing is not a get rich quick type of job. It's not even it get a good extra income quick kind of job. It's hard. It's grueling. And it's a JOB! Agreed. If you owned a business and just showed up to work once in awhile, and only brought in things to sell in your store once in awhile what would happen? Nothing. What if you spent every waking moment pacing the pavement and bringing people into your store, then what? Nothing. Because even if you got the people in your store and you only have 1 or 2 items on the shelf, they are not going to come back. You are creating a store with products. You need products in your store.Write and write often if you want your store to succeed. Back to question one: writers can only produce if they're given time to produce.
4) There must be a BALANCE of bringing people into your "store" and offering new "products" you must do both...Build your presence, email list, social media following, and advertise (free or paid). This is how people find you. Blog tours, paid advertising sites, social media is to be found, once you are found you need something to keep your readers attention. Products, and new products coming out consistently. Balance is key. I don't agree with paid anything. Authors can promote their works for free, there doesn't have to be any cost at all, and I'd be skeptical of any publishing company who peddled any aspect of cost off an author, even just as a recommendation. I draw the line at paid ads, which is where a publisher usually steps in.
5) Book Signing are fun, and they're a good tax write off, but they will not bring you income in the way you think they will. You might get in touch with a few new readers, but a good income it will not make. What book signings are good for is NETWORKING with other authors/writers and building an email list of everyone who visits your booth. Or give away a book or basket of books in exchange for an email address. When you network with other authors, you can use each others social media presence and email lists to cross promote. That can be powerful. Authors can also become offended by this if all you're doing is making connections to cross promote. Readers will pick up on it too.
If you are not making the income you want ask yourself:
*How many books do I have out?
*When was my last release?
*How long is it between releases?
*How much time do I commit to "building" social media, email list, etc. (not posting but increasing the size)?
*How much time do I spend writing?
Also: what exactly has the publishing company done to promote this book and help ease time so I can write?
If you have several books out and a good balance of building your presence and writing and you're still not selling. Then it's time to rebrand yourself or try and different genre. Search the trends and see if you are in "the now" or the "what was hot last year" categories." Write to trend"?