Maybe I should rephrase that. Does self promotion, including blogs, Twitter, Facebook, even book signings, really help a writer starting from ground zero?
Now, I can see once you got some sales, once you're becoming popular, how self promotion can drive you higher. Always nice to have a web site for your favorite author. But does they help a nobody to get started?
Consider. I read maybe 50 books a year (much more many years ago, but that was before all this electronic stuff.) As I reader, I've never gone to a book signing, never based a purchase on a blog, Tweet, Text, or Facebook recommendation. They simply aren't an effective way of reaching me.
Now that I'm trying to become a writer, sure, I search blogs and articles and all types of stuff. Sometimes that writing quest leads to interesting new books I wouldn't have found. But isn't that a case of writers appealing to other writers, not writers appealing to a new audience?
Now, speaking as a reader there as some ways to get my attention. Good reviews on Amazon or Goodreads. Good reviews on blog's I read regularly. Reviewer lists on Amazon. Personal recommendations. But there are a million or more blogs out there. The odds of me discovering a new author and a new book by random searching of blogs is pretty close to zero.
Maintaining a blob or similar that's interesting enough to make people come again and again is a lot of work. Especially for aspiring author who also has a full time job. To be it seems pointless. Better to spend the energy writing another better and improved novel.
My opinion of course. What's yours?
Now, I can see once you got some sales, once you're becoming popular, how self promotion can drive you higher. Always nice to have a web site for your favorite author. But does they help a nobody to get started?
Consider. I read maybe 50 books a year (much more many years ago, but that was before all this electronic stuff.) As I reader, I've never gone to a book signing, never based a purchase on a blog, Tweet, Text, or Facebook recommendation. They simply aren't an effective way of reaching me.
Now that I'm trying to become a writer, sure, I search blogs and articles and all types of stuff. Sometimes that writing quest leads to interesting new books I wouldn't have found. But isn't that a case of writers appealing to other writers, not writers appealing to a new audience?
Now, speaking as a reader there as some ways to get my attention. Good reviews on Amazon or Goodreads. Good reviews on blog's I read regularly. Reviewer lists on Amazon. Personal recommendations. But there are a million or more blogs out there. The odds of me discovering a new author and a new book by random searching of blogs is pretty close to zero.
Maintaining a blob or similar that's interesting enough to make people come again and again is a lot of work. Especially for aspiring author who also has a full time job. To be it seems pointless. Better to spend the energy writing another better and improved novel.
My opinion of course. What's yours?
