100 NOT OUT! – YET

It was 14th December 2012 and at last my novels were available to the general public and no longer hiding away in a drawer. Alas not in bookshops but as self published kindle versions. I remember asking the guy who published them for me – how do I sell them? The answer was via social media. Now my media footprint is tiny and only dwarfs those of Baldrick and Robinson Crusoe, so not a lot was going to happen there. I was also told to write a regular blog to get my name out there. Me, way behind Lord Lucan in grabbing the limelight, a blogger? I tried it on blog spot for a while but it made no difference to sales so I gave up on it in the end.

Now believe it or not this is my 100th post – which includes my previous blog spots which are archived on here. Still 100 posts from a reluctant blogger, and nary a viral one between them. Who has not easily forgot such great titles as; ‘Oho Chongo!’, ‘Wigs in Space’ or ‘Fairytale of New Dork’.

I did contemplate the synergy of this 100th post coinciding with my attainment of 100,000 words in the new novel but that could be a while – currently 82,000. So I decided to do it today instead – my birthday – always a time of dread and reflection. I suppose in one way it is poignant. I have no way of knowing when I actually started writing any of my books i.e. when Day One was, except for Trouble Cross. That was definitely started on 20th February 1996. I had been out of work three months after redundancy and it was a further three months before I moved down to London to get work – that is the insurance day job.

As I say, my birthday is always a time for melancholy reflection but as far as this site is concerned reflection of a different kind is required. Has it achieved its objective? That objective was to raise my profile as a writer and promote my books. Other than one little flurry of sales of Once Upon A Week there has been no noticeable effect. Therefore the answer has to be a resounding No. The viewing figures are not good either. My last post saw 25 views but most are a lot less than that, although A Covid Christmas Carol peaked at 70.

Interaction too has been virtually non-existent – other than the one genuine comment about one of the blogs being suitable as a publication article, the only others having been spam. I have to decide in the next week or so whether to continue for another year.

The burning question is still not answered. Am I a writer worth reading? The few reviews I have say “Yes”, the rejections from literary agents say “No”. The new novel, when it is ready, may have the final say.