This is how a bad review ruined my book launch.
I was 25 and two days into launching my second book. Out of curiosity, I decided to scroll GoodReads to read all the NICE things people were saying about me.
(Oh, young Kyle)
And there it was.
MY FIRST 1 STAR REVIEW.
I remember being physically sick, my heartbeat thrashing in my chest. In the blink of an eye, I became a terrible writer, and my book just might be the worst thing ever written. This reviewer confirmed my deepest fear.
A month later, my book sales flatlined. Not because of bad reviews, but because I unconsciously sabotaged my marketing efforts. I went through the motions of promoting the novel, but deep down, my heart wasn't in it. I didn't want the book to find an audience. Criticism felt unbearable.
I no longer believed in my book.
Since then, I’ve published more books.
Some are more successful than others.
Reflecting on my journey, I'm convinced: to reach an audience, you must BELIEVE in your creation. That’s my number one piece of marketing advice.
Believe that your creation deserves an audience.
Believe that you were called to write this book for a reason.
To find your readers, you must cast the widest net possible.
That belief will spill over to your marketing efforts. You will do what it takes to get it out to the world.
That belief will be the foundation for others to believe as well.
The Creative Ritual of Jordan Peele
Did you know…
It took Jordan Peele five years to craft his breakthrough movie, Get Out?
Despite already being a prominent figure in Hollywood, Get Out wasn’t a green-lit project. Peele wasn’t paid to write it.
Instead, he approached writing the script as his hobby. The thing he did instead of watching television or playing video games. He was less concerned with the outcome and more interested in “following the fun”, leaning into the things that fascinated him like secret societies and blending social commentary with horror.
In doing so, he reinvented a genre. He did something truly groundbreaking.
As artists, it's easy to lose sight of finding the joy in our art. Calling it our “hobby” scares us. How will anyone take it seriously if it’s just a hobby? Yet, creating without the pressure of monetary success or a deadline is liberating. It allows us to follow our inner spark rather than conform to trends or pressure to be successfull.
Thanks for reading this week’s Creative Ritual.
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