Give out to get back

I've volunteered to run a workshop on writing science fiction for my local literary festival in October.  The organiser enthusiastically accepted my idea, so now I've got to write the workshop.

I'm also on a panel at Loncon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention, as a result of engaging in a discussion on Twitter.

Both of these will require me to do some research, taking up time that could otherwise be used writing,  so why have I volunteered for these events?  Because you have to give out to get back.

We all have people on our Twitter feeds who do nothing but endlessly plug their books.  And boy, do we get tired of them quickly.  So how do we get the word out about our books without turning everyone off to our message?

One of the best ways is to offer something else of value to potential buyers.  If they learn something useful in a workshop I've run, or have been entertained or intrigued by something I've said on a panel, they're going to be more willing to take a chance on my book.  Writing this blog has led me to be contacted by a columnist for a major writing magazine, interested in interviewing me for a piece on women in SF.  

It's a long game building presence, but here the self published author has an advantage over the traditionally published author when it comes to paperbacks.  Mainstream books will be in bookshops, but for a very brief period unless the book becomes an overnight bestseller.  Indie published books will be available on websites, and we will have copies to take around to speaking events, for years.  

We can build awareness of our books slowly.  Val McDermid recently said that she wouldn't get published today.  She said that her first few books didn't sell well, but her publisher was willing to stick by her.  Today that doesn't happen.  The only place the long tail happens is on the internet, with indie published books.  

We can change our email signature to tell everyone we write to what our book titles are.  We can remind everyone subtly every day about our books.  Drip-feeding awareness can take a long time, but that doesn't matter to the indie published author.

If it takes a couple of years of giving out before I start to get in, that's okay,  I'll still be around then, and so will my books.