I recently began to doubt whether what I was doing with regards to marketing my books was worthwhile. I had committed myself to posting frequently on social media using various platforms, including this blog, to get my work known. This started on 1 June 2023, and it appeared that my marketing work had not enjoyed any results. I have been away for the past few days, enjoying the Cotswolds here in England. It was a trip organised, as usual, by my wife who had always wanted to visit this famous part of the country. It is as beautiful as everyone says, lots of thatched cottages, village pubs, market towns, and stately homes to visit. As much fun as this vacation was it also meant that I could only do the bare minimum in respect of promotional activity. It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, when I finally got my laptop out after returning home and discovered that I have sold three books!

Now, three books is not a lot in terms of sales, I admit, but previous to me starting this campaign I had not sold any books for quite a long time. I am going to take the positive from my actions; I have sold some books and that was the aim of the exercise. Yes, I would like to sell more than three, but I see that as the beginning. Of course, I am realistic enough to recognise that I might not sell anymore books again, but I am also positive enough not to accept that possibility without a month or two of sales figures to support that pessimistic conclusion. I have developed a generic style for my adverts, which I have tweaked a little even while they were being posted. I am still not convinced that they are 100% right yet, but these little changes appear to making a difference. I know this because I am recording the number of visitors to my website.

Marketing is not where my heart lays; that is in the writing of the books. It is a necessary evil until I start to turn the kind of profit that will allow me to contract this activity out, however. Also, I am not relying on one method only. I have plans to pursue other techniques of publicising my books in the very near future. I still have my doubts as to whether or not any of this will lead to the kind of success that I, like so many other creative people, yearn for, but I found that it can be dispelled by a simple positivity like selling three books. I am going to work at making this the little stone that begins to roll down the mountain and starts an avalanche of sales figures.