Steve:
Even though I know you've opted out of this thread, I feel that I want to address this...because no matter what happens, don't give up.
Why do we write? Because we want to, have to, need to.
And part of writing is rejection. Lots of rejection.
Writing is an extremely personal expression...just like being a singer/songwriter. Even singers and actors have the out of "well, it's just someone else's words, not mine." But writing...for better or worse, it's us up there on the page, it's very personal and so rejection and criticism stings. But it's the nature of the beast.
And for everyone that dislikes our work, there is the potential of finding people who love your work.
Not every author is to every reader's taste. People love Hemingway...I think he was a pompous bully. I am a huge fan of Bradbury, Gaiman, King, Mike Stackpole, Jim Butcher...and yet sci-fi stalwarts like Brunner, Sturgeon, Pohl, and Moorcock do nothing for me.
It's not "good" or "bad" (as some people have commented, although quality does affect readers' perceptions naturally) but a matter of connecting with the people who "get you" and your work.
Consider this--look at the people on this thread who say they hadn't heard of you. I know you've been quoted in the NY Times, I know you were an advocate for ebooks long before it was cool...I know you were an early adopter before this Kindle fad came along.
And there's two ways you can look at this:
1) All this work and no one knows who I am. Oh, bother.
2) Hey, that means there are lots and lots of new people coming to this site--and ebooks--who never paid any attention to this industry before. That means there are lots and lots of new potential readers to reach out to...
Ebooks are in their infancy. The market is going to grow and grow as more and more of the world embraces the tech and it becomes cheaper and more accessible. Ride the wave...because, remember, you only need to hit one home run and you have a great career.
So get up to bat again...and again...and again. Because eventually...if you keep at it...you will get where you want to be. There are no guarantees, there is no deadline (boy, if I'm not successful by this date, it's OVER)...the Long Tail is Forever...but if you have enough books, if you reach out over and over again and persevere through the tough times, I believe things do come together for the people determined to make it.
I am a believer in the Gospel of Konrath, not because he tells me things I want to hear, but because it is common sense:
* Publish lots of books. (You have that already.) Write GREAT books. Have GREAT covers.
* Keep working at it...judging by Kindle sales figures, sometimes ebooks don't take off for a year or two...and then boom, they just explode. Your books have only been on Amazon's Kindle store since Oct 2010 (if the dates are correct in the listings)...
Remember, the Long Tail is forever. Your books may trundle along in relative obscurity for...well, for a long time...but then somebody may read it, may Tweet or blog about it and get others to take a look and then the avalanche starts. Amanda Hocking and Joe Konrath and many more authors have seen it in action...and if you have enough books out there, it can happen to you.
The more books you have, they more chances your book may appear in the "Readers who bought this book also bought" Amazon recommendations, giving you increased visibility.
* This is a numbers game...and the numbers are in the authors' favor.
There are over a billion English speakers on the planet--all you need is a few thousand supporters to make this worth your time and effort in the traditional business sense (aside from the personal satisfaction of crafting a great yarn).
Think of this: In all the world, are there not most likely a few thousand people who would enjoy your books enough to spend a dollar or two on them? I'm sure there are...now, the mission is to find them...and enable them to let their friends know about your stories. And let it grow and grow over time.
I know my life would be a lot less rich if I didn't write. And I'd like to think that there are a few...enough...people out there that will enjoy my work.
Now, some observations:
* Glad to see that you've added a link to your site in your signature. Good move. Do that on every other community your participate in.
* I don't hate the covers; I actually kind of like the design but I can see why others aren't enthusiastic about it. If you're going to stick with the sideways name, leave more colored margin around the name so the name doesn't bleed up right to the top and bottom edge; the current design makes it hard to read. Honestly, I've seen professional houses with far less appealing covers IMO.
* Not a big fan of the word "Onuissance"...just really difficult. Difficult in a title is not good. It actively works against the book being read.
* Kestral Voyages looks very interesting.
* I'd reactivate "SteveJordanBooks.com"
RightBrane.com is not a name that somebody is just going to stumble across; they have to know you and your books before finding it.
Also, by working SteveJordanBooks.com, it is more likely to move your name up in the search rankings--there are quite a few Steve Jordans out there who are not you...by linking your site and your name, you can hopefully get to the front page of Google. Because the fact is, when people hear about you, they are going to search for you by your name. If you don't come up on the first page of results, they likely think they got it wrong or you're not "for real" and give up.
(Having a common name can really be no fun at all. Trust me, I know...on the other hand, a common name is easy to remember. Maybe try out SteveJordanSciFi, AuthorSteveJordan, or some other easy to remember combination...domain names are $10 at NameCheap.com with free URL forwarding.)
You could also feature more of your short stories in your blog.
Get a blog on blogspot.com and connect with other community members.
