You have to spend money to make money.

I really wonder if that saying applies to indie authors. Later this month, I will be having the largest, most expensive, and wide-spread promotion I’ve ever done.

I have no idea what the outcome will be, and I don’t pretend to think it will be successful. I’m simply following another saying: you never know until you try.

I’m pretty sure that all indie authors have felt the squeeze the last couple of years. The number of free and discounted websites have either dwindled or changed policies in order to keep up with their costs. It’s simply a lot more expensive to advertise today as an indie author than it was in 2013.

The competition is also much fiercer. I can’t imagine the number of new novels and books which are flooding the market each month. How many are from new authors? A lot, I bet. I also won’t pretend to evaluate the quality of the books either. In all honesty, it’s a rare book that grabs my attention these days. What I typically see on social media is simply not a draw for me. I have no idea how my novels stack up with the average indie novel, whatever that means.

For me, I’m satisfied with what I have produced. I’m not ashamed to put my name on the novels, anyhow. That’s enough for me. Of course, I’m always thrilled when I’m able to connect with a reader or have someone recommend my work.

So here I am, gearing up for my largest promotion ever. I’m dishing out some cash, okay if it never comes back. I have a novel I believe in, the reviews have been fantastic so far (received a great one today I’ll shared soon), and I’m willing to take that next step. Could it be one step forward, two steps back? Possibly. But it’s time to make a push, and if it fails, I’ll try again at another time, and if that fails … It’s okay. I’m not in it for the money.

More details on the promotions coming soon!