How does one promote their fiction in the age of overwhelming feeds and algorithms?
I first joined steemit hoping to share my fiction. I discovered very quickly, that while it was a great place, it wasn't great for finding readers of fiction. Too many content creators, not enough content consumers. To be fair, a handful of friends have gone out of their way to read my work, or even become patrons and help support my dreams, but just a handful of those who I've interacted with.
This no longer distresses me, I now have a job to support myself, and I'm ultra grateful for the people who do enjoy my work, but I still wish I could find a support base to help me make this 30 hour a week work schedule sustainable and for as valuable as I feel my work is, I hope to eventually develop a modest following.
Just 1000 "fans" and by that I mean friends who really appreciate my work, thats really all I want. I don't need to be famous, I don't need to reach everyone, I just want to reach a few people who can really resonate. 1000 patrons would be enough to allow me to focus more time and energy on my work too!
I'll keep writing even if it's just for myself, but I really would love to reach the right 1000 people. How does one build a "fanbase" independently from scratch, just creating quality content and without any gimmicks or attempts at being flashy. How does one succeed modestly in this age of decadance and competition. I've always wanted so much to cooperate that this culture of competition is hard for me to survive in.
How does one share their work in an honest and direct way, not with "as many people as possible" but with the right people? How does one let their work speak for itself when everyone and everything is competing for attention?
I've tried social media but have had no results. So I'm working on business cards, and putting together a zine. I'm hoping that my music will help promote my fiction as it comes together more. Any other ideas? I've been brainstorming for a while but still stumbling around.
And please check out [I+Everything] which includes
Stories: The Adventures of Helicopter Pee Man
and Songs: Art/ist
Decision paralysis, and a genuine over supply of content, material, and media. That genuine appreciation and fascination doesn't come as people are more interested in consuming what they can, in the time they have.
Sadly the content has to be extremely compelling, to capture the shorter attention spans of the world.
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I mean it does, but only for people who really really like and respect you, and I mean more than they can be expected to because there are so many people worth admiration and respect, but somehow only those with a million followers are considered successful. I think I'd love it if the biggest celebrities were only known by a hundred thousand people each. Decentralization of attention.
It is... WAS one of the best things about ThemTube, it was THE one place to go to find all the newest videos.
But, then they started making it really hard to stumble onto great stuff. I now find new channels by interviews on channels i watch.
There is sorta some platforms for fan fiction, and your work can get some traction there... but, it is a pile of shit, that you go looking for one gem in.
The only thing i have found is writing a blog/vlog or such and putting down at the bottom, here is my books. Then you just make it really easy for people to share to their friends
Then, get on blogs and videos of people who talk to your audience.
It is such a pain! I feel that writing to every publisher was easier.
I don't need to dig for gems, if it's likely that someone of substance will find my gems, I'm there. If it's like throwing a message in a bottle into the ocean...well....
The thing about sharing is, few people share, even if they like it, probably cause they've already experienced that no one sees what they share and the few who see it are too overwhelmed or saturated with other work. I really hate that I need to focus more on being cool to find readers, cause that still works.
I think I'll try some cross promotion on Facebook
Totally hear you on that.
And can relate. Albeit for my non-fiction work.
I just listened to a great podcast of Teju Cole being interviewed by Krista Tippett...
… here’s the link ...
He said a couple of things to this point, that he writes some things to get paid, but also writes other things specifically not for money as he needs to express these things without the pressing need to reach audiences, etc.
I personally think the quality of my creative efforts have improved since I consciously chose not to write them for audiences, engagement, etc.
Sure, not as many people read my work now, but it’s doing something for my soul that previously it was not. And seeing as I’m not depending on that for an income, I feel better all round.
But I recognise I’m in somewhat of a privileged position there.
But I’d love to know how more people could read my work. Maybe it’s just about being patient, and trusting that whomever needs to read my work — those that will find value in it and will benefit them in some generative way — will do so.
Do you know about @thewritersblock and their Steemhouse Publishing project?
Or @gardengnomepubs and their speculative fiction group?
😊🙏🏽☯️
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To make a living as a writer is not my primary goal. To make a living doing what I love is the primary goal. I don't love making music, I love making the music I love, same with writing. So until that becomes more sustainable, I would rather do other work than turn my passions into professions. It works for some people.
I've no longer set my mind on making a living off my writing, it would just be so much more awesome to so so, and the only reason I set arbitrary goals of 1000 supporters is because if I had access to people's attention I don't imagine that'd be hard to do, but attention is feircely competed over, so I don't know how to do it.
I will put a little more effort into connecting with these communities, but I worry that it will require a lot of reading other works which will cut into my writing time, which is already quite sparse.
I'll think of something and you are right, it will reach the people it needs to at the right time. Excited to be working on novels now instead of just short stories. And maybe one of these communities will help... and thanks for stopping by, as always! <3
Well, when you work it out, please let us all in on the secret 😉
On another note, I noticed another post where you mentioned shifting your SP into liquid Steem and focussing more on Whaleshares.
It’ll be a pity to see you less here. But I get it. Maybe that’s enough incentive of heading over to check that out.
But I just thought you may find something else of interest... it’s called Junto and will be hosted on the Holochain. Go check it out, I think you may find that platform of great interest.
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I struggled with that one for a little while, and now I just don't XD What I end up doing is talking way too much about my project if someone is silly enough to ask and now I've got people who apparently can't wait and aaahhhhhhh the pressure XD
My complete inability to self-promote (aside from aforementioned excitable prattling) has me relying on reshares and it's a really slow and heavy way to do anything but probably the one most likely to get you the organic growth/traction that I think you like. I'm kind of somewhere in the middle of the process myself so have nothing more useful XD
Yeahhhh. I wish there were more readers at steemit who were not concerned with mining crypto through posting lots of content or in the same boat as us. That would solve everything, but money is still what draws a lot of people here.
Anyway, you've been a massive encouragement to keep going. If I could find you and the others from be awesome, I'm sure everything else will work out.
I agree, I think in this age, where there are millions of options to choose from in any category, very few succeeds in capturing a massive following just because they let their work speak for themselves. I don't say it doesn't happen. It still does, but rarely.
It's all about marketing and finding/creating a tribe that would appreciate your work (applies in anything I think).
I still think social media is the best avenue to capture attention. Find groups of the same niche? Create accounts that would creatively tease and capture the audience? The things that are trending in social media, some would think silly, but they work in getting a following.
All you need is a boost in getting people to look at you and if your work is good enough, then it will take care of itself.
Best of luck in your journey! Let us know how it goes and keep us posted :)
I've done the groups thing, it works a liiiittle...takes a lot of energy to really build up a reputation though and I found it equally effective as steemit or whaleshares engagement, but without that feeling that we are building something together.
You are right! Just trying to find the right boost!
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