This is the first post I’m making on my brand new site! http://www.mjamesmurray.com has a pretty cool ring to it. For me, at least.

XBox live achievement unlocked.

So this week in the world of your favorite Indie author (me, I’m talking about me, guys) has been an interesting one. I’ve been hit with a minor case of the dreaded writer’s disease known as Writers Block

There’s probably half a hundred reasons why this is happening, ranging from the fact that I don’t have a glass of wine by my side (a dry red really stimulates the word-smithing) to the fact that my mantlepiece hasn’t been dusted lately. YOU try writing with a dirty mantlepiece. It’s pretty much impossible.

The fact of the matter is that when you get hit with a case of Writers Block everything is more interesting than the blank page in front of you. And I mean absolutely everything.

But, this time at least, I know where it’s been coming from. Consistency. As in, lack thereof. It’s tough to find time to write something, but that can never be an excuse. I’ll do better going forward. Scouts honor.

There’s another reason why I haven’t been able to write, though, and it’s much more practical than a dirty mantlepiece or a perceived lack of wine:

I’ve been working on a sales strategy for Far from Ordinary. Moving into phase 2.

Makes it sound super fancy, right? Like I have a high powered marketing team at my disposal. Or like a video game. But I digress. In reality, as an Indie author, I’ve often got to make my own opportunities.

Which is why I need your help. Yes, you!

Firstly, if you haven’t already, PLEASE buy my debut novel, Far from Ordinary. Pick it up on Amazon here.

Secondly, leave a review. You can do that right here.

Reviews are the lifeblood of independently published authors. They let people who I don’t know find, and hopefully, enjoy, my book. They don’t need to be long. It could be a single word or just the emoticon of a thumbs up or whatever.

But please leave one. It would help me out a ton.

Good? Good.

The good thing (especially for those that haven’t picked up their copy yet) is that the reviews which I’ve heard back have been positive. It’s in these moments when the line between “author” and “friend” begin to blur a bit. For example, one of the people who read my book said:

“I really liked it! But I couldn’t stop thinking “I know the author” in the more vulgar moments of the book.”

There are a few *ahem* mature scenes in the book. I actually figured that it was only a matter of time until someone brought that up. But I can’t just not write that stuff because I know that people who I know will read it, you know? It wouldn’t be fair to the story.

I’m also inching ever closer to a major book milestone in sales. My target is 250 by the end of February. I’m currently sitting at… Drull roll please…

140 BOOKS SOLD

 

Going into the release date on November 15th, I had no idea how many I would sell. I figured that the number would be anywhere between one (thanks mom!) to 10 000 (granted, that’s a major stretch but it never hurts to think big).

Almost 150 is absolutely amazing. I’m excited to see what I can do to harness this momentum for 2019.

SO. What did we learn this week?

1. Reviews are the best gift you could ever give me.
2. The best way to write is as though you’re the only person who is going to read it
3. I’m bad at consistently blogging
4. Writers Block sucks
5. I live in a place where the air hurts my face, but it STILL sucks more to drop your keys down an elevator shaft.