Like any small business owner, a writer has to deal with lots besides producing goods or providing service. As I mentioned in yesterdays’s post, even dream jobs have dull bits that still require attention.
Market is the most mysterious aspect of this business of writing for publication for me. I’ve tried blog tours, guest posts, contests, advertising in both print and virtual venues, plus social media. Many of these are fun and interactive, but sadly none of it has worked as far as translating into click through sales. So what works? The only sure thing I’ve found are writing more and better stories.
Any and all of the various promotion opportunities improve an author’s visibility and name recognition. If you enjoy conventions, cons, public speaking, interviews, and book signing keep up the good work! Likewise if you enjoy tweeting, facebook, and linking by all means go forth and mingle. But don’t neglect writing.
I mingle a little, but mostly I’m here, writing and blogging about writing.
If all I needed to do was write life would be simpler. Prior to getting published, writing (and the occasional submission) was all I did.
I spent lots of years working in the corporate world, so I know there’s more to running a successful business than creating a great product or providing excellent service. Yet I never considered how much time the administrative end of writing took.
Record keeping, accounting, legal, promotion, marketing, editing, customer service, quality control, and sales are all part of the romance writer dream job description.
Last month I unpublished A Scarlet Past. I considered recovering it with something like this:
Then enriching and reediting the story. But I decided the effort is unlikely to improve reader enthusiasm. The talented Stella Price did the original cover. While the redhead doesn’t instantly evoke thoughts of the 1940′s or werewolves, I don’t think the cover is the problem.
The combination of WWII backdrop and erotic paranormal romance isn’t a popular sub-genre. There may be solid reasons for readers disinterest. My enthusiasm for Fergus and Vivien’s story remains.
Perhaps I’ll make in available in the free read section. Let me know what y’all think!
From the coming someday (I hope) erotic contemporary.
“Are you okay?” He stepped closer, took her hand and made soothing circles on her wrist.
His touch was warm and tingly and somehow very comforting. “I didn’t hear you come in, so yes you startled me then I remembered you’re a little myopic.”
Mr. Large and In-charge set off all her warning bells, yet he made her long for nice, not quite normal, things she’d never had, like frequent helpings of hot sex.
So last month Lover Reborn released. Did I hold out for the price to come down? Nah. I don’t like paying high prices for ebooks, but I’m not going to deny myself a good story on a principle.
Ms. Ward tells an excellent story, I’m accepting the new black dagger brotherhood installments aren’t the same mind gripping kind of goodness the early titles were, but they’re still damn compelling fiction.
Are you willing to pay more than $9.99 to read in digital ink?
The story took off! So far they always have, but that doesn’t stop me from panicking when I’m trying to coax clues out of Swampy.
I knew there had to be more to Belinda than her lovely body and beautiful face. All I had to go on were snippets from her appearance in A Very Demon Christmas.
“Don’t you just hate it when they get all masterful?” Belinda asked.
Holly gave a small laugh at the stunning witch’s question, in spite of her surprise. Belinda could have been a supermodel on her way to a photo shoot. She had on designer jeans, elegant boots, a figure-hugging turtleneck that emphasized her slim torso and high breasts, and a down vest. The very human-looking beauty shed her leather backpack and turned toward Holly. More worrisome than her elegant clothes was the speculative look of dominance in her gaze.
Averting her eyes, Holly said, “Sometimes.”
“Oooh, I’m too young to hear the rest of that comment.”
“You aren’t what I expected,” Holly admitted with a small laugh.
Belinda arched a well-shaped black eyebrow. “Really?”
In a flash, Holly was gaping at an ugly, bent crone.
She cackled shrilly. “More what you had in mind?”
Telltale heat warmed Holly’s cheeks, and she dropped her lashes, ending her rude stare. “I’m afraid so.”
The beautiful brunette reappeared, and her lovely alto teased, “The fairy-tale wicked witch could be the real me. With glamours it’s impossible to tell.”
