Britain’s Got Talent?

I have always wanted to be a full time author. Of course, that statement is relative. I didn’t want to be an author as a kid for instance. In fact the only time I ever professed an ambition to do any particular job was at 11 when I wanted to be a footballer. The fact that none of the family were into sport and because of that I only started playing the game at 10, there was no way that was going to happen.

No, I mean from about 17 or 18, having been working a couple of years in insurance and looking for something better. The fact that I am still in insurance ?? years later is perhaps some indication of my prowess in the writing arena, or perhaps not. It may all have been so different if my first attempt had taken off. I was only 18 and my presentation sucked, so much so that I don’t think any of the publishers I sent the messy manuscript too ever read it.

Over the years I have written 3 novels, all whilst working full time,and I still don’t know if I’m any good. My first book was eventually published but by a vanity publisher – which I didn’t understand about at the time – so no surprise it only sold 72 copies. My other two books have been available as e-books on Kindle since December – as anyone unfortunate enough to have stumbled on this blog more than once will know.

The thing is everyone and his dog is writing a book these days and even though, after strong hints from some people, my books are now priced at 97p each, sales are still way behind my first book. Now, apparently Amazon cannot let me know the number of hits compared to the number of sales, which would at least give me some feedback on how many potential readers looked but didn’t like. My own research would seem to indicate that any search on genre would not bring up my books as they are so far down the rankings.

Word of mouth seems to be the best method of spreading the word but when you have the social circle of an Ebenezer Scrooge / Baldrick hybrid that is not easy either. This blog then is the only way of getting me out there.

YOUR MISSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT IS TO FOLLOW THE LINK AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE BOOKS. (see previous blogs for link.)

You don’t need to buy – but where else can you get a good laugh for 97p – just post a comment on why you didn’t.

For anyone with a competitive nature though you could take part in Project 200. I get no cheque until I have earned £100. Currently I am at £34 so at 0.33p per book I need another 200 sales before I need to bother the tax man.

There are allegedly some Kindle Millionaires out there but I don’t know how they did it. There must be millions more like me who wait in vain to be discovered. Britain undoubtably has writing talent – I am not counting myself among them – and wouldn’t it be nice if there was a show where someone could be discovered. If only I was a singer or dancer.

If there is anyone who visits this blog voluntarily I would be pleased to know what makes you come back for more punishment.

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING!
As I am off work for a week with nowhere to go I feel obligated to make a daily entry here.
(That might just be an idle threat though. We all get idle sometimes.)