Post publish blues

What do you do after meeting a goal?  The smart answer is setting another goal, isn’t it?  I have a new goal, write the second Adventure of Tremain and Christopher, but I’m not ready to start it yet.  Start the planning and writing, that is.  I’ve already started imagining scenes and dialog.  I think I have the beginning and the ending figured out.  But actually sitting down and writing this out?  Nope.  Not yet.

Part of this is I really want to see how well book #1 does.  It’s only been a week since I hit the “go live” button on Amazon — For those that have already purchased and read it, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  For those who haven’t heard of it (or me, for that matter) yet, I’m trying to reach you!  The marketing of this is stymieing me.  I can see why some opt for the piles of rejection letters from agents or publishers.  They won’t have to deal with marketing themselves.  I don’t have any “platform” yet — I haven’t built an audience.  Hopefully, this blog and the mailing list attached to it will help in this.  It’s just getting myself to a point where people notice me and my book(s).

I know I have to get more work out there to get noticed.  Intellectually, I’m well aware of that fact.  Emotionally, I’m still letting go of my first book, it’s been an education for me to do something that I’ve always wanted to do — and now I’ve experienced the challenges and the fun involved.  Yes, there is fun involved.

The fun is friends asking if I would sign their books.  Really!  I’m thinking I’m still just a poser here, I’ve written one book, why would you want me to sign it?  Still, it’s fun to be asked.  It’s cool.

I keep fighting the urge to check and see how well (or not) it’s selling.  I’m not always successful in that.  I do check it and am pleasantly surprised that I have sold some copies in just the few days it’s been out.  I’m not going to be quitting my day job just yet, but it’s nice to see someone has bought it.

I’m going to drive myself nuts doing that — but until I feel more comfortable with the process, I guess nuts is what I’ll be.  This audience building thing is like walking up a hill made of loose sand.  It’s hard work. Everyone will tell you it’s hard work, and I’m sitting here quietly thinking to myself “really, I just wrote something everyone is going to love, how hard can it be?”  Let me tell you — It’s not easy.  But then again, nothing worthwhile ever is.

I’ll figure this thing out.  I’ll keep writing.  I’ll keep publishing.  I’ll slowly build my “empire”.  Let’s see where we can go.