Launch Jealousy
I envy authors who have plans or understand marketing. Those who can get on the PR train, who can pay for and organise launch readings.
My skills in launching a book tend to be “put it on my website”. Which seems rather lacklustre given what others have accomplished at times. But then again, while I do distribute to places like amazon, I dislike them a lot and prefer direct sales. And most launch plans feel geared toward some retailers algorithms, not humans.
And then I ask myself why I can’t get PR? I mean there’s all kinds of free templates on the internet, why haven’t I used them and pitched them? There’s no good reason I can give you.
And yet I can still feel jealousy. I don’t think I experience jealousy as an outward emotion, that is, I wouldn’t ever (and I hope I haven’t and will never) take my jealousy out on someone else. Jealousy to me is a feeling of lack because of something I didn’t do (in this case of book launches) or something shallow I don’t want to do but I like the success that someone else has gotten.
By the way, I write a lot about creativity (and creativity with a chronic illness) on my Patreon page. You can join for as little as $AUD 1.50/month and get early access to posts.
