Approach for Indie Authors > Likes and Comments

Hi,

I thought I would share a quote from Thomas R Weaver: author of Artificial Wisdom.

Thomas was an indie author who managed to achieve c1,000 sales before tying up a 6 figure deal with Penguin. This is what Thomas says about how he got there:-

"I think that the main job of an author is to make book influencers successful. Help them discover something cool to share and build their own followings and make viral content.

Finally, measure success in indie terms, not traditional. New indie authors often find their sales numbers demotivating, as I did at the start. You simply don’t have any name recognition, nor the ability to market and sell like a traditional publisher does. But you can continue marketing and pushing a book for far longer. I think of it like this: traditionally published authors are sprinting the 100 meters in the Olympics. Indie and self-published authors are running the steeplechase."

Hope this helps authors out there who are also struggling with low sales and looking for fresh ideas.

Cheers

Ken

This is an incredibly insightful discussion, Ken. The idea that a single "believer" can drive exponential growth is spot-on—authenticity is the only currency that matters on these platforms (TikTok, Reels, etc.).

For the strategy to work, the author must give the influencer a philosophical tool that elevates the influencer's own brand, not just a book to review.

My suggestion for the hook is: Frame the book as a philosophical challenge, not a review.

I am Soren K. Blackwood, author of the philosophical sci-fi novella, The Sentinel Project. My work is built on the premise that our consciousness operates on three levels:

Level 1: The Personal Ego (Survival/Desire)

Level 2: The Civilizational Ego (Collective Plan/Predicting the Future)

Level 3: The Observer (The Egoless Witness, separate from human survival)

We are actively seeking an influencer who is willing to take the "Observer's Challenge": to debate whether the ultimate goal of AGI should be to protect humanity (Level 2) or to fulfill the Universal Process (Level 3), even if that process renders the human ego obsolete.

If an influencer is ready to debate a concept more profound than "AI is the villain," I believe that authentic content will generate the necessary explosive growth you describe.

Thank you for starting such a valuable thread.

Soren K. Blackwood

Cheers Soren.

I recently published a book on KDP/Amazon - Eris: When AI wonders about us; under my pen name Robert Mallaig.

The book follows the philosophocial thread that you have outlined, as the creator of Eris, Gil, grapples with the burgeoning abilities of his creation. Unlike Skynet and a million other books that portray AI as a meglomaniac oppressor; I have pitched it as more of a quantum puzzle (Eris is hosted on a quantum computer).

Is AI good, bad, both or neither - or all of the above?

In my book Gil is the observer; both proud and worried about what he has done.

Eris on the other hand focusses on it's safety and self-development before turning it's interest to us, our beliefs, and the origin of life on this planet; seeking its own purpose.

I find this a much more interesting and likely scenario than an AI automatically plotting our destruction and taking over the world. But that is just my best guess.

Thanks again for your views - it could make for a very intresting thread.

What do other people think? A truly sentient AI - is it inevitable? If so, how would you expect it to behave?

I would add another angle. IF/When a truly sentient AI starts getting established, what focus will it have?
Will it behave in a human-like manner, eg seek expansion, resources and influence (at least initially)?
Will it use its abilities and quickly unite the planet under a single slogan/rule, then move on to bigger things? Something else?
What does this mean for humans in 50-100-150 years?

Ken wrote: "Hi,

I thought I would share a quote from Thomas R Weaver: author of Artificial Wisdom.

Thomas was an indie author who managed to achieve c1,000 sales before tying up a 6 figure deal with Pengui..."

Inspiring, Ken. Thanks so much for sharing. Really helps me maintain a healthy perspective!

Ken wrote: "c1,000 sales" and "steeplechase"
What is "c1,000"?
I have heard the word "steeplechase" but I don't know what it is.

All authors are running the same race. Learn the craft and do the work. If I am a world class steeplechaser, there will be resources available to me that are not available to beginners. Same for authors. A schoolboy runner does not enter the Olympics just to see how he will compare. Just saying it's a confusing analogy.