Rod Raglin

I once had a friend (yes, I did) who was just recovering from his second divorce. Given the emotional (two kids with each wife) and financial (dividing of community assets) devastation I asked him what he would do differently in a new relationship?

My understanding is if we do everything the same how can we expect a different result?

I ask myself this question as I'm in the process of launching my seventh novel.

You could say, start by writing a better book (ouch) and you'd be right. But that's kind of like my friend saying he'd find a better partner, which he actually said and did - though I'm not sure if she's better.

My novels are far from being perfect, but - and I hope I don't sound too delusional, egotistical or like everyone else who has written back-to-back-to-back flops - they're at least as good as some books that have had way, way more success (sales) than mine.

And my books aren't alone. In my reviewing the books of new self-published authors (Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Book Reviews https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ) I find about twenty percent have written remarkable books and yet they have zero success.

So enough talk about failure (and justifying it), the question is what to do different with the launch of The Local Rag, so it has more success than the others have achieved so far?

At the time of writing this I have 394 followers on BookLikes, 39 on Twitter, 13 on Goodreads and 61 subscribers to my blog. Some are actually people. I've been told by the experts if I want your support I need to interact with you, build a relationship, give if I want to get.

Okay. This is tough for someone as misanthropic as I am, but here's what I'll do. If you comment on something I've posted I'll respond. Will I "like", "friend" or "follow" you? Let's go slow, one step at a time, this is, after all, is a new relationship.

I've listened in on some webinar's on marketing and have tweaked my social media sites adding my Amazon Author Page link to my profile and a list of my books and plays on my Twitter header photo (like this will make a difference).

The most interesting thing I learned was from Chris Syme of Smart Marketing for Authors https://cksyme.com/ when she presented a graph showing the Funnel Influence By Network broken down into which social media sites performed best when it came to Introduction, Awareness, Purchase Point Conversion and One Touch Purchase.

Of course, she could have just told the listeners which sites sell more books but apparently obfuscation is the key when it comes to good marketing or at least the presentation of if.

Anyhow, according to this graph you're just not happening unless you have a Facebook presence.

I stopped using Facebook about seven years ago when my wife asked me if I was interested in any of the people I had "friended". I said no. She said, "Then why do you think they're interested in you?"

Most recently a young acquaintance with over five hundred "Facebook friends" invited them all to her birthday party. The only people who came were a few of her immediate family.

Despite my moral misgivings and uncertainty about the effectiveness and authenticity of this social media site, I revisited it.

What I found is that I can link my Twitter feed to my Facebook page so I won't have to double post (probably I'm the only one who didn't know this). That was encouraging.

So here's what I've resolved. I now have a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013287676486 where you can view all my tweets and some more stuff on writing, community development and the environment. I'm not "friending" anyone because I think it's dishonest to pretend to be interested in someone when you're not. However, you can still "follow" me and get some good information from my timeline.

My problem is I have this integrity thing - it's a proving to be a real liability

Writing is my one true thing and I won't sully it with chicanery and deceit.

So all this time (and words) you've been wondering about my twice divorced friend, did he do anything different?

No, but here's the thing - even though his third wife (unbelievable, I know) is very similar to his previous two, his circumstances have changed and so their relationship appears successful (so far).

Does that just negate everything I said?

What do you think?

Stay clam, be brave, watch for the signs

Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013287676486

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Books Reviews link

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

Amazon Author Page link http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

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