Yeah,  it’s a waste of time.  I promise any writer out there that Social Media is going to do very little to help you promote your work.  Trust me.  I’ve been at it for while  (many years,  less than some, more than most others).

But what else is there?  Think about it.  How does any writer get the word out about their book(s)?  All the “traditional” means  (and let me add here that anytime someone uses the word “traditional” in regards to book marketing, one should immediately assume they know very little about book marketing in 2014)  –   store visits, readings, NY Times ads (ha),  are truly not within the realm for most new authors.  This is the case EVEN if your work is selected by a large publishing house.  They are not going to invest any money in your marketing.  You’re not worth it.   Suck it up.  Get real.

So I repeat – “What else is there”?  Nothing.  So go ahead and have fun.  But  realize that Social Media is NOT going to sell books.  I’m not saying don’t participate, you should.  But do it SOLELY for the Social Aspect.  Swap pictures with friends.  Meet other writers.  Follow your family members to see what they’re up to.  That’s the TRUE value of Social Media for writers.  Connecting with others, being social.

And the truth is, there isn’t anything else.  Get ready for a load of disappointment.  Very, very, very, very few books get noticed.   Yours won’t be noticed.  I promise.

In the end, the adage holds true in this world of self-publishing just as it does in the “traditional” world.  The ONLY way to sell books is word of mouth.  Readers have to tell other readers that your work is worthy of investing time.  Yeah, yeah, I know there are exceptions.  Hey, some folks win the lottery.  Smart folks don’t bet on exceptions, they bet on reality.  

Make your book the best it can be.  Expect NOTHING to happen.  Write 3 more books.  Expect NOTHING to happen.  Improve your craft.  Re-write one of the books you’ve already published and make it BETTER.

Quality work is the only path to success.   And make sure your ONLY marker for success is that you’ve published the very, very, very best book that you can create.  Big sales are like winning the lottery and you won’t win.   But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and have personal growth.  Just don’t expect that there will be any growth in your bank account.