Getting Noticed Without Being Obnoxious
It’s always a fine line to walk.
Hi there. I’m MJ Blehart. I’ve been writing sci-fi, fantasy, and nonfiction for most of my life. More than a decade ago, after multiple attempts to get an agent and a traditional publishing option, I began self-publishing.
Since that time, I’ve written and published 21 books in 3 genres (fantasy, Steampunk, and sci-fi). There have been 2 standalones and 5 series (3 of which are complete). Two weeks from today, I’m publishing the first book in a new series.
Every time I start a new series, I have high hopes for its reception. This is the one. It’s this series that will get me noticed and take my authorpreneurship to the next level. The excitement is fun.
The denouement is often a very different matter. Sure, there are sales of books. But it never quite catches fire and takes me to the level I’m seeking.
Ideally, becoming a best-selling author would be amazing. What professional artist doesn’t want to be at the top of their game? Realistically, however, I want to develop a following, have a regular and engaged audience, and sell enough books to cover my expenses and live my life.
To that end, the challenge is to get noticed without being obnoxious about it. Ergo, marketing, advertising, and other acts that draw readers and sell more books – while simultaneously not being that guy.
Maybe I should begin by sharing my goal.
What’s the result I want from getting noticed?
Like most indie authors, my sales are a few books here, a few books there, just enough to keep me going and still hold a secondary, part-time gig as a cushion to cover my expenses. (I’m fortunate here that I write full-time and work a more mundane job part-time. Many indie authors must do the opposite).
What I want from getting noticed is to see more regular sales. With 21 books out in the world, if I sold 100 books a month, that would be respectable. A hundred books a month, in any combination of eBook, audiobook, or paperback, would be genuinely gratifying.
If I could take that a step further and get that number to 500 books a month, that would be incredible. There aren’t adequate words to express how this would feel and what it would do for me and all my endeavors.
There are lots of books in the world and lots of readers out there. Getting noticed and putting my work in front of them to reach those numbers is a constant challenge. For me, the hardest part of authropreneurship is the marketing and press for sales.
This is where the line between getting noticed and being obnoxious comes into play.
How do I define obnoxious?
This, of course, is a loaded question. It’s also completely contextual. Obnoxious in everyday life versus marketing and seeking sales are quite different. We all know people for whom obnoxious tends to be the default setting.
The ultimate stereotype of obnoxious might be the caricature of the used-car salesman. That guy in a cheap suit trying to push a POS car that’s way overpriced on an unsuspecting sucker. For an example of this, check out the movie True Lies and watch Bill Paxton chew the scenery in such a role.
How do I define obnoxious when it comes to pushing marketing and asking for book buyers? Being smarmy, begging, constantly nagging, and generally being a pain in the ass come to mind. But it tends to be far more subtle. Like asking too often, “Please buy my book(s)” or oversharing info about the next release and generally talking/blogging/writing/postulating about nothing else.
There’s a fine line between requesting and pleading. Looking confident and appearing desperate. Self-satisfaction in a job well done and bragging about being a creative. The latter of each scenario is on the obnoxious side.
What’s more, I know that most of my concerns about getting noticed and being obnoxious are largely in my head.
Getting noticed is not a bad thing
One of the biggest blocks I stumble over frequently is the idea that I am worthy and deserving of succeeding. Somewhere along the way, I got it in my head that getting noticed, while desirable, is equally terrifying.
A close, well-meaning friend, back when I was a very different person, used to share when I took things too far. Bragging, self-aggrandizing, telling you all the good I did because I feared if I didn’t, you’d forget about me. And there were plenty of times I’m pretty sure I was an ass.
However, this created a paranoia that’s been reinforced over the years that I needed to stay small. Keep in the shadows, never fully show myself for who I know I am and can be. Not in a bragging, Trump-esque name-on-everything, everywhere way. Just being true to myself.
Hence, that line between getting noticed and being obnoxious has been constantly tested. I think I’m still overly cautious in this field, which is part of why I’m sharing my process with you today. I’ve done something cool that I think is worth me getting noticed.
So, to that end, here’s my pitch: My newest novel, Rise of The Captain, is being published 2 weeks from today (10/27/26). It’s the first book in The Gentleman Space Pirate series. While the books are sequential, each is a standalone, and there will be 5 novels total (for now). If you like sci-fi, space operas, found family, diverse crews, and pirates, I believe you will love this new series. It will be available in eBook, paperback, and audiobook formats. You can pre-order it here from one of several outlets.
Thanks for reading. As I share my creative journey with you, please consider this:
How are you inspired and empowered to be your own authentic creator, whatever form that takes?
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