Be active on StumbleUpon, Delicious, the various Kindle blogs, etc.
The key is to contribute helpful content, not just sell, sell, sell...which I know you know, but sometimes you feel obligated to point out the obvious. Oh, hey, don't put your finger in the socket either.
* Work the sci-fi blogs and sites, where your potential readers are likely to be. You don't need to promote yourself -- just engage in the conversations, contribute to the community with your books and your website in your signature line.
When you make comments that people appreciate, they will check out your site and your blog...in time. This is a long-term process...but this will also make you an on-line friend with the community members who are potentially your biggest supporters. And you can get a lot of personal satisfaction out of interacting with some really cool people.
Yes, some sites (and people) are elitist in their attitude towards indie authors. That's their problem. Don't waste your time arguing with them or trying to convince them--just be thoughtful, passionate, articulate...be cool online...and in time, you will convince enough people to give you a chance.
Remember, Cory Doctorow didn't start off as "Cory Doctorow, world famous science fiction writer who gives away his books online and everybody online knows who he is." He started off as an online blogger (BoingBoing.net) who was intelligent, thoughtful, opionated and engaging who aspired to be a science fiction author...and he leveraged it into a pretty good career and online presence over many years.
Likewise, when Randall Munroe started XKCD, he was a basically unknown cartoonist. But by crafting clever, engaging content that was easy to find, he became "Internet famous" and has developed a great strip and a loyal following.
Use short, easily accessible stories posted on your site, your blog, on Facebook, etc. to create that clever, engaging content that directs readers to your books.
* Put up one or two novels on Feedbooks, ManyBooks, Wattpad, Project Gutenburg, Scribd, etc. Creative Commons license a book so it can be freely shared and passed around, include your catalog and site links (you, Amazon, Smashwords).
Be active in Library Thing, Good Reads, etc. Engage in the community, talking about the books you love and with links to your work -- the people who love what you love are more likely to enjoy your books because presumably you are writing something you love and therefore something that shares a lineage, a connection to the works you loved to read.
* As for the online persona, I know that it is hard to be upbeat sometimes. And I don't advocate being dishonest with people. But at the same time, how you choose your words can dramatically affect how people interpret your persona online. Remember that...you will be judged and remembered by everything you say. Few of us can indulge in Harlan Ellison level crankiness until we've achieved what Harlan has.
(Not to say that you are cranky, but how how controversial one can get away with being is generally directly related to how famous and successful you are. When Harlan or Ray Bradbury rants, it's endearing and charming because most of us respect and admire their work and accomplishments...when Jessie Slaughter (I think that was her name?) posted a vulgarity-laced diatribe online, 4Chan went after her.)
You never lose people by being funny, witty, graceful under pressure, willing to admit mistakes and learn from them, willing to respectfully disagree with people, etc. You can have strong opinions you really defend as long as you don't appear dismissive or defensive to those who disagree with you.
You can lose a lot of people who are otherwise inclined to support you by appearing angry and frustrated and lashing out.
And there has been a lot of negativity and venom in this thread, it is not just your imagination. There has also been a lot of very helpful constructive criticism. Take some time, cool off, and sort out what's useful and what's not.
Worst case scenario, if somebody really gets under your skin...take the high road and ignore them. Just move along to something else--something worthy of your time and effort--instead of getting drawn into a flame war.
Don't let them get the best of you.
* Trolls, pirates and torrents. Ignore them. It is as simple as that.
Yes, people can say things that are hurtful, yes seeing your books on torrents and pirate sites is infuriating.
But there is NOTHING you can do about it.
So you have three choices:
1) Rant about it...which may make you feel better but will not help the situation and may create unfavorable opinions among the people you are hoping to convince to read your books and send you money.
2) Take your ball and go home. As a writer, I'm certain you would find that unsatisfying...writers need to write, writers need to publish. It's in our nature. I'm sure it's in yours.
3) Persevere, ignore the people that get on your nerves, and keep on doing what your heart tells you to do. Carry on, keep up the good fight and don't bother to give the trolls and pirates any attention or thought whatsoever. Because, in the end, focusing your attention on the negative people and aspects only hurts yourself and diminishes energies that could be better spent promoting your work and writing.
How you respond to the dilemma is your choice of course and speaks volumes about one's particular worldview.
But me, I'm going to be an optimist and keep at it...because the other scenarios are too depressing to contemplate.
Keep at it, good luck and hope to see you on the best-seller lists!
-- Bill Smith
One last comment to ardeegee: I don't believe the Steve argues that replicators are undesirable in the real world. That would be a great future to live in.
But for interesting storytelling, you need conflict. Replicator technology prettymuch eliminates a lot of good storylines. Of course, I'm predisposed to dislike replicators because of it's clear connection to Star Trek: Next Gen, which I've long considered the most prettily adorned distopia that's ever been commercially popular.