Self Promotion: How many ways can you get yourself out there?

This week I was able to finally put the final touches on Issue 1 of Mind the Thorns.  It's the first three chapters, packaged as a mini-novella, and available as an eBook and in print edition.  This week, over on Mind the Thorns, I'll be posting chapter 6, which will also bring Issue 2 to a close.  Between time to edit it again, format for publication and have the copy editor work over it, I should, in theory, have it ready by the 30th.  It's still a little slower than I would like but it can work.


The real question, though, is if any of this will work to add to the overall exposure of the website, the story and my other writing.  


Just getting into brick and mortar stores is a challenge, too, because there just are not that many traditional book stores in my area any more.  There's still a Borders, about 45 minutes away.  There are a few comic shops that I'm hoping to get into but they're not really known for novels.  Really the best way to get your hands on a dead tree edition of a book is Amazon.com.



 Recently, the subject of piracy came up again on GoodReads.  It seems to be a monthly occurrence and I really don't want to rehash what I've said about it before.  However I will put out there something that was shared in the thread, if I can be permitted to paraphrase it.


The logic goes like this.  If you use traditional publishing  you may sell 100 copies.  But if that same work is pirated to 10,000 people and just a 5% of them like it enough to buy it (or any other work you produce) then that's 500 sales.  Simply put the free promotion gets the work into the most hands possible.


So begins a bit of an experiment.  I am committed that Mind the Thorns will always, always, be free.  Anyone can go to the website and give it a read.  If they want to contribute that's completely optional.  There's no requirement, no pay walls, nothing to stop them from only enjoying the free website edition.


But, if they do want to support it, they can purchase the eBook, the print edition etc.  I'm hoping soon to have a subscription model set up where people can sign up and receive by mail a signed copy of each issue.  


So now there's a certain curiosity as to whether or not this will work.  It's far far too early to know for sure as the website is still growing and building a following.  It may be too early to even talk about financial support as the page count is in flux.  On the other hand, when people do want to make a financial contribution, I want to be ready for it.


As I blogged last week, while it was good that FantastiCon got into the top 20 for free sales, and hundreds went into circulation, it will be some time before I have any idea if that will translate into additional sales.  I have a feeling that Mind the Thorns will be much the same thing.