Bystander apathy

I really didn't expect to hear back from any of the magazines I contacted, but today arrived the first reply and now I'm just waiting for copies of the book to land so I can send one out for preview.  It doesn't mean I will get a mention, but it is a step forward in getting the book out there to raise some money for charity.  I'm not sure why it makes me feel so nervous.  Fear of rejection, I assume.  The response from the social networking channels so far has been disappointing to say the least and I'm not sure how to take that.  Are people laughing, sneering or just dismissing it outright?  There are so many paranoias that come with trying to promote something you've created yourself with no marketing budget and the mere hope that people will show a little good will and spread the word.

I've always shared links and promos when friends have something to promote.  It's the least I can do to help.  People work hard to create and share their music, their art, their fundraising efforts, why wouldn't I pitch in how ever I can?  It doesn't take much effort to click share or retweet and it takes still very little to buy or contribute.  I'd be less frustrated if it wasn't a charity venture I suppose.

I remember watching Billy Connolly on Red Nose Day years ago and he talked about the apathy that seems to prevent people from giving to charity.  It's the same sort of bystander apathy that prevents people from helping someone in the street.  The assumption that someone else will do it if they don't takes over and they simply do nothing.  The thought that loads of people must be doing something so they don't have to overrides the initial instinct to do the right thing.  Maybe if I hadn't said it was for charity, I'd have had a better response.  If I'd said buy these so you can laugh at me and sneer when you me, I might have had a better response.

So I've gone beyond the social networking media to the actual media in an attempt to get some experienced marketing behind my efforts.  Of course, it's still a maybe and maybe is less than solid ground, but maybe is better than silence.  Even if it does go ahead and still only sells a couple of extra copies of any of the books, Kindle or printed, it's still better than no sales at all.

Perhaps if I'd chosen a more popular charity - one that gets TV coverage - I'd have had more success, but my charity is a smaller one and relies on people to spread the word.  I'm carrying on my Mum's legacy.  She requested donations to MS research instead of flowers at her funeral and I wouldn't have started designing if my hands and eyes hadn't both broken down simultaneously, so it seems the right thing to do.  Give my designs over to charity and try to make some small difference.  Getting people to buy a well thought out and decent quality item in the name of the cause though is proving difficult.  It doesn't sing and it doesn't dance.  It is unique and it is well made.  Have I got the quality thing the wrong way round?  Should I have gone for a pitiful look that might tug at the heartstrings? 

But it's early days and I hope to see things pick up.  If I don't, I'll find some other way.  I'm determined to do something worthwhile and I will get there, no matter how much rejection I face.