Good morning, Readers!
Image by Annalise Batista from Pixabay
In an effort to simplify my life, I've been slowly making a number of changes. Some of the changes will continue to be slow. Some will be a bit faster. Some have already happened. It's not my fault you blinked.
Anyway, changes. Yes.
I've already mentioned the first of the changes I think, but it was a while ago and in passing, so I'm talking about it again. The change is simply this: I am stopping all of my self-publishing efforts. Listen, I know where my strengths lie, and it is not in marketing. Nor can I create book covers with any amount of skill, format book interiors, negotiate with bookstores, or printing presses... and frankly, these are not skills I am particularly interested in learning. Certainly, some self-marketing will definitely be required all the same, but not having to worry so much about the periphery surrounding publishing one's own books frees up much more time for writing and self-promotion. Once I wrap my head around the idea of self-promotion and learn the skill.
All of my previously published books will be going to Renaissance Press. We've agreed. I have a good relationship with them, and I feel that they will be good about republishing these books. I like and trust them. As Renaissance publishes my books, I will be removing them from all the platforms I sell them on personally. Since none of them have yet been published, I still have them available online on various venues and in my shop here. That will be ending with each release by Renaissance.
Honestly, I'm looking forward to downsizing this site a bit.
Speaking of downsizing a bit, anyone who is looking for my artwork will no longer be finding any of it here. It has gone from the site. You may notice that the header that used to scroll between pieces of art at the top has disappeared. If you hover over my 'shop' link in the header has a much-reduced list. My books and art prints that I have in stock here at the house are now the only things listed.
Once my art prints are sold out, and once my books are ported over to Renaissance Press, the shop will be disappearing altogether. I will not longer have to worry about storing, selling or warehousing anything myself, lifting quite a bit of stress form my shoulders.
"But," you claim (I'm doing a whole lot of projecting here), "I still clearly see an 'Art" link on your header!"
Why yes, you do. That's because I've created a different website for my art. That is where that little link will go. To my new website. I've not finished the site, because I don't have all the things on there that I want. There are a lot of 'coming soon's written down and many stock photos that came with the template that serve as placeholders until I can get the things I want to put there made and pictures of them uploaded. But the site is mostly done and roughly functional for now.
Perhaps one day I will be attaching a store to it, but that will have to wait until my current shop is empty so I can properly reorganise it. For now, the only way to purchase any of my original art pieces is to enquire via email, and if you want a print, you'll have to visit my Redbubble shop. In fact, outside of conventions, that will be the only place you can get prints of my stuff. Yes, Redbubble does take a substantial cut of any sales, but they also handle the manufacture and shipping - both things I don't want to have to bother with. It also means that i don't have to warehouse any of it myself.
Now, I don't expect that I'll earn any money from my art. In the years I've had my Redbubble store, I have made all of 50cents. I sold two stickers once. Perhaps I might occasionally sell an original for some extra funds, but I very much doubt that I will. At least, certainly not very often. I am under no delusions. Few people's tastes run toward my art.
I'm okay with this. My art is really just for me. I'm not too concerned whether it sells or not. To further reduce my stress, I'll not be taking commissions, and my prices will be non-negotiable.
I will try make an effort to sell other things I'm planning, but I'll save that for when I have the necessary equipment, and have figured out how to actually do the thing. I'll be talking to some folks at a nearby shop that specialise in the thing.
For my art, I've also created a new Facebook page. If anyone has been paying attention, they'll have noticed that I have removed all of my art from my writer Facebook page and placed it all in the new one. I don't expect a tonne of followers or 'likes' for this new page, as it will deal with my art exclusively. But it's there, all the same.
I've not created a separate Instagram, Twitter or any other social media for my art. That'll still all just a combo of everything I'm up to. A total mess. Which, I mean, is representative.
Right, have manuscripts to edit.
Ciao!
Anyway, changes. Yes.
I've already mentioned the first of the changes I think, but it was a while ago and in passing, so I'm talking about it again. The change is simply this: I am stopping all of my self-publishing efforts. Listen, I know where my strengths lie, and it is not in marketing. Nor can I create book covers with any amount of skill, format book interiors, negotiate with bookstores, or printing presses... and frankly, these are not skills I am particularly interested in learning. Certainly, some self-marketing will definitely be required all the same, but not having to worry so much about the periphery surrounding publishing one's own books frees up much more time for writing and self-promotion. Once I wrap my head around the idea of self-promotion and learn the skill.
All of my previously published books will be going to Renaissance Press. We've agreed. I have a good relationship with them, and I feel that they will be good about republishing these books. I like and trust them. As Renaissance publishes my books, I will be removing them from all the platforms I sell them on personally. Since none of them have yet been published, I still have them available online on various venues and in my shop here. That will be ending with each release by Renaissance.
Honestly, I'm looking forward to downsizing this site a bit.
Speaking of downsizing a bit, anyone who is looking for my artwork will no longer be finding any of it here. It has gone from the site. You may notice that the header that used to scroll between pieces of art at the top has disappeared. If you hover over my 'shop' link in the header has a much-reduced list. My books and art prints that I have in stock here at the house are now the only things listed.
Once my art prints are sold out, and once my books are ported over to Renaissance Press, the shop will be disappearing altogether. I will not longer have to worry about storing, selling or warehousing anything myself, lifting quite a bit of stress form my shoulders.
"But," you claim (I'm doing a whole lot of projecting here), "I still clearly see an 'Art" link on your header!"
Why yes, you do. That's because I've created a different website for my art. That is where that little link will go. To my new website. I've not finished the site, because I don't have all the things on there that I want. There are a lot of 'coming soon's written down and many stock photos that came with the template that serve as placeholders until I can get the things I want to put there made and pictures of them uploaded. But the site is mostly done and roughly functional for now.
Perhaps one day I will be attaching a store to it, but that will have to wait until my current shop is empty so I can properly reorganise it. For now, the only way to purchase any of my original art pieces is to enquire via email, and if you want a print, you'll have to visit my Redbubble shop. In fact, outside of conventions, that will be the only place you can get prints of my stuff. Yes, Redbubble does take a substantial cut of any sales, but they also handle the manufacture and shipping - both things I don't want to have to bother with. It also means that i don't have to warehouse any of it myself.
Now, I don't expect that I'll earn any money from my art. In the years I've had my Redbubble store, I have made all of 50cents. I sold two stickers once. Perhaps I might occasionally sell an original for some extra funds, but I very much doubt that I will. At least, certainly not very often. I am under no delusions. Few people's tastes run toward my art.
I'm okay with this. My art is really just for me. I'm not too concerned whether it sells or not. To further reduce my stress, I'll not be taking commissions, and my prices will be non-negotiable.
I will try make an effort to sell other things I'm planning, but I'll save that for when I have the necessary equipment, and have figured out how to actually do the thing. I'll be talking to some folks at a nearby shop that specialise in the thing.
For my art, I've also created a new Facebook page. If anyone has been paying attention, they'll have noticed that I have removed all of my art from my writer Facebook page and placed it all in the new one. I don't expect a tonne of followers or 'likes' for this new page, as it will deal with my art exclusively. But it's there, all the same.
I've not created a separate Instagram, Twitter or any other social media for my art. That'll still all just a combo of everything I'm up to. A total mess. Which, I mean, is representative.
Right, have manuscripts to edit.
Ciao!
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