Wait ‘Til the Next Book
There’s
a saying in sports, reserved for teams that fall short of their championship
aspirations: “Wait ‘til next year.” The same could apply to authors, with a
modification: Wait ‘til the next book.”
It’s
not easy giving this advice, but the truth is at some point, after trying your
hardest to promote and sell a book that is no longer new, you need to admit
that fame and glory will not come to you for that book. Throw in the towel and
try again -- on another book.
I
know well the phrase when it comes to sports. I experienced it just the other
day with my son’s fall baseball season. After going 7-4 and finishing in third, we
were poised to make a run through the playoffs. But we got smacked around in the postseason opener,
27-16, and just like that, the season was over. My son, at age eight, learned
the hard way, what it means to wait until next year.
He
may have taken it better than I did. As the manager, I felt responsible. I knew
the kids could play better than they did. Even though my son hit a three-run
home run, that didn’t take the sting away from defeat. You know what it is, it’s
knowing that chances to win it all and shine like a star can be so rare in
one’s lifetime. When I lose something, I know it’s an opportunity lost forever
and that few may remain to be a champion.
Authors,
I know, feel deeply attached to their book. To admit defeat cuts deep into
their soul. To have their words rejected is to have their being denied love.
The book to a writer is the swimsuit competition to beauty contestants -- no one
wants to think they are ugly. But the ugly truth is every book has an
expiration day -- for some it’s sooner than most.
Authors
should consider giving up on their book when:
·
Sales
are anemic, despite efforts to publicize and market the book
·
It
fails to get a majority of positive reviews
·
You’re
not clicking with social media
·
People
tell you the book’s deficient: bad editing, boring story, factual errors, price
is too high
·
You
gambled on an idea and it flopped
·
You
realize, deep down, that you could do much better on the next book
However,
authors shouldn’t be quick to walk away from their book. Before making a harsh
decision, ask yourself if you made a good effort in each of these areas:
·
Did
you have a distributor sell your book (if self-published)?
·
Did
you promote your book to the news media?
·
Did
you set up bookstore appearances or speaking events?
·
Were
you actively promotion it via blogging, Facebook, and Twitter?
·
Did
you have a web site and did it highlight your book?
·
Did
you get reliable feedback from people whose opinions you value and trust?
·
Did
the book present well? Catchy title, good price, nice layout, attractive cover?
Sometimes
it’s hard to say why a book falls short of expectations but at some point you
have to move on and focus on the next book. I would say once a book is six
months old and you feel you’ve exhausted all possibilities, move on. For some,
that decision may even come sooner.
My
son may have moved on from the loss that I still feel disgusted over. Perhaps his kind of resiliency is what authors need. We all must admit defeat when it comes our
way and then put our energies into the next season or book. There will be new
battles to win, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the victor next time.
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog
are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest
book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important
when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2013
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