Today, my first novel turned two.
Called Apocalypse TV, it’s about an English professor who faces all kinds of adversity on a religious reality TV show. It took six years to write, and it’s a work of literary satire, with some suspense and a mystery thrown in. My small, independent publisher listed it on Amazon as a mystery thriller, and it hasn’t done very well competing in that category with the likes of Jack Slater’s Deep State or Michael Grumley’s Breakthrough.
Occasionally, someone who likes literary satire tells me that they liked my novel. But right now, it is categorized wrong, and I’m not sure it will ever find its audience. I can only hope that with my next novel, it will find more readers. I’ve noticed that when I am able to get out and do a reading, it sells a little.
But my book had a rough first year. Three weeks after it came out, as I was getting ready to do a reading and a book launch at my university, my son took his life. I was not able to do much for the novel for about three months after that.
In terms of going with a small, independent publisher, I think that there are benefits, but it does help if your publisher can get you some book reviews. It helps also to have your book categorized correctly on Amazon.
What I’m suggesting actually leads back to the p-word: that’s right. Platform. There are good reasons why publishers ask prospective novelists or book writers about platform. It really does matter. The problem is, however, that what makes for an effective platform seems to constantly be changing. I’ve blogged for ten years now, but I’ve never had a wide or big audience. In the months after we lost my son, I suddenly had several hundred readers wanting to know about my grief. But that has also faded.
Being able to answer two questions seems important for platform. First, who is your reader? How would your answer that? My reader seems to be males with at least a masters degree or a law degree. Second, where do you find them?
Where do they hang out? Where might you meet up with them on social media?
Facebook might lead you to a few people. You might find a special facebook group. Twitter isn’t much help, though there are platform gurus who will swear by it. I don’t.
I am now working on a memoir about losing my son and what it was like to go through that. I’m also in the middle of a second novel.
In the mean time, happy birthday to Apocalypse TV! Do not despise the day of small beginnings.
Tom, some wise words, and practical. The larger publishers make you jump through MANY more hoops than the smaller ones, but they certainly help you reach a larger audience. I also hired a PR expert and friend, Don Otis, to arrange radio interviews. He arranged quite a few, but I suspect they work better for the nonfiction that I do.
Thanks, Tim, good advice! Seems especially helpful with a nonfiction book to do radio interviews. I don’t know that I’ll ever have the chance to work with a large publisher. But would love to hear about what else has worked for you.
Tom, it’s taken some time to build a platform, and it’s not a gift area. Part of it is building a Facebook presence, a bit over 4100 now. I am picky on who I request or accept as a friend, and most have a link to places I’ve worked or ministered or to writing. Mt. Hermon has provided a lot of contacts. And I do regular blog posts, once each week on seeing God’s presence in daily activities. I’m up to about 12,000 annual pages views, with readers from 66 countries. I have NO idea how they heard about me, but they come from the Middle East, Europe, Russian, Asia, and I’m amazed. And I have about 115,000 books sold, with 10 books done. I’ve had articles in CT, DJ, Moody (when it and DJ were alive), LA TImes, so I add all that to the platform.
This is easier for me because NF Christian Living has a more general audience. I probably spend an hour or two each day on keeping up with FB friends and Unconventional and other platform stuff. It’s a pain, but a needed one. And regularly being at MH has played a big role. I’m praying that Apocalypse and your other books thrive my friend.
Sounds like you know what you are doing and have been pretty successful. Others could benefit from this. I’ve been blogging for ten years and not much has come of it. Not much from Facebook or Twitter either. Maybe there’s some combination of the above that I’m missing. Not sure.
I think the key is to write material on the blog and FB and other media that is consistent and relevant to as many people as possible. Again, having a clear theme: seeing God in everyday events, is a common thread that binds it all together and works for both the Christian living standard NF books and the biker devo and the other devos I have proposals for.
A fellow teacher at Oaks, total millennial, said you need a minimum of one post each week for a blog. That seems manageable for me.