February 21, 2020
“Getting to know you…getting to know all about you…getting to like you…”
That song comes from ‘The King and I’, an old, old movie starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. It’s a great movie about a missionary (Kerr) and her son going to Siam (now Burma) and teaching the King’s children. Love the dresses Kerr wore!
These days, I’m getting to know Amazon because that’s where my book life is focusing. Whew! It’s a foreign country to me. Yes, Amazon is only one resource for book marketing; yet it’s huge and I want to get my books out. I used to fear it as if it was a monster.
Anything we fear tends to take on an image of something overwhelming and unconquerable—a mountain; a monster. I’ve learned to watch for these types of feelings; I now know that indicate I’m ready to grow (up).
How I’m conquering my mountain/monster:
#1: Acquainting myself with others who already know it.
I have several friends who know much more about Amazon and other large enterprises than I do. Finding these wonderful people has either a) taken some of the work of getting to know the mountain/monster off me or b) shown me SHORCUTS--the quickest ways in or around it. For me, anyone under the age of 25 works. Then there’s always GOOGLE.
#2: Getting to know my mountains/monsters.
I’ve had to put my resistance away; my weapons (excuses) of why I don’t want to face Amazon. Would I like it if Amazon weren’t such a behemoth? Yes. Am I going to change that? No. Am I going to ignore it? No. Why?
#3: Knowing WHY is my biggest motivator. My latest book, ‘Dissolving Her Despair’, Book One in a five-volume series, ‘The Woman Who Forgot Who She Was’ is a story I was given as I faced a big problem in my life and I couldn’t rise above my own despair. That story so enriched my life that I want to uplift others. My books are always intended for that purpose. It’s my mission; my passion and I can’t let something stand in my way just because it’s unfamiliar and HUGE. NO WAY.
Vivian Probst is an award-winning author. Her latest work, ‘The Woman Who Forgot Who She Was’ is a five-book series. Book One: Dissolving Her Despair is available as a Kindle’® e-book and as a paperback book on Amazon. Book Two: ‘Waking From Her Weariness’ is expected to be released by April 15th. Probst is writing each book in both English and WEnglish™, her linguistic attempt to make English more gender inclusive. More at vivianprobst.com