They’re crammed into a huge glass cube.
They can’t move a muscle; ten million others press against them, all fighting for room, all shouting the same thing – it’s hard to hear exactly what because the noise is deafening.
Outside the glass, fast-moving shapes zoom in, take a quick look, and zoom away again. This happens so swiftly it’s hard to follow. Sometimes one or two shapes part the glass, reach in and touch one of the shouting people. Most times they just look, hover and leave.
Every day, the roof of the glass cube opens and more people are poured in.
The shapes mill around in confusion.
They hover. They squash up against the outside of the glass and peer in.
Very occasionally they suddenly converge upon one individual in the crowded glass cube. Some common agreement has been arrived at. There is something different about the person they have selected, something which makes them stand out from the others.
This individual is plucked from the glass cube, never to return. They are taken to a clean, roomy cube where they are nurtured, communicated with and, most importantly, read.
How did this happen? What was different? How did the mysterious shapes make their unanimous decision?
An Empty Glass Cube. Half close your eyes and fill it with authors.
The glass cube, of course, represents the online bookstores. The cramped millions are the indie authors – and traditional authors too (let’s not forget them).
The zooming shapes are the internet surfers, the book-buying public.
They can, and do, find authors who write books they want to read. They support them, and in doing so make the author a success.
Case in point? How about Rachel Abbott?
So, here’s the thing: How do you get noticed in a vast, glass room where you can’t move for people? Where the noise is so overwhelming that it’s impossible for the shapes to think, let alone make any kind of decision?
The decision you want them to make.
A buying decision.
Here are a few ideas:
- Stop shouting ‘Buy My Book!’ Or, as more often seen (conceptually, of course), BUY MY BOOK!
- Check out Joanna Penn’s very helpful website/blog
- Interact with your shopping and browsing shapes (I like to think of nice shapes!) – they are your potential buyers, after all. You are nicely shaped, right?
- Keep these potential buyers up to date by blogging/updating your website with interesting and informative stuff regularly
- Keep writing!
- Consider occasional promotions – free books/reduced price for limited period
- Wear smart, attractive, intriguing clothing (this means ‘get a good cover design’!)
- Diversify. Publish on Kobo, Nook, Audiobook, Kindle, Print
- Be realistic. Rome wasn’t built in a day (or in a glass cube, I know ….)
Enough from me. I’m off to practice what I preach. Move over, I’m getting squashed …
More info about my books (in a quiet whisper) at www.scott-hunter.net