Should All Authors Write For Bitcoin?

                  

A few months ago, non-fungible tokens became a popular thing. A piece of blockchain-based digital art sold at auction for $69 million. The collage of 5,000 images by the artist known as Beeple sold at a record price. Since then, all kinds of NFTs have been sold at wild but varying prices.

 

NFT. WTF?

 

Authors must be scratching their heads and wondering: Why? How?

 

How could a writer toil in obscurity for years, get ignored by publishers, and earn peanuts for his or her writings, not be jealous at this craze that rewards bullshit?

 

I don’t know why anyone would but a NFT. There is nothing unique about it. It is not great art necessarily. And it seems easily replicable. What is the point? What do you really own?

 

It goes along with cryptocurrency. A Bitcoin is nothing, really. It is not a currency in the U.S. It is limited on how much of it exists. There is no there there. Some computer software mints really nothing. This nothing can’t be seen or touched. It can’t be traced. It is used by criminals. What the hell is going on?

 

Meanwhile, Monopoly money has more value. At least you can use it to play a game. But seriously, Bitcoin is a pyramid scheme that keeps growing. It was worth as much as $60,000 recently -- and now it struggles to retain half of that value.

 

What is our country and culture coming to? We “speak” by texting. We ‘write’ by using emojis. We say a made-up digital image is worth 69 million dollars, and believe one unit of a made-up commodity-called-currency is worth $30,000 or more. The government can’t even pass a minimum wage bill that is livable, schools turn out dummies, and all that used to illegal, such as marijuana, is now sold everywhere with the blessing of all. And a made-up thing is viewed as money and worth a pound in gold?

 

I love America. It always has had problems and growing pains. What is new confounds us until it becomes the norm. Where there is opportunity, someone will exploit it. Our consumerism and entrepreneurialism collaborate to sell junk to junkies. Bubbles burst and we move on to the next big thing.

 

But it frustrates those who work hard, such as writers, to see people make easy money day-trading Bitcoin, overcharging for some trendy product, or living off the interest and profits of a company that built itself on the backs of low-wage, throw-away workers. But that’s capitalism and the American dream at work. 

 

The question is this: Can writers make real money? Maybe if they sell their book cover art as a NFT, or agree to receive royalties in Bitcoin, they will generate some greenbacks. Unfortunately, the author’s printing press doesn’t mint money, but it does produce a product that helps others, and gives writers a well-deserved legacy.

 

Books have immeasurable value. They are worth far more than Bitcoins.

Need Book PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

How Authors Create Markets For Their Books

 

 

Writers are dreamers, creators, reformers, and visionaries by nature. They don’t accept the status quo and often long for the past, a brighter future, or a whole new world. Can they transfer their imagination that is used to write, and apply it to marketing their books?

 

Writers need the right ratio of writing-to-marketing. They can’t just write and not market. And if they market all of the time, they have no time to write.

 

What to do?

 

·         Always be thinking… and always be taking action.

·         Dream some … but be realistic in your deeds.

·         Explore going big .. but tackle the nuts and bolts first.

 

Progress is often incremental, but the key to book marketing is to be doing it rather than worrying about or planning it.

 

Some authors expect something to happen – or think that it should – but do little to actually make it happen. Your book does not accidentally make it onto a best-seller list. You need to intentionally do things to position your book for success.

 

Don’t just hope – act. Don’t just have an idea – execute and implement it. Don’t just whine or feel sorry for yourself. The odds are not in your favor. Know it. Believe it. Now see what can be done to overcome them. If you do nothing, the odds are 100% that you fail.

 

People will only buy books after exhausting lower-priced, more convenient and proven options. It is hard to compete with free, discounts, or piracy. You need to go out there and tell people you exist, that you offer something of value, that your book will do something for them. People need to discover you. Whether it is a great book or not won’t matter when no one has heard of it.

 

Authors must create a market for their books. The demand is always there. People want certain books, need certain books, and will try certain books. Many readers are seekers. You are selling something that can help fulfill their journey. Time to make a match.

 

Authors need to create their market by:

·         Shouting through every open window – social media, speaking, news media, advertising, book awards, bulk sales, discounts, offers of gifts, and networking.

 

·         Clearly identify what they offer and answer why one should buy from them over another. Get that elevator speech polished.

 

·         Being on the offensive and taking an opportunistic mindset to book marketing.

