Can marketing joy exist?

You know what brings joy?

Money money money

There you go. I said the evil word for artist and writers everywhere.

Money.  Money!

I love writing. I do. I’d do it even if I didn’t make a dime off of it. But I wouldn’t do it at the same frequency, and I certainly wouldn’t be trying to make a full-time living from it.

Art can be joyful. Wild. Different. Entirely you. And it can also make money.

Writers, artists, creators…we don’t like talking about money. It’s dirty. We’re supposed to do it solely for the joy of it. For the creative pursuit. And yes! That’s important. I’ve loved all of my books and stories, even those I’m paid to write for someone else’s intellectual property. I’m still in there, you know?

But I need to eat, and so do you. No one should feel bad or be made to feel bad for wanting to live off of art (just to clarify: AI generated content is not art).

It’s okay to want to make money from your art.

Money brings joy. Or at least removes the stress of not having money.

And you know what brings money? Marketing.  So marketing is a shitty but necessary part of making money from writing, but it doesn’t mean it has to suck, either.

It honestly gets less sucky when the work you put into it actually makes money (because money is joyful), so my plan last year was to unearth how to make money from my books, without draining my soul. (That part is important. There are so many different marketing initiatives that something will more than likely work for your style. Or you’ll enjoy it enough to be able to maintain it without too much grumbling, anyway.) (Grumbling is totally allowed.)

The allure of shiny new things (shiny!!)

I tried so many different marketing things, to let them die and rot (I didn’t even bother burying them). All the shiny new things calling to me! I’d try them ineffectively for a week or two, maybe even three, then declare them dysfunctional and leave in a huff.

Beginning of 2024, I told myself I’d stop chasing shiny new things. Which is really hard, because, as you more than likely know, I love shiny things. Instead, I decided that I would focus on one new marketing shiny every three months. I had to put effort into it and not just wing it then go “oh well, that didn’t work.”  

(I do three months at a time because it’s nice and easy for me to chop up my time that way, but you can chop up your time in whatever way makes sense for you, if this resonates with you at all!)

My three months look like this:  

Month 1

The first month is all about learning said new shiny thing’s workings. Usually through a course offered by a “guru.” By the time I start the first month, I’ve already done my research. I’ve selected my one course (it has to be one, split into modules preferably), and it has to be in a style I can work with (I hate long videos and droning on. Also, I make sure I can stand watching the person on video for hours).  The course has to be well rated by other folk and, due to my online stalking, I’ve verified that the “guru” is actually successful. (Guru is a self-assigned term. One must always be wary of self-assigned terms.)

So, month one is all about the learning (I go through the whole course), and setting up the marketing initiative, which I do as I learn. I also take copious notes—a five-minute video can turn into a half hour of work, because I do the work right away. That way, month two is all set up.

Oh, I also don’t convince myself that I know better then the teacher, and I follow their formula exactly. That’s important, and that’s why I make sure I choose the right course/guru.

Month 2

During this month, I stick to the frequency and style as proposed by the course, and keep a close eye on stuff, especially if they’re paid ads. I’m giving things a month to gain traction, while keeping an eye on things to make sure nothing is going weird. (Bad weird.)

This is the “let’s see how this rolls out” phase. It takes time to get results, after all, so here I maintain and keep following whatever learning I received and set up in the first month.

Month 3

This is the “perfecting things, poking at it, seeing if I can make it work” month. Most courses, if they’re worth their salt, will have “if this isn’t working” sections. This is all of that, and then a bit extra if it still doesn’t work. This is the part where I can divert from the learning, keeping the basics in mind but applying any new theories I’ve picked up or formed since then.

I gave algorithms and Internet overlords the whole second month to pick up what I’ve been laying down, so now is the time to poke and perfect.

If it doesn’t work, which some things just won’t, I kill them. Mercilessly.

Then I follow my joy toward the next shiny thing.

Do you actually get results?

The most important result is that it helps me learn, in a limited amount of time, what works and doesn’t work, and what sucks my energy and doesn’t. (Making money usually helps build energy, so generally anything that is profitable will give me some energy.)

I tried a few things last year, like Tik Tok (mixed results), Facebook ads, and Amazon ads. The only thing that really worked for me were Facebook ads, helping me increase my indie pub revenue to 2K/month. But here’s the catch: they’re working for only one series.

Just one.

I know the ads to other series serve since I can interpret the stats, which means that something on the buy page is stopping people from procuring my lovely stories. Because of that, over the next three months, while maintaining marketing initiatives I know work and don’t drain me dead (Facebook ads, my newsletter, social media, and this blog), I’ll start to poke at non-moving series and try to get them moving.

I’ve got my course (60-Minute Author Business by Matthew J. Holmes), and now it’s just a matter of learning and executing, and then testing (which will be done via Facebook ads).

But you waste three months at a time!

I don’t. I’m accumulating data for three months, learning new stuff, and finding weaknesses in my sales funnels. I’m further ahead for focusing than I would be for chasing every shiny thing. The enthusiasm for new shiny things is usually slaughtered by the “omg this is a lot of work” phase, so best to tackle new initiatives with a plan and strategy instead, including a quitting strategy.

Knowing that I don’t have to stick with something forever is honestly the most empowering and motivating thing when it comes to marketing. Being able to say “okay, I’ve got to do my best with this until this date. If I can’t get traction by then, I can kill it.” It’s just good for the soul. Mind you, if you say that too often, it’s a good sign that this initiative isn’t for you. (That’s how I felt about Tik Tok. Kill it with fire!)

So, there you go. Three months at a time changed my author business last year. I’m making a monthly income just from royalties, and there’s no sign of it slowing down.

Of course, the most important thing is figuring out what works for you. So if anything here might help you, great! If not, I hope you find tips and tricks that will resonate with you and your style.

I hope you get to follow (whatever modicum of) marketing joy you can find! (And then find lots of money! 💰)