followers

I may be overstating the level of ambition here.

Except I feel like that’s what I’m learning alongside my publisher, Alternative Realities. We’re talking every day at the moment about marketing, presence and how to push beyond the audience that already exists and create something larger.

To that end I’ve been persuaded that I need to offer people the chance to subscribe to an email list. I’m going to use it sparingly but I can see the sense. So this is me saying, if you fancy hearing about what I’m up to in the writing space, and occasionally the sword fighting space, since it’s MY website, then sign up.

I will also use this to offer excerpts to people of current WIP for comment, feedback and general discussion, so if you fancy getting your name in my stories or getting the chance to shape plot or characters then you should also sign up for that reason too.

Also, in case you hadn’t heard my debut novel came out a couple of weeks ago now. I’ve put up a free sample on Goodreads – so feel free to head on over there and pick it up if you haven’t already given it a go. There’s a tiny little spot on the left hand side under the cover that says ‘read book’ that has it for you.

ta for now

Stew

I’m looking at lots of new ideas for Alternative Realities. Audio, newsletters, releasing short stories for free etc.

We have good ideas for our first two anthologies too.

I’m working with Lawrence Mann and Matthew Sylvester on getting my first novel published. I hope we have some work in progress shots for the cover to share in the next few weeks too.

However, I’m struggling with the big idea – how to get anyone else to care!? We’ve got a newsletter set up (although I don’t think we’ve got the sense of what it should be used for right yet).

That’s the magic – by which I mean I have no idea how that works, how you move people from being simply interested enough to raise their eyebrows to having them think ‘I think I’ll actually go take a look, perhaps even read something that’s being given away for free’.

Beyond that it’s the question of how do you reach those beyond your immediate circle of good will? How do you get the product you’re creating beyond the confines of the world with which you’re familiar?

I have lots of lesson from work – but it’s taking me some time to think through how to adapt that. It’s partly because of the dreaded idea of sales while actually I’m not sure that word should have all the dread and burden those of us who don’t understand it normally hang on it. Having said that I’m at the stage of seeing others who’ve built themselves solid foundations as having achieved a miracle!

I’m always open to suggestions and ideas though – so feel free to give me yours – and, because it seems like the thing I have to do – please sign up to our Alternative Realities newsletter. We won’t spam you, share your details or bother you except for things we think you’ll actually be interested in!

Alternative Realities Newsletter!

Stewart Hotston

Hope, Anger and Writing

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The next steps to world domination

Crediblity and growing a business

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