No, it’s true. It’s not mediocre or poorly written. The story and characters seem to be engaging and the narrative doesn’t play too fast and loose with historical accuracy. Every review has been a solid 5 stars. So thanks to my family and friends for that.
I know, I know – I need to get over my Imposter Syndrome. It’s a thing and I have it.
the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills
The Oxford Dictionary
This leads neatly into the observation that nobody goes to Amazon or any other proprietary online book retailer with the thought ‘I really must find a new book to read’. If your self-published book is any good, it’s going to need a buzz that carries it beyond the narrow circle of your family, friends and associates. It’s going to need a bit of special sauce. Celebrity books can be all-sauce, no substance, and some of the greatest stories ever written by self-published authors will never be read. Somewhere along that continuum live the huge mass of self-published authors. Some of them should be discouraged (see this arbitrary list of 14 jaw-droppingly terrible self-published books). So how do ‘not terrible’ books get in front of people?
Fucked if I know. But if I find out, I’ll spread the word.
