As independent authors we, in many ways, have the odds stacked against us. Yes, there are more publishing and distribution options but the market is absolutely flooded with indie-authors, and our readers' attention spans are growing ever shorter with every passing day. This is one way to look at it but this mindset won't set you on the path of anything resembling success.
"The riskiest thing we can do is just maintain the status quo.” - Bob Iger
Another point of view is independent authors have the freedom to make our own decisions and experiment however we like in an age where we've never had more marketing options. As with most challenges we face in life it's just a matter of finding the code necessary to crack the problem. The difference between authors who build a loyal following (and the sales that go along with them) and those who don't sometimes boils down to resilience and outside-of-the-box thinking in all aspects of their careers.
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” - Jim Rohn
As creatives, we have a mighty and unique superpower, our imaginations. To tip the odds in our favor we need only need focus the intensity of that superpower and apply it in the direction of marketing. It's vital to set yourself apart from the competition, try unconventional and bold new marketing ideas.
Most authors I've met absolutely hate marketing but it's important to shift your mindset, to dabble, and have learn to really have fun with it (just as you do with your chosen craft). The key factor is once a method proves ineffective we must either fine-tune it or try a completely different approach.
I wanted to share one such idea that I'm testing now, a cigar box bookstore.
A few weeks ago I placed my first micro-bookstore in a local Twin Cities small business. I’ve known “Mustache” Jim now for almost fifteen years. He’s a bit of a local legend as well as a fantastic photographer and skilled barber.
Copies of my last three published books will be for sale via Venmo through the New Year with “pay as you wish pricing”. Customers will be able to scan the QR code on the box, pay as much as they wish for the book, and simply walk away with it. I’ve never attempted this before so it’ll be an interesting experiment. If successful, I plan on expanding these into several local small businesses for the Holidays and beyond.
If you're a creative yourself and have had success with unique marketing ideas, I'd love to hear about what has worked for you!
Wish me luck. : )
I wish all of you, and your families, a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~Eric Vance Walton~
Thanks for reading! All for now. Remember…trust your instincts, invest in you, live boldly, and take chances.
(Photos are original.)
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Poetry should move us, it should change us, it should glitch our brains, shift our moods to another frequency. Poetry should evoke feelings of melancholy, whimsy, it should remind us what it feels like to be in love, or cause us to think about something in a completely different way. I view poetry, and all art really, as a temporary and fragile bridge between our world and a more pure and refined one. This is a world we could bring into creation if enough of us believed in it. This book is ephemera, destined to end up forgotten, lingering on some dusty shelf or tucked away in a dark attic. Yet the words, they will live on in memory. I hope these words become a part of you, bubble up into your memory when you least expect them to and make you feel a little more alive.
Pick up a copy of Ephemera today on Amazon.
Most of us have experienced a moment of perfect peace at least once in our lives. In these moments we lose ourselves and feel connected to everything. I call these mindful moments. Words can’t describe how complete they make us feel.
These moments are usually fragile, evaporating in seconds. What if there was a way to train your mind to experience more of them? It’s deceptively easy and requires nothing more than a subtle shift in mindset. My new book, Mindful Moments, will teach you to be much more content despite the chaos and imperfect circumstances continuing to unfold around you. Upgrade your life experience today for only $15.99 on Amazon.com.
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