Finding Great Success as an Author Writing!

Published authors like JR Konrath have proved that the traditional publishing route isn't always the best route for authors, even after they have received a publishing deal.  Other than his blog and a short story or two, I haven’t read Konrath so I can’t personally attest to his skill as a writer.  His sales, however, do a really good job at attesting to his skill as an internet marketer. 

Literature writers aren’t the same as the eBook writing phenomena that we see today, self-marketing their way to top sales.  Instead of worrying too much about content, successful writer’s today seem to worry a great deal more about marketing.  However, it is impossible to box these writers into a single category because self-published authors have to be great business people, while also being decent writers (at the very least).

Authors of literature, who focus on getting published the traditional way, don’t require the same business acumen as serious authors today.  Writers like Konrath, who openly rage out against the BIG 6 publishing houses on his blog, all the while touting his success in selling over 800,000 e-books while simultaneously boasting of personal earnings of more than $100,000 in three weeks.

Perhaps Konrath is one of those literature authors who are also great self-marketers, but I find it hard to believe that literature is selling as fast as pop culture.  This isn’t a personal attack against Konrath.  Konrath’s successes should be admired, regardless of whether a person finds his work subjectively gratifying.  The man has done a fabulous job marketing his work on the internet and everyone would do themselves a favor by learning from him.   

People who are looking to self-publish for the first time should find a few people who have successfully accomplished what they want to attain and model their efforts after them.  Beyond attending writing workshops, authors should take classes and work just as hard trying to learn how to market their name as a brand as they work to turn their words into a great story.

What are the names of some of the authors that you know of who have mastered the art of marketing themselves online?