Question about publishing

[razzelflabben]

I'm not even sure if I am allowed to ask this question, I couldn't find specific rules for this thread and it's my first time posting here.

I have been writing for a few years now, have gotten some great compliments including but not limited to our pastor saying God has gifted me to write. An old friend saying it was the best writing he has read in a long time. So, I have just been storing stories away knowing how hard it is to get noticed in the business. Our children eventually convinced me to give it a go. So we published a mystery novel (first in series) on Amazon. What I was wondering is if any of you all have any ideas for how to get it out there and looked at?

 

[SepiaAndDust]

What do you mean by looked at? Do you just need promotional ideas?

 

[razzelflabben]

What do you mean by looked at? Do you just need promotional ideas?

The way I figure it, if people read it, they decide if it is good or not. But I can't seem to get people to read it. Our son took a few to school to have his friends and teacher read it, he then told me, "mom, I don't think you get how much they love the book"....so I guess the question is promotional ideas so that people get a feel for what I am doing, it isn't your typical mystery, but it is interesting if I do say so myself.

 

[SepiaAndDust]

I'd hire a marketing firm. Other than that, I have no idea. Most of the resources for self-marketing that I've seen recommend giving your book away for free or selling it on the cheap, but that kinda defeats the purpose of being a professional writer.

You might make a teaser (the first chapter or two) and give that away for free, but that just brings you back to square one--how will you let people know about the free teaser? Again, no idea. Sorry.

One thing, though, is posting info about your book to all your friends' timelines on social media. Don't do that. Most serious writers permanently block people who do that.

Maybe try a site like Goodreads?

 

[razzelflabben]

I'd hire a marketing firm. Other than that, I have no idea. Most of the resources for self-marketing that I've seen recommend giving your book away for free or selling it on the cheap, but that kinda defeats the purpose of being a professional writer.

You might make a teaser (the first chapter or two) and give that away for free, but that just brings you back to square one--how will you let people know about the free teaser? Again, no idea. Sorry.

One thing, though, is posting info about your book to all your friends' timelines on social media. Don't do that. Most serious writers permanently block people who do that.

Maybe try a site like Goodreads?

can't afford a marketing firm, gave a few books away, thanks, I'll pass the rest of the info to my husband who is doing all our marketing.

 

[razzelflabben]

Just had a friend who said she would talk her librarian into buying one for the library, small library, but good place to start

 

[vinsight4u]

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[vinsight4u]

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[razzelflabben]

Would you tell us something about the mystery?
What is the title and size of your book?

Didn't come here to advertise which is why I didn't answer these questions in the beginning and why I hesitate to do so now.

I will say that it is the first in a series of murder mysteries. The series is basically made up of 10 different mysteries that are all related to one another and each book gives a different clue to solving the first mystery. While that is going on, the detective in the series is learning to become a detective. I tend to write things in which everything is interconnected with everything else.

The hero of the story is living a mundane life when he stumbles upon a mystery that the murderer (a prostitute) designed specifically for him. The problem is that as he is trying to figure out the crime, he discovers that he is being framed for the murder. Now he is in a race to prevent the murderer from killing again while trying to keep himself out of jail for a crime he did not commit.

In 6 X 9 format the book is 256 pages over 60,000 words in each book.

Title...The File
Subtitle...The Accidental Detective Case 1 The Case of the Missing Evidence

I could say much more, but like I said, I didn't want this to become a promotional thread only a place to get ideas.

 

[razzelflabben]

Why are you so careless with proper punctuation?

Lots of reasons...1. I write all day everyday, when I come here, I just want to say what I want to say and not worry about all the "proper" everything. 2. I get really lazy on my time off, largely due to an increase usage of texting and it doesn't bother me because I do not believe that good writing is about all the rules but rather about moving the reader in some way. and 3. because I want to be lazy once in a while because I can.

One thing I will add here, just for clarification. I grew up with a mother and grandmother who wanted to show their superiority with using proper everything about words including but not limited to the biggest words they could find to use. I also grew up with a father who never graduated high school and grandparents who finished 3 rd and 4 th grades. I learned very quickly that good writing/story telling/communication in general isn't about rules and big words, but about how one moves the reader/hearer with their words. End result, I don't have use for over emphasis on grammar and punctuation, I leave that to my editors and instead I focus on the story itself and telling it.

 

[vinsight4u]

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[vinsight4u]

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[vinsight4u]

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[razzelflabben]

Did your publisher provide any of those editors for you? Do
you have an agent?

In the original post, I talk about self publishing on Amazon...that means we are the publisher, in one post I talk about my husband being my agent. As to editors, right now we have grammar nazies in the family doing the job. But what does all of that have to do with ways to promote the book?

 

[razzelflabben]

I read a lot during the day and I expect the person to have
taken the effort to not make their posts sloppy.

so you are suggesting that because I get sloppy in posts that are unrelated and not in any way associated with my book that people will refuse to read it? Interesting, how would they know that they are reading the same author?

 

[razzelflabben]

How much harder is it for you to type a period instead of a comma?
You ran sentences together. Yet, you expected people to care about
your writings....even a book?

1. how would you know what book is mine from this post? From random posts written? 2. I am the queen of run on sentences, I have to work at that. I also know that sometimes, the best way to tell a story is through the use of what some would deem run on sentences thus I make no apology. 3. I am asking about how to promote a book not how to edit it.

 

[vinsight4u]

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[vinsight4u]

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[razzelflabben]

I don't know how


You said "we published" so that is why I asked. I have never
dealt with how to self publish. Have been asked/contacted by companies to write though. Not sure how many books you ran
so far. Neat that the family is all working as a team.

that is cool...for you...years ago, I submitted some works for publication. Instead of the usual thanks but no thanks, I got, would love to but don't have an opening right now, please submit again later. Then, life got in the way and I just let it go. Today, because of where God is leading, we wanted to try self publishing, so we are.

 

[razzelflabben]

According to Amazon, where your book is being sold - "The File",
you have already published children's books.

We had a children's ebook publishing company for awhile. It was in the very early days of ebooks and we eventually ran out of money. Met some great people and authors and even some fantastic artists. All in all a great experience, not interested in getting back into all of that, I like just writing much better. Love challenging myself in different genre just to see if I can do it.

Today, my husband and I found some things to try, will take some time but going to work on some things.