Joe writes graphic thrillers and horror. He's making a killing (pun intended) selling ebooks on Amazon's Kindle, too. In fact, Joe sells MORE books on Kindle than he does in print, where he started out.
Joe has done it all, toured the country, taken a bazillion speaking engagements (often for no money) to get his name out there and has been very successful. It's obvious that the groundwork he tirelessly laid has gotten him where he is today.
TV/Movie producer/author Lee Goldberg may be running a close second to Joe, and I make Lee's blog an almost daily stop.
These guys have something in common besides writing well and being well known: they have a HUGE backlist. (Well, Joe has self-published a lot of stuff that has sold well because his audience loves his works and knows he'll deliver.)
The problem: I don't have a name. Or the name I do have (Lorna Barrett) isn't the same name that's on the two novels and eight short stories. I can only hope that when the Victoria Square Mysteries come out next year that the audience will go looking for other stuff I've done.
It's also been made pretty clear to me that I have to chop something big out of my life--my volunteer work--and actually do more writing and put it out there. Hey, this is my livelihood, and much as I enjoy that volunteer work, it doesn't pay for the washer that just died, or repairing the car that won't start, or the cleaning lady that comes every two weeks and keeps the house clean so I have more time to write to pay for the things that break ... and on and on.
So, why can't I make as much money as Joe? I haven't laid the groundwork.
Oh! Look at the time. Time to go to work and WRITE.
And if you're looking for "new-to-you" Kindle books from traditionally published authors, check out Backlist E Books on facebook.
Is it possible to create a sampler (i.e., first chapter)of all your stories under all your names and sell it as is? This way it will get all your work out to potential reader.
ReplyDeleteOr is it possible to have some of your titles included as teaser chapters in another author's book? I've seen this done is paperbacks that I've read.
You write wonderful mysteries and they deserved to be given a chance.
Great ideas, Dru. As it happens, I belong to a group of authors putting stuff up on Kindle and putting each other's chapters at the end one of the things they're talking about.
ReplyDeleteI've thought about bundling the two Jeff short stories togeher, but haven't come up with an appropriate cover idea. (And I'm VERY open to suggestions!)