Reflective Ripples: Marketing and Launching a Second Book with Much Doubt

Welcome to Reflective Ripples, where we glance into debatable topics about the creative world. Today, we look at the woes of marketing and launching a second book... but with some inspiring encouragement for my fellow, new, indie authors!

Other than being long winded, marketing certainly exists as my weakest point right now in the writing business. As a new indie author, I’m still very much learning as I go. Honestly, if you’re in the same boat: I understand how you feel. The frustration of watching someone else release a book after you with skyrocketing sales. The self-doubt of whether wasting money on another creative project is even worth the thought, let alone the investment.

Let me be first to say, lovelies: you’re not alone. Also, I want to congratulate you on sticking it out as far as you have to this point. Do not let your worst critic—the one inside yourself—persuade you away from your creative love completely. Instead, I encourage you to follow in my footprints. Don’t throw in the towel. Take a moment to breathe and reflect or reevaluate your current plan. How can you make it better?

I often say to my husband, I feel like I’m always just barely making the wrong decisions to keep myself from success. In the six months since I published The Arsinoëphorus Alliance (Book 1): Bound by Fate and Blood, I’ve threatened to not even do a second book so many times. I’m learning to shut up on that negative nonsense. Doing so has been a task, and I don’t mean to invalidate the situation. I’ve just started out. We’ve just started out, lovelies. Don’t make your story be over just because you think you’re not worth it.

You are, and so is your story.

After all, as Beverly Cleary says, “If you don’t see the book you want on the shelf, write it.”