·         Branding themselves in a way that people need to see or want to hear. Your brand is everything, from what you say and how you look and sound, to your website, your email signature, and all of the little touches that give a picture of what you stand for.

 

Authors, you don’t need to wait for a market to develop. You can open the door to any opportunity that you seek to pursue.

 

 

Need Book PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

Interview with Author Larry Godwin

 

 

1. What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into a book?

I wanted to clarify my own thinking about my condition, then assist others who struggle with depression to overcome it and live happy, productive lives. 

2. What is it about and who is it for? 

It's about coming to terms with depression, whether chronic or occasional, and rising above it.  It's for depressed people as well as for their loved ones, to help them provide support and enable them to understand the struggle.  

3. What do you hope the reader will be left with after reading it?

Hope and optimism.  I want readers to see themselves in my struggles and find their own paths to peace. 

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?

Follow your passion.  Overcome negative self-talk; sit down and start writing; don't stop until you finish.  You owe this to your readers as well as yourself. 

5. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?

I have no idea.

6. What challenges did you overcome to write this book? 

I hesitated to bear my soul and relate personal struggles, such as contemplating suicide, to strangers.   I questioned if I knew enough to help others. 

7. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

It might improve, even save their lives.  

About The Author: I have struggled with depression and the aftereffects of child abuse most of my adult life, and wrote two books to assist others who face these issues.  My goals are to improve and save lives. My articles about depression have appeared on the websites of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. I live with my wife, Cathy, in Missoula, Montana. For more information, please consult: https://www.linkedin.com/mynetwork/

 

Need Book PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

Why Great Writing Doesn’t Get You A Book Deal, But Great Marketing Does!

 

 

Many writers believe they are worthy of publication, but they wonder why a publisher has not offered them a publishing contract. They may even look at some books and question how these got greenlighted when theirs didn’t. Well, wonder no more.

 

Here’s why you have not been published by someone:

 

First, take down your inflated sense of ego and realize your book may really not be as good as those that are published. In some cases, this certainly must be true. We can’t all be great just because we think it so. A word of advice: Edit your book again, perhaps with the aid of a professional. Be open to their feedback and suggestions. You don’t always know what is best for your book.

 

Second, it is not about your book, it is about your marketing. That is right. Great marketing beats having a great book. Your ability to sell yourself and show why you are positioned for success is what convinces others to choose you.

 

Yes, they do look at your content, genre, and writing style, but they also look at how many connections you have on social media, how high your PR budget will be, how many books you will commit to buy from the publisher to resell or giveaway, and how you might set up speaking engagements to push the book. They look at your testimonials to – by whom, how many; they look to have you share a marketing plan of how you will initiate activities to the community of readers that you believe are right for your book.

 

Third, it’s a business. They don’t buy a manuscript on emotions, promises, or hopes. They look to see how they can minimize risks and recoup their investment in you. Whatever you can say, show, or do to alleviate their fears, the closer you’ll be to getting a deal.

 

Fourth, there are tons of competing voices out there. You are not the only great book or marketable author out there. They will judge you not by what’s been published, but by all of the other queries coming in during a certain window of time.

 

Firth, are you part of their circle of bias? They may be looking for more Black, female, or LGBTQ authors. If you don’t fit into that trend, you are competing with more people for fewer slots. Same goes with your gender, age, or even where you live. Everything gets factored into who and what gets published.

 

Sixth, publishers like to hear that you won’t be a one-trick pony. They want to hear that you have sequels, a series, or other books in you. Express your vision for writing additional books.

 

Conclusion: Talent as a writer is important, but not enough. The one who succeeds is the person with a blend of writing and marketing talents. Chew on that before you submit something to a literary agent or publisher. 

 

Need Book PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

Catch Up With These Posts

Here’s How Authors Script A Dose of Self-Confidence

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/heres-how-authors-script-dose-of.html

 

Must Authors Be Perfect To Succeed?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/must-authors-be-perfect-to-succeed.html

 

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https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/15-good-tips-for-authors-who-speak-to.html

 

Should Authors Use A Newsletter To Sell Books?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/should-authors-use-newsletter-to-sell.html

 

The Art of Author Networking in 14 Steps

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-art-of-networking-for-authors-in-  14.html

 

Great Book Marketing Podcast Interview With Savvy Book PR Pro Brian Feinblum

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/04/great-book-marketing-podcast-interview.html

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.