Four Reasons You Aren’t Getting Book Publicity from Bloggers - Follow Up

Browsing some book reviews I came across the fetching title - Four Reasons You Aren’t Getting Book Publicity from Bloggers by Monica O'Brien. Some of the arcane comments caused me to reflect and of course Monica in her enthusiasm left herself open to criticism ....lets pick up the thread here...enjoy and click on the link above for Monica's article.
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A couple of old stogy remarks here is a little disappointing - I'm talking about the comment section. For me I want to reach young readers I've written a beautiful book that they might "really" enjoy. I think what some of the "offended" authors in the comment section are missing is the overall point. Get to know your community.

This young lady has put a lot of time into her efforts here and has quite a few readers, fans and followers. What she doesn't realize is how tremendously hard it is to write a book. Not until you actually write one - you have no idea. That being said authors are exhausted but the sad part is - finishing the book is just the beginning.

Back to Monica's point - get to know the community - contribute content to her blog - talk to her - say hello - send a tweet - unless you immerse yourself in the blogosphere it won't work for you. Generic press releases aren't human and in this world "professional" behavior has become inhumane. How else would the lying, cheating, stealing and manufactured outrage be acceptable behavior in the allegedly "grown up" world of "professional" behavior.

Slamming Monica and the web as a kid and child's play proves the point. Adults would do well to remember their idealism of their youth for it is in the purity of intentions that all of mankind's salvation is to be found. You see the kids at Woodstock were right and they are still right. This world would be better off learning to live and let live and that when you help others you are helping yourself. Not that age is the sole factor in having that wonderful and successful mindset, but rather the intention behind the action is so unbelievably important. Many people never get this and many people blow it off because they get a few crumbs of success being a sh***head.

I have so many interest like Monica that I'm naturally out there on the web blogging - you see I didn't write a book to become famous or rich so my efforts are genuine, clean, pure. Journey Home is a good story, lots of twists and turns that I didn't know were going to be there until I started writing. It was an exploration of creativity and it serves an over riding principle and mindset. I wrote the book I always wanted to read. And now I write on my passions weekly on blogs and network sites. They are passions well represented in my book and yes they have brought me a few readers not many but a few and the personal reward has been over the moon. It's not measured in dollars or fame but it's genuine and more fulfilling.

Unless you have the big publishing machine of Random House or Simon and Schuster promoting your book across media (articles in people magazine, plugs on the Today show or Oprah and John Stewart) or are already famous you're dead meat.

But the question is why did you do it - why did you write the book. For me it was dying to get out - it was something I couldn't stop (much like this comment - LOL) and it took 26 years to create. That was just the beginning.

Paul Burke
Author-Journey Home