I was reading spam today… Sometimes it sparks a thought. The company mentioned how authors spend so much time writing their books only to see them buried beneath tons of virtual books online.
https://www.books2read.com/u/bxZl8J
Frankly, I remember walking into libraries and bookstores experiencing the smell of the pulp and ink, and that overwhelming sensation of “so many books–so little time.” Where to begin…
I worked in a library in college and learned how to search and whittle down my preferences, yet still the numbers and varieties of books are vast and countless.
I love books… especially tangible books. But having a library or bookstore in the palm of my hand…think of it, the knowledge of lifetimes is available electronically to anyone with an e-reader… How does one choose from all those books?
Reviewers, you see how you matter, right? Search engine developers think of your responsibilities. Librarians listed books according to categories and the N.Y. Times best seller list depended on publishers and reviewers to promote the books. Well, money still talks. Darn it.
But hope springs eternal someone once said. Every once in awhile an unknown book or author will break through the millions of new titles and rise to the top of the lists. A miracle of discovery, a gift for readers of that genre.
You know the accidental yet totally deserved success stories I’m talking about. The books that explode out of nowhere by unknown authors who have struggled with invisibility, disinterested agents, editors, and publishers.
It’s about the money. You know that and I know that.
“That isn’t what readers want.”
“We aren’t publishing that now.”
“No money in that genre.”
“It may come back but not now.”
Self publishing solved the publishing issue but money seems to be the only other way to solve the invisibility issue…or is it?
When you find that gem of a read, the one that puts a smile on your lips at the very first page and grips you to the very last, share it. Rave about it to the world, please. Word of mouth is still the best way of advertising.
Eliza March Writes...Books, Blogs, and Writing Secrets 