A Light Dawns Over Yonder Hill …

Hi All

I think the light is finally dawning. I am coming to my senses and realising that not everything is hunky dory in this virtual world of ours. But then, think about it. Do we get on with everyone we meet in the real world? No. So why would we think that we can get on with everyone in this crazy, virtual war zone.

I think a part of the problem lies in the fact that I was an October baby and as such I share the sign of Scorpio. Yes, yes, yes, I know, many of you will think it a load of old tosh, but I say, whatever gets you through the night, sunbeam. So take another bite of your eggy toast and listen.

It’s my extremism that is the problem really. You see, there are no grey areas. Everything is black or white. I either like someone or feel totally indifferent towards them. People will either please me or annoy me. And once I have made up my mind about someone or something I am harder to shift than the fairy on the Christmas tree with the point stuck up her bum.

So having said this I have decided to cut back from certain areas of this social networking. I have already left certain groups. I feel that these take up way too much time. Time that I should be spending on trying to figure out why I can’t make sense of the next novel that I am working on. Or rather, not working on and should be!

It no longer pleases me to waste time on unproductive things and on people who create in me the wrong vibe or response. I need to be a happy little bunny, skipping and hopping around in the lovely spring grass, chomping on four-leaf clovers, chatting with my bunny friends.  Actually I’m not too sure what I’m taking about now. I think I have fragmented over night! Maybe I’ll leave it there for now.

Sensible head now on. A friend of mine brought up the subject of e-book pricing and asked if 77p was too cheap. I said that I thought it was. What do you think? And do you think that these freebies are a good thing?

I know when I first started out all those years ago (August 2012) I had no idea what to do and what to price my books at. A good friend advised me on all of this and the advice was sound. She also explained to me that until readers ‘knew your book was out there’ you stood precious little chance of making even one sale. So following her advice I put one of my novels on free promotion for one weekend. At the time I think I had 500 twitter followers and probably 25 Facebook friends. A mere drop in the vast ocean.

I sat at the laptop for most of the weekend and tweeted and watched as my followers (I hate that word. It makes me sound like the great Messiah!) retweeted for me. They pulled out all the stops to help me – the newbie – and I can never thank those people enough. The novel had over 7.000 downloads and went to number 1 on Amazon . Following the promotion the novel sold quite well, because I was now visible. Visibility soon dropped however and now the book sales trickle. But trickle is OK. I just wonder if we are lowering our standards as well as our prices? Should something that has taken us goodness knows how long to create really only be worth 77p? Or even free? Is that truly possible?

This is a tricky one because there are those who say that readers will buy your ‘cheapo’ book, like it and then look for others. What if they don’t like it? What if the author has spent half of his/her life producing that one book?

I feel that I am producing more questions than answers today so I think I will gather up my fragmented brain and spend a little time trying to piece it back together in a more acceptable form. And hopefully, by tomorrow, I may be restored to my former self?

I would honestly value your opinions on e-book pricing and freebies, so if you have the time to leave your thoughts and opinions please do.

 

Take care my lovelies x