Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “Fiction writers are only ever promoting themselves to other fiction writers and not readers and that’s why they never succeed.” Sound familiar? I must read this sentiment from fellow fiction writers or gurus trying to sell me “the answer” dozens of times over. It’s an old and tired rant that isn’t really a rant at all but it makes them feel better to have revealed some “deep dark secret about ourselves” so I 100% of the time say nothing.
But lately, and this might be a getting older thing, I’ve had a shorter fuse when it comes to certain things I see and hear and read in my life and so, I have some things I’d like to say. Prepare now for MY rant…
Whenever I hear someone try to tell me I’m an idiot, cause let’s face it, that’s what they’re all saying without outright saying it (though some are “ballsy” enough to actually say it), because my marketing tactics will never work because we’re all fiction writers trying to sell to each other, it assumes two things about writers that, for lack of a better word, I think, are pure fiction:
All writers are NOT readers as well.
All writers are ALWAYS and ONLY ever broke.
Now, I’m gonna say something here but before I do I realize there is this badge of honor many within the fiction community, including myself, feel the need to say about ourselves because if we don’t we feel that people won’t buy our books. And that is that I’m not broke. Well, actually, I probably am broke since, as I’m writing this my family has -$0.03 in our bank account and were notified a few days ago that our $6k credit card is “near the limit” with just under $200 left on it. Not to mention the mountain of hospital and student loan debt. But, forgetting all that for a moment, my wife and I combined earn six figures from our paying jobs. I work for one of the top three marketing agencies in the world (it was number one but recently toppled to third) and my wife is self-employed, on her seventh season running a very popular horror screenplay and short story contest as well as other things. We own a house, have a son who goes to one of the most sought after schools for children with autism (though we are one of the few who gets it paid for by the county while other families are clearly living a filthy rich lifestyle). Why am I telling you all this? Because while I have money to buy whatever I want whenever I want, my current lack of it is purely due to poor life choices and decision making that my wife and I make.
However, as a lifelong writer and storyteller I can honestly and proudly tell you that I have purchased, so far, enough books to fill at least a dozen bookcases, and guess what, I’ve actually read a majority of the books I own. Some I inherited when my grandmother and mother passed away and those books are still in boxes, hence why they haven’t been read. But yeah, funny how that is. A writer who reads fiction. I must be an endangered species considering how often I hear people assume I don’t exist.
And I’m buying books ALL THE TIME! I’m literally going broke buying them!
And again, I realize saying these things, as a fellow writer who also wants to sell my work and also finds it equally frustrating that I simply haven’t and also understands the dichotomy that I am promoting my work to fellow writers who most of them might not be as well off as I am, is probably a bad move/take.
But then I think about the writers who I look up to. You know the ones. We secretly (or publicly) want to be them and envy their success.
Let’s take an easy example: Brandon Sanderson (I like to use him as an example a lot whenever I need a swift kick in the backside about myself)
Brandon is not out here hiding his wealth. He’s also not out here trying to pretend to be someone he isn’t or self-promoting to “other writers.” But guess what? A large part of his fanbase and audience are also fiction writers. Turns out many of them were writers before they encountered his work or they found themselves influenced by it and started to write a story. Good or bad. For better or worse. And it turns out when his work is promoted it’s never assumed who his audience is. Or at least, it’s never assumed his audience are broke ass writers who don’t read. I wonder if it was, how many sales he’d make.
Now, I already know what you’re saying: But Erica, he’s Brandon “Fucking” Sanderson! His sales figures can’t be compared to that of an indie fiction writer because he had millions of followers and “true fans” straight out the womb! He never struggled to find his audience. He and Mistborn were created at exactly the same time, readers (none of whom also happen to be writers) found the book and voila, an instant (and obvious) success was made.
Isn’t that how we believe all “popular” authors (not writers) became who they are? It just happened for them and they have no idea what it’s like to really struggle like we do/are.
So, where am I going with this? Because another key thing I find whenever I read these rants complaining that there are no readers here!
Where are the damn readers?! THE VOID! BLAH BLAH BLAH!
Is that there are never any answers to what always sounds like a pretty serious epidemic we are all in! Clearly, if you know the problem, you must have a solution? You cracked the code and now that you’ve pulled the wool (or rose colored glasses) over your own eyes you’re here to help your fellow writer, right? Wrong. 1,000% of the time there is no solution. Just constant and continuous complaining. Or the solution is vague. Or even worse than that, it’s hidden behind a paywall! Fancy that! You complain that “we’re all starving artists” and “all in the same boat” but the only way you’ll promise safety and salvation from the virus we can’t seem to be rid of is if we, the starving writer, pay you for it?! Makes perfect and logical sense to me! Doesn’t it make sense to you?!
Well, I know the problem, have known for ages it turns, out so I don’t need you or anyone else pointing out the obvious to me (“no shit Sherlock”) and it turns out I have the answer. The antidote. The cure!
We need to stop labeling each other!
