Any examples of writers that rose from obscurity to commercial/critical success using strickly the internet?
The only writers that rose from obscurity are the ones that promoted their books in person. Two examples would be Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon, and James Redfield, author of "The Celestine Prophecy."
Paolini, with the help of both of his parents, promoted his books in over 130 libraries, schools and bookstores. And he didn't wait for people to call /him/. He took an active role and spoke about his book anywhere people would listen. He even dressed in a medieval costume.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher...
Redfield, with the help of his wife, traveled across several southern states speaking with people about his book at bookstores. He gave away thousands of dollars worth of books and sold whatever he could.
http://www.celestinevision.com/
Paolini and Redfield are a part of the very small percentage of writers that make a living off of their writing. They got there by promoting their books anywhere and everywhere they could - in person. Redfield's book came out in the early nineties when the internet was not the phenomenon that it is today, but his efforts show how important face to face promotions are. Paolini was lucky to have a family to advocate on his behalf and he was especially lucky that Carl Hiassen liked his book enough to pass it along to a major publisher.
Luck played a major role in Paolini's success, however it was the ground work that he and his parents laid down that allowed luck the opportunity. Redfield, on the other hand, had different factors working for him. His book gained success largely from word of mouth. His unlimited determination, time and money were the reasons his book made its way into the hands of the people that spread the word.
Books come in last after movies, television, music and radio. Part of the reason is because it is not possible to give somebody a sample of a book the way it can be done with the other mediums. For this reason internet marketing campaigns are largely unsuccessful if they are the primary mode of marketing. It only works as a supplement to a much more active and specifically targeted campaign. An add placed in just the right literary publication will do much more for a book than a website or email advertisements.
Usually people that rely on the internet for promoting their books are self-published authors, because they don't have the means to market like many traditionally published authors do. Another reason they rely on the internet is because their books aren't available in stores, which leaves out chance purchases by curious customers. The problem with the internet is that people aren't going to visit a website unless they know that it is there. And how is somebody supposed to know that the website exists? Emails are pointless. They just get filtered into the junk mail folder. Other than that what's left other than online interviews? If the interview isn't done by a recognizably named journalist or publication it isn't going to reach many potential readers.
The truth is self-published authors don't receive the same amount of attention or respect as traditionally published authors. It may not seem fair, but that's just the way it is. There are thousands of world renowned traditionally published authors and only a handful of world renowned self-published authors; and most of them are self-help and cookbooks and the like.
http://www.groundbreaking.com/SPAuthorsL...
Reply:I wouldn't know. I'm still stuck in my own 6-year cycle myself.
I'll let you know in the next decade or so. :0)
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