Have you ever faced a challenge, a task you keep putting off because it’s difficult or because it takes you into areas you just don’t understand? I’m facing such a task now,
In order to promote my book, LOVE & STARDUST, to a larger reading audience, I must, at this time, do three things: Master the ins and outs of Facebook, Amazon and GOODREADS as promotional tools. There will be other ways and other tools for promotion but for now it’s these three that can help me sell more books by gaining additional exposure for the book. Each is a powerful tool for reaching my goal. They are however, mysterious and confusing to me in their mechanics.
The language used to work with Facebook, Amazon and GOODREADS is to me a bit confusing and makes my brain hurt. I tend to begin and instantly confusion sets in and I want to go bake a batch of oatmeal cookies, make a pot of tea and think about something else. If I could find a student or someone who has mastered these tools I would hire them to either do the work or teach me how to do it.
Isn’t the internet and the world of digital supposed to make our lives easier and better? It doesn’t seem that way to me at times. Maybe it’s my age? Everyone says, ‘go find a kid and they’ll walk you through it.’ Maybe so. I just know I need these tools to help me make a success of Love & Stardust but they are such a challenge.
Life too can be that way. We know we want to improve a relationship or repair a break in communication with a spouse, partner or friend. But somehow the steps to reach an outcome we desire seem out of reach. Pride can get in the way or we don’t see a clear path to approach the problem. In the end there is often no easy way around but to dig in and do whatever it takes to arrive at the destination. Perhaps we may require outside help, but often it just takes courage, determination, sacrifice and maybe a little compromise.
In marriage my wife Dolly and I always followed the old rule of never going to bed angry. We’d sit down and as calmly as possible find a way to compromise and reach a place were we found contentment for both. Each of us would give a little until we came to a place where the outcome was acceptable.
As complex as human relationships can be they usually don’t require learning new processes. Most of us possess common sense…a least we should. We also have other skills learned while growing up, so we can dig them out and put them to work. We don’t always need to win. Better to find an acceptable compromise.
Back to my social media problems. I was never formerly taught how to use a computer, software, the internet, email or any of the other things we now accept as part of life in our modern world. I, like many others, had to teach myself and sometimes I didn’t do a very good job of it. The program WORD is an example. I wrote an entire book using WORD and on the surface it looked fine. But when I sent the manuscript to the people who were going to format the book for me I was bluntly informed: “This thing is a mess…but we can fix it. It will take time.” For example, every time I’d wanted to indent a new sentence, I used the space bar. This is a giant no no in the use of WORD.
Now I’m starting a new book and really must stop and spend endless hours with my WORD FOR IDIOTS book so I get it right this time. I don’t really want to spend hours learning the right way. It’s just seems one more step that slows down the process of writing. Mastering Facebook, Amazon and GOODREADS and other sales and promo tools is a must. I may spend more time learning how to use them then I will actually spend using them. Somehow, that doesn’t seem right. Oh well, one must do what must be done. Unless of course one of you knows a genius who can come show this poor Wordsmith the ropes!
Share your love and do good deeds! It will make the world a better place. Cheers! __PM