If you’re here (and by here, I mean “on Substack or X or YouTube or TikTok or the local bookstore or the 7/11 or Walmart or the mall”) with the intent of finding a community of fellow writers, then do it! Be thankful that you’ve “found your people” and quit pointing out the bloody obvious! We know already! Skip over that part and say “Hello!” Participate in the latest writing activity or collaboration. Offer up a funny story or joke! But for heavens sake quit it with the rest. We get it!
But, and here’s the clincher, if you’re here to sell something to readers, stop fucking complaining that we (fellow writers) aren’t readers! It’s insulting! And stupid! And not how you make a sale it turns out.
Turns out, doing simultaneous selling and complaining is bad salesmanship! HA! Who knew!
It also is a great way to get zero traction in terms of subscribers or followers.
Cause that seems to be one thing many of these writers who complain or gurus who offer answers for money have in common: lack of audience.
Another thing they have in common is lack of a portfolio. Why should I listen to the rantings and ravings of someone who doesn’t have any fiction to speak of? Nor do I see your published book? Where’s your proof that the system isn’t working? That the platform you’re on is filled with poor writers who don’t read and that’s why you have made no sales and have no followers or subscribers? Hard to make that case when you just got here two minutes ago and in that time you’ve written one piece of fiction then wasted no time writing a dozen or so complaints! 🙄
I get it. You’re frustrated. I am too. But the problem is not for lack of an audience or people with money to maybe buy what we’re selling. The real problem is that we’re shitting in the same place where we’re trying to also sell our fiction and customers are pinching their noses on their way out the door and never coming back!
Who would buy something from a person who spends half the time complaining and the other half saying “buy my book” with little else to say? Would you? I sure as hell wouldn’t!
So, take a deep breath. Look around at the wondrous opportunity before you. We are living in a time when gatekeepers are a thing of the past. People, total strangers, are everywhere! When I hear someone ask the question, “where are the readers?” I wanna scream at them, “WE’RE RIGHT HERE!”
Readers, dear friend (Do you mind if I call you friend? You’ve made it this far through my rant so I figure we must be friends now.), are everywhere! Otherwise, why on earth would they be on a platform that is 98% reading?! They’re not here to watch a movie or listen to music or take a nap!
Prepare to have your mind blown by my next statement: Most, if not all, of the people here are readers! 🤯
I know! The revelations I’m dropping. And I’ve got a few more! Hold on to your socks for this next one!
Most of the readers here have money! 🧦💨
One more. One more.
Most of the readers with money who are here don’t wanna hear your complaints about how they don’t exist, but they do want to read your work, so stop complaining and put your damn work out there! 🩲💨
Oh, and one more thing, cause it’s another doozy of a complaint that often accompanies the one about the lack of readers or sales. 101% of the readers with money who are tired of your complaints likely won’t leave a comment or click the Like button or interact with the work (or complaints) you put out and that is a GOOD THING! Because it means there’s still hope for you weary traveler who still has work to do to reset your mind/focus on the task at hand. In short, stop worrying about where the reader with money is and worry more about the lack of stuff you have to show them (besides your complaints) when they do show up.
I leave you with a challenge: Every time you complain publicly, whether in a post or on Substack Notes or X or TikTok or to your mom even, I want you to create THREE pieces of (________). This way you can spend more time creating and less time complaining and hopefully find yourself with more content worth sharing to those elusive readers with money someday…
Let the comments commence… Or not… Up to you…
Erica,
Thank you.
The reason I began writing in the first place is my great love for READING!!!
So what if your only audience is other indie writers? It honestly makes the community so much better. We are ALL struggling and ALL striving to improve our craft together! And if someone has great success I will be cheering them on!!
Now did I leave a review for said authors book a while ago. Yes I did. And while I thought it was a generous review. Said author did indeed complain about my review. The only person I have blocked on Substack.
Overall I have found the community to be full of brilliant and talented people and I will keep reading and buying their work regardless of whether they read mine.
I am not a voracious reader like many people on here, but I do read. That means I have to be very picky with what I read. I would say there are several problems that make me not read what people write:
1. Genre: If you write horror, I'm not going to read it. Nothing an author can do about that.
2. No one ever posts a good synopsis of their story. It's usually something like, "A medieval dark fantasy" or "Othello but in space" It tells me nothing about the story and I'm not going to click through your Substack and try to see if you've summarized the plot. Why spend months or years writing something and give up on the promo which is the only thing new readers see??? Improve your marketing game to at least something like trad publishing. Read the outlines that they write on the outside of books, copy the format and post it regularly on Notes. One sentence or phrase doesn't cut it.
3. You're bad at writing. Doesn't mean you can't improve but my guess is if JRR Tolkien wrote Lord of the Rings on Substack, he would be rich and popular. Hell several authors have become famous posting their books on forums so unfortunately it probably means you have to step up your game.
Maybe this advice is wrong, I don't write fiction unless you count my satire news, but that's my opinion as an outsider.