Following Up on WroteaBook

The other day I posted about another new book promo site called wroteabook.org, which I found via a Reddit post. Its main draw for me was that it's free. Oh, and it's not going to steal my intellectual property. That's kind of an important point.

While my interview won't be live until October 19 (Really? Why?), I did take some time to browse other authors' interviews. Now, I'm told that the site has been in existence for about a year, so it should be blossoming by now; yet, aside from all the traditionally published books it displays, things don't seem to be going gangbusters. It doesn't make me happy to say that; I'm all for avenues for authors to display their wares. 

I believe there are 186 author spotlights posted. That's not very many. Every indie author who joins is invited to do an interview, and nobody's going to turn that offer down. By far, the majority of authors have written self-help. Who are all these "experts"? I can't even help myself! Is the market really that big for self-help books?

"Self-Published Realities: Data from indie and self-publishing platforms show that the average self-published book (including self-help titles) often sells under a few hundred copies unless backed by heavy marketing, a built-in coaching practice, or a strong social media following." 

I tried to find spotlights for authors who've written just "fiction"--not fantasy, not romance, not sci fi--and I found, I believe, one. 

This is clearly not a site that's going to benefit me. 

Too, I once was a newbie, so I get it, but the naivete found in some of these interviews is frustrating. "I didn't know that if I self-published my book, I would never have a chance at getting it traditionally published." Oh.

In retrospect, I don't think my interview answers were "super-serious" enough to match the site's other interviews, but you do know that you're selling yourself, right? Nobody's read the book (yet). I didn't try to come off as an expert. An expert in what, exactly? Making up stories? Even little kids do that! (especially little kids)

I never really expected this site to pay off. Like I said, it was free, so why not? But I can't ever see myself going back to it.