Steven Orlowski's Blog: Steve O's "So What?" Blog - Posts Tagged "hugh-howey"
Thanks Hugh!
Well, I'm a winner. Finally. It's not that life hasn't been good to me, but I can't recall winning something as random as a raffle before.
I must admit, it feels pretty good. I won signed copies of the five stories that make up Hugh Howey's bestselling book "Wool".
You see, I started following Hugh because he is extremely successful as an independent author.
He self-published Wool and the rest of his Silo series to great success. Actually, I knew of Hugh for months before getting down to reading his book.
I thought there must be some marketing magic that Hugh was performing to become so successful. But there isn't...
The truth is Wool is a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
And I'll gladly add Hugh's signed books to my small collection of autographed editions.
But more importantly for me, and for other aspiring self-publishing success stories, I've learned that the secret to success isn't social media or marketing, it's writing the best book you can.
Good books will always find their audience. And success will come to those that earn it by writing well.
So thanks Hugh. I look forward to receiving the books. And I as I write my next book I will keep you in mind. If I manage to achieve even a fraction of the success you have I will be satisfied knowing that it's the story that counts.
I must admit, it feels pretty good. I won signed copies of the five stories that make up Hugh Howey's bestselling book "Wool".
You see, I started following Hugh because he is extremely successful as an independent author.
He self-published Wool and the rest of his Silo series to great success. Actually, I knew of Hugh for months before getting down to reading his book.
I thought there must be some marketing magic that Hugh was performing to become so successful. But there isn't...
The truth is Wool is a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
And I'll gladly add Hugh's signed books to my small collection of autographed editions.
But more importantly for me, and for other aspiring self-publishing success stories, I've learned that the secret to success isn't social media or marketing, it's writing the best book you can.
Good books will always find their audience. And success will come to those that earn it by writing well.
So thanks Hugh. I look forward to receiving the books. And I as I write my next book I will keep you in mind. If I manage to achieve even a fraction of the success you have I will be satisfied knowing that it's the story that counts.
More Hugh Howey Fan-boy behavior from Me
Well, I've never written fan mail before, and I don't consider this to be that. But I think Hugh Howey, much to his good fortune, is becoming (if he's not already) the indie-writer model of success that other authors are watching and learning from, as I am watching and learning.
I've never met Hugh, corresponded a tiny bit via Facebook and email, but I don't think he knows who I am.
That's no matter at all. He's a good writer, a very good writer, and he seems like he's good guy. And quite clearly a major success.
I sent him this email after I watched Hugh on a webinar sponsored by Amazon.com promoting its "Amazon Worlds" publishing endeavor. There's a couple of ideas in it that other writers should find useful. And it might be mildly entertaining. It'll only take a minute. Read on.
01/16/2014
Greetings Hugh,
I was on the Kindle Worlds webinar today and I got a good laugh when you said that after you had published one of your earlier novels (you're first maybe?) you sat around waiting for Oprah to call.
I've been waiting for Oprah for almost a year now.
Before the webinar I read Michael Bunker's blog post "We're Not Competing, Part 2: Even With Ourselves" that you shared on Facebook. He wrote of the need to publish frequently. I commented to Michael that my heretofore slug-like publishing pace (one book since last April) has yet to pay off. He, and you, are on to something.
We all know Oprah is not the key to success. She is never going to call. Well, maybe you in 2014, but not any of us authors, like a pre-Wool Hugh Howey, that have yet to achieve any notable success.
On the webinar the host asked you what your single best piece of advice to other writers is and you seemed to reluctantly provide your answer, an answer that all writers should intuitively know: write good books.
I know the reason I have yet to publish my second book isn't because I don't have one, or because I don't think I'm a good writer, it's because I am waiting (semi-subconsciously) for my first book to become successful.
That's what I call "Waiting for Oprah". I want someone out there, not my wife or my best friend or my mother, ideally the wealthiest and most influential woman in media, to tell me I'm good.
Well, that's not going to happen and the strategy isn't working. I need to write more, and better, and earn the loyalty of the thousands readers I so desire.
And you my friend, you have not only a great talent for writing but also possess seemingly spot-on instincts for independent publishing success. I'd be a fool to not follow your lead.
Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to many.
Yep. That's enough ass-kissing for today.
Best regards,
Steve
I've never met Hugh, corresponded a tiny bit via Facebook and email, but I don't think he knows who I am.
That's no matter at all. He's a good writer, a very good writer, and he seems like he's good guy. And quite clearly a major success.
I sent him this email after I watched Hugh on a webinar sponsored by Amazon.com promoting its "Amazon Worlds" publishing endeavor. There's a couple of ideas in it that other writers should find useful. And it might be mildly entertaining. It'll only take a minute. Read on.
01/16/2014
Greetings Hugh,
I was on the Kindle Worlds webinar today and I got a good laugh when you said that after you had published one of your earlier novels (you're first maybe?) you sat around waiting for Oprah to call.
I've been waiting for Oprah for almost a year now.
Before the webinar I read Michael Bunker's blog post "We're Not Competing, Part 2: Even With Ourselves" that you shared on Facebook. He wrote of the need to publish frequently. I commented to Michael that my heretofore slug-like publishing pace (one book since last April) has yet to pay off. He, and you, are on to something.
We all know Oprah is not the key to success. She is never going to call. Well, maybe you in 2014, but not any of us authors, like a pre-Wool Hugh Howey, that have yet to achieve any notable success.
On the webinar the host asked you what your single best piece of advice to other writers is and you seemed to reluctantly provide your answer, an answer that all writers should intuitively know: write good books.
I know the reason I have yet to publish my second book isn't because I don't have one, or because I don't think I'm a good writer, it's because I am waiting (semi-subconsciously) for my first book to become successful.
That's what I call "Waiting for Oprah". I want someone out there, not my wife or my best friend or my mother, ideally the wealthiest and most influential woman in media, to tell me I'm good.
Well, that's not going to happen and the strategy isn't working. I need to write more, and better, and earn the loyalty of the thousands readers I so desire.
And you my friend, you have not only a great talent for writing but also possess seemingly spot-on instincts for independent publishing success. I'd be a fool to not follow your lead.
Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to many.
Yep. That's enough ass-kissing for today.
Best regards,
Steve
Steve O's "So What?" Blog
Speculative Fiction author Steven Orlowski's blog where he writes about stuff that he finds interesting. He hopes others will as well (and comment on too).
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