I never have been. As a kid, I was tiny and sucked at kickball. As a teen, I was a shy, scrawny, book worm and band geek. I feel more comfortable in my own skin as an adult, but I am still a textbook introvert. And this suits me just fine. I haven’t needed popularity…until now.

I appreciate the literary agencies that state up front that they will only consider authors with huge platforms. I know not to waste my time personalizing a query letter for that agency. Eight of the nine rejections I’ve received so far have greeted me with “Dear Melissa” and then proceeded to thank me for considering their agency. Then they tell me that my project doesn’t sound right for them, so they are going to pass on requesting the full manuscript. They close by wishing me luck in finding the right home for my book. Then there’s rejection #9. I queried this agency because they represent authors who write faith-based books, and they represent two authors I love and admire. Their home page states that their goal is to help authors “advance life- and culture-transforming messages for the sake of the Kingdom.” I didn’t get a “Dear Melissa” from this agency, nor did I get a “Thank you for considering us.” Instead, I got a “Ms. McKay.” The agent proceeded to tell me that my project wasn’t a fit for them for numerous reasons but mostly because, “We discipline ourselves to taking on new clients for whom we are confident we can obtain a royalty advance of at least $100,000.” She then suggested I pay for their author coaching course and signed off by wishing me the best on my author journey.

I mean, I get it. I’m an investment, and an agency wants an assurance of good returns. It’s just so frustrating that agencies primarily base an author’s potential success on their social media presence rather than the quality of their writing. Especially when evidence shows that having a huge fan base doesn’t guarantee sales. Billie Eilish has over 100 million followers on Instagram and Twitter, but her book has only sold 64,000 copies.  

After that rejection from the Christian agency, I responded to a DM on Instagram from an account that promotes authors/books. He offered several packages, and I selected the “silver.” For $34, this account would give me one permanent Instagram post and three stories. I figured, “What the hell.” I texted my daughter, Reagan, and said, “I just paid an influencer to promote me on Instagram, and I feel like I’ve sold my soul to the devil.” Since Friday, I’ve gained 37 new followers, the majority of whom are more promoters. And every Instagram post I’ve made since then has received numerous comments like, “PLEASE CHECK YOUR MESSAGES. GOOD PROPOSAL FOR PROMOTION.” I received several of these comments on the post about the death of our beloved dog, Luna. I have since removed them. I also removed the comment on my anniversary post from a woman I don’t know who told me about having her heart broken then finding love again with a love potion. I’ve got one creepy guy trying to start a conversation with me in my DMs. I now regret my life choices. This is not how I want to build a platform. 

I’ve noticed that most Instagram accounts with thousands of followers have one thing in common: they post CONSTANTLY; especially on stories. I’ve made about three story posts in total since this Instagram feature came into being a few years ago. There’s no getting around it; I’m going to have to be obnoxious and increase my presence on social media. And I’m going to do what I never thought I would; beg people to like me. Please know that I will hate every minute of this. The good news is that part of my mission to be more seen includes blogging on a more consistent basis. Here I will ask a favor. If you enjoy reading my blog or seeing my pictures on Instagram and Facebook, would you consider sharing the blog/website with your friends and family? 

This effort may be too little too late in the publication process. It can take years for someone to establish a significant online presence. But I have nothing to lose (except my self-respect). Thank you for reading and for supporting/encouraging me to get this little book out into the world.