The snippet above gave me a few hints, then, I clung to something Colin mentioned in the same story.
“Belinda isn’t exactly one hundred percent human. Don’t ask, because I don’t know what else she is. That’s none of my business.”
Not a lot to go on, but Dommes are no easier to pry information out of than Doms.
While there is always a lead romantic male, the others also love the heroine, and in this story the alpha is Batzorg (and he’s yummy). While all the men are awesome, they each have a personality trait that harmonizes with aspects of Minka’s personality. That makes all the men her ideal mate. So as the story progresses so does her feelings for the warriors chosen to protect her.
The mech warrior triad is an irresistible combination of heavy metal bodies, strong minds, and true hearts. Each man has special talents vital to rescuing Minka. Now their mission is to win her love.
Read more>>>
Just for the Valentine's Day Dom 101 class, fiery Miranda agrees to play the sassy sub -- definite type casting. But since she’s crushed on Tey forever, can she resist giving him all that he demands?
Read more>>>
All Holly wants for Christmas is a dom to call her own. All Colin wants for Christmas is a sweet little slave and some red rope. It should have been so easy… Why the hell did she have to be human?
Read more >>>
When both Hunter and Tru bond with Amber their mating triangle threatens everything they hold dear.
Read more >>>
Determined to help rescue the princess, Cassandra agrees to act as the dragons’ sex slave, but can she guard her heart from the dominant males?
Read more >>>
Camille, a plump, sweet-natured breeder, is caught in New Eden’s endless war with Baldor. Her mates, Jaxon and Aegis, need cunning and courage to rescue her. They need a miracle to capture her heart.
Read more >>>
Werewolf-whisper Daniel is the only one who can heal Scarlet’s broken werewolf connection. If he succeeds then the pack’s needs will eclipse his claim on her heart. But if he fails, they'll both die.
Read more >>>
A lonely woman finds passion with a dominant much younger lover, when she tries to leave she learns her new master plays for keeps.
Read more >>>
One dangerous warrior woman plus two rogue demon males equals a love to threaten an empire.
Read more >>>
Getting paid to watch Eduardo is Desiree’s dream assignment, but when he reaches out to her, crossing the line, everything changes.
Read more >>>
Deep in her secret heart, she lusts for a sexy pirate who’d be her master and commander in the bedroom. But, this man may be too dangerous Read more >>>
She finds paradise in the arms of twin brothers, but their law demands she chose one warrior to mate and one to die.
Read more >>>
One woman, two men, three wounded hearts--though already mated their love is still forbidden.
Read more >>>
There may be solid reasons for readers disinterest. My enthusiasm for Fergus and Vivien’s story remains. 
When both Hunter and Tru bond with Amber their mating triangle threatens everything they hold dear.
Determined to help rescue the princess, Cassandra agrees to act as the dragons’ sex slave, but can she guard her heart from the dominant males?
Camille, a plump, sweet-natured breeder, is caught in New Eden’s endless war with Baldor. Her mates, Jaxon and Aegis, need cunning and courage to rescue her. They need a miracle to capture her heart.
Werewolf-whisper Daniel is the only one who can heal Scarlet’s broken werewolf connection. If he succeeds then the pack’s needs will eclipse his claim on her heart. But if he fails, they'll both die.
A lonely woman finds passion with a dominant much younger lover, when she tries to leave she learns her new master plays for keeps.
One dangerous warrior woman plus two rogue demon males equals a love to threaten an empire.
Getting paid to watch Eduardo is Desiree’s dream assignment, but when he reaches out to her, crossing the line, everything changes.
Deep in her secret heart, she lusts for a sexy pirate who’d be her master and commander in the bedroom. But, this man may be too dangerous
She finds paradise in the arms of twin brothers, but their law demands she chose one warrior to mate and one to die.
One woman, two men, three wounded hearts--though already mated their love is still forbidden.
