So, you're an erotic fiction author...

[Thematterisclosed]

Denizens of LeT, I come once again cap in hand (for advice, honestly you have one track minds round here) because it worked last time. Now I've been away a lot but the last story I edited for our collective enjoyment was last month so the moral karma is mine (Hey Carolina!).

This question is for the people here who publish erotica e-books professionally. I got some names of publishers from here last time and have become an eXcessica author with a couple of stories under my belt. But I don't want to let them disappear into oblivion like my self-published stuff did on Amazon. Any tips for how to promote your books?

Tbf eXessica gives you review sites to submit to and I also have a Goodreads thing going on, but I feel there is more I could do while I'm building up a portfolio.

I am also happy to trade reviews with any authors here if someone has a new story coming out or is looking for a beta reader?

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm going to fly in the face of what many other will tell you.

The best way to promote your writing is to just keep writing. Screw Facebook, twitter, blogging etc....

Best way to sell is to keep churning out books and-just like we do here with stories-build a following that likes your work and best way to keep them wanting more is to always have more.

And social media takes away from that time, especially blogging. I'm not trying to sound like an ass, but I think its worth saying...

All these erotica authors that blog all the time, know whose reading it? A handful of other erotica authors and that's it. The same people that follow each other around on FB and twitter, a little inbred community talking about and promoting their writing....to each other and that's about it.

My wife created a twitter for me because she thinks its 'important' to have one. I've tweeted 6 times and that's six times more than I wanted to and I was annoyed with it in a day because just the few sites she had me ;follow' update every freaking ten minutes

This may be the unpopular opinion, but for me its worked pretty well. Making a living out of publishing indy erotica is damn near impossible(unless you're idea of a living is poverty level) but I've made over five figures a year the last three year with doing no promoting at all.

 

[49greg]

I'm going to fly in the face of what many other will tell you.

The best way to promote your writing is to just keep writing. Screw Facebook, twitter, blogging etc....

Best way to sell is to keep churning out books and-just like we do here with stories-build a following that likes your work and best way to keep them wanting more is to always have more.

And social media takes away from that time, especially blogging. I'm not trying to sound like an ass, but I think its worth saying...

All these erotica authors that blog all the time, know whose reading it? A handful of other erotica authors and that's it. The same people that follow each other around on FB and twitter, a little inbred community talking about and promoting their writing....to each other and that's about it.

My wife created a twitter for me because she thinks its 'important' to have one. I've tweeted 6 times and that's six times more than I wanted to and I was annoyed with it in a day because just the few sites she had me ;follow' update every freaking ten minutes

This may be the unpopular opinion, but for me its worked pretty well. Making a living out of publishing indy erotica is damn near impossible(unless you're idea of a living is poverty level) but I've made over five figures a year the last three year with doing no promoting at all.

I don't write professionally, and I doubt I ever will. But I do read voraciously. One of the authors that I follow on kindle has frequent updates on her blog, I read it once. BUT I did sign up for notifications and whenever a new book comes out I get an email. For once it didn't lead to massive amounts of advertisements or blog posts and other spam. All I get is a note whenever a new book comes out.

Otherwise, on the other authors I follow, I just check periodically, sometimes check the author's page on Amazon to see if one is forthcoming.

Basically It's like the old days at bookstores, just scanning the shelves for favorite authors to see if something has come out, occasionally scanning a newsletter the clerk puts in my sack when I check out.

Facebook and blogs, not necessary or read as far as I'm concerned.

Ps. All the reading I've mentioned here is my non-erotic reading. For that I come here.

 

[Thematterisclosed]

Social media promotion

Yeah, there isn't anyway I would have time to do this full-time, I have a job and freelance in other areas. I do think that having a circle on Goodreads is useful, but as you say it will take time build.

For myself I already have the next couple of things in the pipeline and schedule for March/February, though the they may come out a little earlier. Really what I was wondering was how to gather Amazon reviews and if they matter on other sites.

I don't find out what results I get until the end of the quarter but I think this will need to be allowed to bed in so I'm not expecting oodles of cash the first year or so (chance would be a fine thing).