Post-Release

It always feels like a bit of a letdown after a book release. Maybe because of the unspoken expectation that everyone is going to love your book and it’s going to shoot to the top of the rankings right away. Yes, there are writers who live that scenario. The rest of us who independently publish don’t really get that kind of rush. We watch as people favorite and heart our social media posts, but then don’t buy the book itself. Sales often stagger from the starting line, weaving in a general direction down the sidewalk like a guy who’s been in the pub from open to close. It takes time to find readers and that’s what my first round of ads will be doing this coming weekend. Building momentum and awareness requires effort, time, and money. Based on my experiences with releasing a new book, to me it’s not really a letdown as much as it’s the start of a longer timeline.