Penn Cole

So I knew pretty early on that I wanted to self-publish because frankly, if you're going to do all of that work yourself, you want to keep the money because when you traditionally publish, you end up giving away quite a bit of your money. And so I thought, well, if I'm willing to do the work, I might as well

You have to be where the readers are and find ways for them to see you and to know that you even exist because you're not going to have the big promotions that these huge publishing houses get. Your books aren't going to be on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. You're not going to be listed as a hot book to read in Vogue magazine or something.

You have to be where the readers are and find ways for them to see you and to know that you even exist because you're not going to have the big promotions that these huge publishing houses get. Your books aren't going to be on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. You're not going to be listed as a hot book to read in Vogue magazine or something.

You have to be where the readers are and find ways for them to see you and to know that you even exist because you're not going to have the big promotions that these huge publishing houses get. Your books aren't going to be on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. You're not going to be listed as a hot book to read in Vogue magazine or something.

Well, that is the million dollar question. If you knew how to answer that easily, you would make a lot of money.

Well, that is the million dollar question. If you knew how to answer that easily, you would make a lot of money.

Well, that is the million dollar question. If you knew how to answer that easily, you would make a lot of money.

I think in the early days, I really thought you needed to go viral. I thought that I was shooting for that video that got a million views and that that would make or break my career. I have since learned that is not how it works at all. It is so much more complicated than that. And so what changed your mind and how did you like adjust? At some point, I think I did have a video.

I think in the early days, I really thought you needed to go viral. I thought that I was shooting for that video that got a million views and that that would make or break my career. I have since learned that is not how it works at all. It is so much more complicated than that. And so what changed your mind and how did you like adjust? At some point, I think I did have a video.

I think in the early days, I really thought you needed to go viral. I thought that I was shooting for that video that got a million views and that that would make or break my career. I have since learned that is not how it works at all. It is so much more complicated than that. And so what changed your mind and how did you like adjust? At some point, I think I did have a video.

It wasn't one of my videos, but it was a video somebody else made about my book. Here's the video.

It wasn't one of my videos, but it was a video somebody else made about my book. Here's the video.

It wasn't one of my videos, but it was a video somebody else made about my book. Here's the video.

And I saw a spike and I thought, this is it. Like I've made it. My book's going to be huge. And then two days later, you know, the sales dropped down to what they were before. The views stopped because that's what virality is. It's a moment. Right. And I think I learned after that, that this is a long haul thing.

And I saw a spike and I thought, this is it. Like I've made it. My book's going to be huge. And then two days later, you know, the sales dropped down to what they were before. The views stopped because that's what virality is. It's a moment. Right. And I think I learned after that, that this is a long haul thing.

And I saw a spike and I thought, this is it. Like I've made it. My book's going to be huge. And then two days later, you know, the sales dropped down to what they were before. The views stopped because that's what virality is. It's a moment. Right. And I think I learned after that, that this is a long haul thing.

It was a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and waiting to see what sticks. I had joined a lot of groups on TikTok for authors and I was, you know, uploading art and making memes out of my characters. I was... you know, doing videos about me as an author. And so it was just every single day trying something new and hoping that something would strike a chord with readers.

It was a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and waiting to see what sticks. I had joined a lot of groups on TikTok for authors and I was, you know, uploading art and making memes out of my characters. I was... you know, doing videos about me as an author. And so it was just every single day trying something new and hoping that something would strike a chord with readers.

It was a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and waiting to see what sticks. I had joined a lot of groups on TikTok for authors and I was, you know, uploading art and making memes out of my characters. I was... you know, doing videos about me as an author. And so it was just every single day trying something new and hoping that something would strike a chord with readers.

Girl, how much time did this take? So much time.