Market Mechanism

Plotting out the path

Hey! What made you decide to buy one of my books?

I’ve been more than a little squirrelly on the details around what’s happening with Significatorius.

That’s because I didn’t know what to do next.

I’ve run through edits and editors and was quietly formatting the edges and margins for a release that would likely draw little to no fanfare.

This will be my first book since my biggest flop, Lux Aeterna.

On the one hand, I’m not entirely surprised it performed so poorly. The concept is even harder to grasp than my usual blend of fantasy and philosophy.

I was intensely sick while putting everything together and expected the last season of Buildspace to carry me and my story to greater victories. Some combination of ill effects led to the released book being mostly a forgotten footnote for my future memoir.

Corporate satire, a short story adapted from notes I wrote while living behind emotionless grey walls.

With what will more than likely be nothing more than unsuccessful self-promotion out of the way, let’s look at how I could do things better.

Broken Trust

As I scrolled through the infinite wall of freely produced content, the almighty algorithm graced my eyes with a blessing.

I found what looked like someone from a scrappy startup cheering independent authors on with an intriguing new platform.

Nothing overly revolutionary for those who have trudged through the trenches, but it is odd to have the business side of the literary industry so overtly and clearly stated with such specificity to boot.

I had to know more.

And so more I did come to know.

After a call and setting up a profile, I decided to move forward and see what we could shake up for Significatorius.

A real marketing plan that comes with a guarantee.

As someone who has an unhealthy amount of skepticism when it comes to balanced budgets, I’m optimistically waiting to see how everything pans out.

I’d be lying if I said I fully understand the details, but I do know that Amazon takes more than their fair share already. In fact, starting in June, the conglomerate will be taking 50% of royalties on certain independent book sales.

How charitable.

I’d sooner take my chances on a bet with better odds. And to share some of the passion behind the people, I was incredibly happy to see a writing prompt as soon as I joined the Focus on Words community.

Of course, I jumped right on that and thought I would include it here as well.

Written in the Wind

"The date doesn't make sense?"

That was all he managed to say. A young man whose claim to that description was slipping through his aging hands. Somehow never quite settled, he thought the answer could be found in yet another town.

What was waiting was far beyond what he imagined. He read the worn letters for a fourth and fifth time and still could not believe them. He'd moved to that small village — the locals liked to say it was a college town, but anyone from anywhere else knew better — only a year prior.

Everything from his old life was left in a box under his bed in his childhood home.

He chose this place after studying a map. A nondescript location specifically because it had no connection to who he was or anyone he knew. That only made the revelation all the more surprising.

The words he read on that first page of a secondhand book were from someone seemingly sending him a message. A handwritten dedication waiting in a past that never belonged to him.

For Simon. Shine on you crazy diamond.

-2015

"The date doesn't make sense."

Simon shook his head as his fingers ran over the slightly torn paper. His answer to a question he only ever asked himself depended on his anonymity. He needed to slip into this new life with none of his burdens weighing him down.

He didn’t want to give up so soon. The new life he was making was better than the one he tried to hide. These few words and what they meant could be nothing more than a cosmic coincidence.

After all, a first name is common.

With renewed confidence, Simon dared to look up. Only then did he notice the old bookseller half-asleep at the counter. The only soul with whom he shared the store.

And since she didn’t seem to pay him any mind, Simon simply closed the cover and put the book down. He decided it was better to try and forget he saw anything at all.

Yet somehow he knew he'd be back to read more.

One Hundred

I’ve also now officially published 100 weeks in a row here on Substack. My actual number of articles is slightly higher than that though. Very early on, I lost my streak due to international travel.

But who’s counting?

Now I get to wear this crowning achievement! It doesn’t seem to be worth much at all, but perhaps I should think it impressive.

But I’ve never been very good at boasting.

Otherwise, I’ll share more about this new adventure with Focus on Words and where Significatorius is heading as everything settles.

Until next time.

—JMB