My oldest grandson, Landon, will turn nine years old tomorrow. We celebrated today with a basketball party. Landon’s planning to play basketball this year for the rec center so he’s all into the bouncing orange ball. Yeah, we did food and presents and all the regular stuff but the real fun came on the basketball court. Landon and his friend Tyler shot a game of hoops with Landon’s older cousins, his much older uncles and Tyler’s dad, Landon’s dad, and his grandpa. Yeah, his grandpa. Keep in mind Landon turns nine tomorrow and Tyler is barely ten. They were the only ones on the court under six feet tall. They’re barely five feet. If that.
They were little guys in a big mans game.
We, the cheering section, had to on occasion remind the um, bigger guys, that HELLO, it’s LANDON’S party!! Can you give HIM the ball?? Maybe let him play too??
Made me think of all the indie publishers and the do-it-yourself ebook authors going up against the big guys. Only I don’t think a group of moms and grandmoms and aunts and cousins shouting at Random House or St. Martins to let Johnny play, too, will carry much weight.
That’s why the little guys need a cheering section. Even the little guys with contracts with one of the big guys. Chances are the big guys aren’t going to have the time or devote the money to promoting the crap out of your book. You’re going to have to do that. And enlist your mom, and your grandmom, and your sisters and brothers and cousins and every friend you’ve ever known to help. Make them your cheering section. If they’re loud enough, the big guys may notice.
