I Suck at This

Monday I wrote the following status update on my personal FB page: "If you've read any of my books, it would be really helpful if you could drop a review for the ones you've read. Doesn't have to be a long review. Just something like "I enjoyed this book" works. Of course, if the spirit moves you to talk about what you liked and how it made you squee with excitement, that would be awesome, too. ;o) "

And afterwards, it occurred to me that it is REALLY hard to ask people for reviews.  And then it occurred to me that it is REALLY hard to promote anything having to do with my writing, because, in a way, I'm promoting myself.  And I stink at that.

In my view, I either come off as pathetic or big-headed.  Look at that status update up there.  First part, pathetic.  Second part, big-headed.  

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.  I dunno. 

But I need reviews.  I was thinking about marketing again and I'm once again faced with the quandary of needing to have reviews to market books.  I'd love to splash around some ads for Fertile Ground, for instance, but it only has two Amazon reviews.  Most places require at least five.  The big places that garner more sales definitely require at least five reviews, unless it's a new release and then they require at least five for previous books.  Which might have worked if I'd advertised when FG first came out, but it's been out now for a while, so that's flat out.

The reviews I do have are pretty good, so I'm kinda sure it's not the books.  I mean, I do have the occasional not-so-good review, but those are par for the course.  Not every reader will like any given book.  But overall, it's not like the books stink enough to make people not want to even bother reviewing them.

Of course, once I posted a requested for reviews on Twitter and someone hopped over to give me a low-star review that seemed like she hadn't actually read the book. The nature of the beast, I guess. 

And then there's the whole 'Amazon won't let certain people review your books because they might actually be friends with you and they cannot possibly be objective', which I think is BS.  But I get that other people have played the system that way and now we all have to suffer for it.  Also, the nature of the beast.  Bleh.

Okay, that's probably quite enough whining for today.  If you have reviewed my books, thanks bunches.  You rock.  If you've read any of my books and haven't reviewed them yet, drop a review - if Amazon will let you.  I'll be eternally grateful. 

And if I've read your books and haven't posted an Amazon review for them yet, let me know.  Sometimes I forget to migrate my Goodreads reviews over to Amazon.  (And a few times I have, but Amazon rejected the review because I knew you.  Again, BAH.)