On Goodreads Giveaways

Am I the only person I know that is entirely frustrated with Goodreads Giveaways.

Yeah ... yeah ... I know, I get it. Less than 2% of readers actually leave reviews, or some such nonsense. But knowing the numbers does nothing to curb my anger at the entire situation.

Numbers? You want numbers? Sure ... I can give you numbers? How are these for numbers?

I've done at least at least 4 Goodreads Giveaways, for 4 different works, totaling about 14 books given away. Sum that up to (ball parking it here) $8.00 a pop for 9 of those 14, and then $12 for the other 5.

That's about $132!

And what have I gotten out of it?

1 Review!

That's right, you read that right! Ultimately, I have paid $132 FOR ONE REVIEW!

So, is it worth the hassle? I think not!

You mean to tell me that I am LITERALLY PAYING PEOPLE TO READ MY WORK?!

I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't write for the money, I write because I love the art. However, THIS IS my full time job! One which I have yet to get a paycheck for IN 5 YEARS!! Yet, I continually give away freebies, and do Goodreads Giveaways because I'm told that you have to invest money to make money ....

BUT I'M NOT MAKING ANYTHING!!

Is it worth the hassle? Should I just get myself a full time job, and write for the sake of writing, and just give away the books for free all the time?

Well, damn!



Let's look at the Pros and Cons here:

PROS & CONS

• Freebies may equal reviews. Not guaranteed ones, but some ... hopefully.


• Yet, if it's free, do I invest my precious time and energy in making the book perfect? That's A HELL OF A LOT OF WORK. Exhausting! Worth it? I dunno.


• Is it worth leaving my family and life on the back burner to put forth all of my extra time in writing a book, making it perfect to then give it away for free? I dunno, maybe.


• Should I really continue to pay people to read my work just to gain exposure, even though that exposure doesn't add up to sales? Well, hell, you tell me!


• Yet, if I DO NOT implement the time and energy that it takes to make my work perfect (I mean, it's free anyway, right? Right! Why should free work be perfect? I'm not reaping any benefits from it.) is it worth risking potential bad reviews even though the work was literally given to the reader and allowing my name to be slandered?

Still, with all of this being said, it seems ridiculous to me to PAY people to read my books and not getting reviews for them!

So, is the Goodreads Giveaway really an investment?

I think not!

Do I look like an ATM?!

I am sick and freaking tired of this new "Donate to Me" trend that lots of authors have adopted!

Advocate + Author + Hard Working Mother + Entrepreneur + Independent + Full Blooded Latina

=

DON'T ASK ME FOR A FUCKING HAND OUT!

So, for the second time this week, some random author has approached me and asked me to "donate" to their cause. One said something along the lines of needing to fund his next book, the other something about trying to raise money for cancer awareness.

I have 2 things to say about that:

Has fellow number one ever hear of CREATE SPACE?!

Does fellow number two realize the this world can't be anymore aware of cancer?!

Look, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just being real. This has become a ridiculous trend and it only feeds into the myth that well known authors have money coming out of their asses. Look dude, I'm just as poor as you, IF NOT MORE! Yet, you don't see me running around asking for handouts, and expecting others to fund my work.

On the contrary, I work my ass of each and every day TO MAKE MONEY! And guess what? There isn't much making of said money!

Shit! Just because I do this, that and the third, that makes me JK-fucking-Rowling! Hello! How about, hell no!

I find this lame and lazy. I mean, there are so many platforms out there to get you published, and/or create awareness of something that does not involve taking money from people that are probably struggling more than you.

Because I'm American, that means that I'm laying my head on a goose-down pillow every freaking night, and eating filet-fucking-mignon every damn day?! Do you realize that most of us American's are struggling more than most people care to acknowledge? That being said, I have a hard time coming up with enough money every month just to keep my internet going. So, do I really look like I have all that extra money to throw around?

If there is anything that I've learned it's that hard work can and will pay, so why do some of these people want hand outs? Simple, because they are lazy. If you do research you will find that there is a surplus of resources out there that can help you make your book dream come true. All you have to do, is look. But, noooooo. They see a person like me who has several publications under her belt, a small company, and some random yet beneficial project in the works, and automatically I must smell like cash.

Look dudes, alls I'm saying is ...

No, I don't have the money to donate to your cause! So, stop asking!