My Ever Expanding Market

August is here and it’s time to push this book harder so I am trying to reach an expanded
distribution network which would include big box retailers like B&N and
Borders; to reach this goal I need to sell about 50 more books before September
1^st and I will qualify to be listed in the available on-line books.
This means that you (or any consumer) could walk into their local
Barnes&Nobles and ask for my book, “SCHLEP” by name. Chances are it won’t be
on the shelf, but they could order it for you. This is a huge step to take and
one I really need to reach out and seek help from others to attain. I need to
sell 50 copies of my book during this month and I’m going to try to do anything
to reach this goal! I am going to do some readings this month, I have to…I am
going to read at the open mic night thing at Lamplighter’s Inn (a local pub), I
am going to create a youtube reading to try and use virally via Facebook,
myspace and other Social Media marketing channels.

I recently attended a networking meeting of the local chapter of The Writing Mafia where it was discussed that a book release party
is a great way to create both sales and buzz about one’s book, so that too is
something that I want to try and make happen for this month. I am also
interested in breaking into the European market (because 60% of all books
bought in Europe are self published) and
appealing to the aficionados of the infamous Route 66 (because that is a large
part of “SCHLEP”). I am not having much luck so far finding alternative funding
sources to promote the book, so again, it remains a shoestring (more like a
kite string) budget! Another idea I got from the networking meeting was the
very act of getting out and networking more. I sold a book that night, I didn’t
plan on it but it was a welcomed surprise when one of the other group members
asked to buy my book! That got me thinking about going to more of these (and
other) kinds of networking meetings. I could probably sell a few more books
doing those kinds of meetings and if I were to develop some kind of
presentation about the self publishing process, something else I could almost “perform”,
I might be able to position myself available to a wider network of networking
opportunities.

Lastly, one the things I have been reminding myself about is that notion that this book of mine, “SCHLEP” was created and intended to
attract the attention of a Hollywood representation for myself. I am looking to
establish my contacts and networks to include people in the film and
entertainment industry. I want to sell copies of the book, certainly, I want to
reach as wide an audience as I can with this novel. But just as importantly, I
want to find the right agent or person who will help me pimp my other ideas,
screenplays, manuscripts and whatnot to the powers that be; “SCHLEP” is merely
a key to the lock on the gates of my imagination. I remind myself of this
because it bolsters my ego, helps me fend off the negative vibes and I feel
better about all the stuff I “dumped” into this book. I say “dumped” because I
used a lot of different sources, niche ideas and writing styles to create the
book. In creating “SCHLEP” I was trying to show off everything I have, in
several different “voices” all with the intention of finding that one, two or
three people who will recognize my talents and skills; in hope they would believe
in my abilities enough to support my ambition to achieve acclaim as an artist.
But even so, it only helps towards my goals to have as many people as I can buy
this book which would help me reach my dream.