This is precisely why publishers seldom send authors on tour these days. No one shows up. It's a waste of time and money and it's very demoralizing for the author. The time and money are better spent on things that actually work.
I used to grow pineapples in my yard when we lived in Ft. Lauderdale. I purchased the first few from the grocery store and then had more growing over time from the original fruit. Each one took between one and two years to produce. Did nothing but plant the top in direct sunlight.
Bill: to me, being next to the cheerleaders offset the wrestler. Do you still have a calendar?!?
I started a substack a year ago and I have 1 fan. Several subscribers but one person who’s life I have positively impacted with my writing and looks forward to my weekly posts. It is fine.
Thank you for sharing a story we all can relate to. As with so many other stories in a similar vein, persistence and determination can crush life’s curve balls, and this experience inspires us all to risk failing to achieve success. Happy New year.
I have a friend who has described the error in thinking some people have where if they invite 100 people to a party and 99 show up, the person will obsess about the 1 who didn’t. I guess the opposite is true too. If only one shows up it’s still unhelpful to think about the 99 who didn’t. The 1 who is there is pretty special. If 2 show up then you’ve really got something. I love this TED Talk about how momentum starts. Very similar to Bill’s story.
In my first run for political office many years ago I hand wrote 400 invitations to residents to join me at the local American Legion, had a nice spread of food, cash bar available. Zero people showed up. Zero. As an eternal optimist I wrote the night off as a win because 400 people at least knew I was running. Happy to report I ended up winning the race by 200 votes out of 19,000 cast.......
I wrote a self published small book and sent it to 100 people that could offer a review but got NO responses. C'est la vie! Anyway, the pleasure I got writing it overshadowed the rejection.
Sorry this happened to you, but your last insight is a critical tactic in field marketing for alcoholo nad beverage brands. Never show up alone. Bring a small, starter crowd everywhere. Even pay people to mingle. It works every time!
Doesn't happen to me if there're people within hearing distance. I talk out loud into the room.
There's always someone who's curious about something you said... so you get 'em in a headlock... like this... see? Then you tell them to open the book randomly pick a page and read a paragraph.
Regarding your reference to "the House of Commons [voting] to add a two-year jail sentence for tech executives whose platforms 'deliberately' expose minors to 'harmful content,'" the requirement of proving that the personal conduct of a tech executive was "deliberate" (and directly caused such "exposure") sets a high bar that is unlikely to be met in all but the most egregious cases -- assuming proof of intent is even available. This is in addition to the (intentional?) ambiguity inherent in the term "harmful content." (Of course, the Brits don't have a bothersome First Amendment, so maybe that's not an issue! ) As in the US, this action is a piece of grandstanding by the legislators to prove they support "family values."
I would rather give a speech or do a reading than sit in some slow venue and do a book signing. Of course, it helps that I'm a Public Speaking Coach. :-) Even so, if it will sell a few books, I'll do a book signing at my Aunt Mae's house.
This is precisely why publishers seldom send authors on tour these days. No one shows up. It's a waste of time and money and it's very demoralizing for the author. The time and money are better spent on things that actually work.
I used to grow pineapples in my yard when we lived in Ft. Lauderdale. I purchased the first few from the grocery store and then had more growing over time from the original fruit. Each one took between one and two years to produce. Did nothing but plant the top in direct sunlight.
Bill: to me, being next to the cheerleaders offset the wrestler. Do you still have a calendar?!?
I started a substack a year ago and I have 1 fan. Several subscribers but one person who’s life I have positively impacted with my writing and looks forward to my weekly posts. It is fine.
Thank you for sharing a story we all can relate to. As with so many other stories in a similar vein, persistence and determination can crush life’s curve balls, and this experience inspires us all to risk failing to achieve success. Happy New year.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It can be very hard but you learn from every experience and it helps you have empathy for others
I have a friend who has described the error in thinking some people have where if they invite 100 people to a party and 99 show up, the person will obsess about the 1 who didn’t. I guess the opposite is true too. If only one shows up it’s still unhelpful to think about the 99 who didn’t. The 1 who is there is pretty special. If 2 show up then you’ve really got something. I love this TED Talk about how momentum starts. Very similar to Bill’s story.
How to Start a Movement.
https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement?language=en
Going to the store to shop for a pineapple now…..
In my first run for political office many years ago I hand wrote 400 invitations to residents to join me at the local American Legion, had a nice spread of food, cash bar available. Zero people showed up. Zero. As an eternal optimist I wrote the night off as a win because 400 people at least knew I was running. Happy to report I ended up winning the race by 200 votes out of 19,000 cast.......
I wrote a self published small book and sent it to 100 people that could offer a review but got NO responses. C'est la vie! Anyway, the pleasure I got writing it overshadowed the rejection.
Sorry this happened to you, but your last insight is a critical tactic in field marketing for alcoholo nad beverage brands. Never show up alone. Bring a small, starter crowd everywhere. Even pay people to mingle. It works every time!
Doesn't happen to me if there're people within hearing distance. I talk out loud into the room.
There's always someone who's curious about something you said... so you get 'em in a headlock... like this... see? Then you tell them to open the book randomly pick a page and read a paragraph.
If your book is good, you can do that.
Regarding your reference to "the House of Commons [voting] to add a two-year jail sentence for tech executives whose platforms 'deliberately' expose minors to 'harmful content,'" the requirement of proving that the personal conduct of a tech executive was "deliberate" (and directly caused such "exposure") sets a high bar that is unlikely to be met in all but the most egregious cases -- assuming proof of intent is even available. This is in addition to the (intentional?) ambiguity inherent in the term "harmful content." (Of course, the Brits don't have a bothersome First Amendment, so maybe that's not an issue! ) As in the US, this action is a piece of grandstanding by the legislators to prove they support "family values."
I would rather give a speech or do a reading than sit in some slow venue and do a book signing. Of course, it helps that I'm a Public Speaking Coach. :-) Even so, if it will sell a few books, I'll do a book signing at my Aunt Mae's house.
You have a wonderful "everyman" way of writing and expressing yourself. Makes me feel good.