My View on How Many Views Is a Good Number of Views (What's Your View?)
A Literal Literary Loser Views Wisely
Obviously, we all want thousands — nay, millions — of eyeballs on every single thing we create. Especially if said eyeballs then turn into sales.
But that’s not going to happen.
Maybe it will happen for you. I know it’s not going to happen for me. I am happy for any and every eyeball I get. I am grateful for any and every eyeball I get. And, because I am regularly accused of toxic positivity, here is how I have chosen to think about any and every eyeball I get.
About 25 people attended my May 3, “Go On Pretending” book launch at My Biblioteka. That was a terrific turn out. Every single chair was filled. I couldn’t have asked for more. Another dozen people or so tuned in for the live stream. Even better!
The edited video (we cut out the first 15 minutes of guests milling about while I switched from Russian to English for my tour of the promised savory, Soviet snacks) has, so far, racked up 111 views.
My husband, the math and physics teacher, lectures that no particular number has any more significance than any other particular number. But I still think 111 is a pretty cool number.
So there.
Is it the kind of numbers that Tik-Tok influencers get? Yes. In the first five seconds of posting their video.
The way I’ve chosen to look at it is: If 111 people had shown up at My Biblioteka in addition to those who where there and those who were remote, I would have been thrilled. I would have been ecstatic! (I wouldn’t have had enough chairs or caviar, but I’d have figured something out.) So, no matter how tiny it appears compared to the vastness of the World Wide Web, I still think it’s a terrific number. (Want to make it go higher? Watch the aforementioned video, below.)
Last night, I participated in a “What’s New in Historical Fiction” panel with fellow authors Kyra Davis Lurie, Marie Bostwick, and C.W. Towarnicki. About 15 people showed up to listen live. Now it’s streaming on YouTube, where it will get more views as time goes by. If this had been an in-person event, I would have been happy to meet 15 new readers. Which means I am happy to meet them remotely, as well.
Sure, it’s tempting to wonder why I’m not getting as many views as a Kardashian. (Maybe it’s because I’m not a Kardashian? Maybe it’s because I’m not exactly sure what a Kardashian is?) But that’s the wrong frame of reference, IMHO (that’s how the cool, internet kids say: In My Humble Opinion).
When I put my virtual views in perspective to the turn out I’d be excited about for an in-person event, I see that I’m actually doing pretty well.
The same goes for my “Explaining the USSR To My Kid — Through Books” videos. We’re talking about a pretty small niche of people who’d potentially be interested in the topic, so getting over 100 views for each is a win, as far as I am concerned. (Latest episode below!)
Am I being overly Pollyanna-ish? Am I being delusional? Am I being, you know, plain, old wrong?
Maybe. I’m plain, old wrong about a lot of things. But I’m also grateful for a lot of things. I am grateful for every click, and every view, and every like, and every comment.
I am truly appreciative that people have taken time out from their ridiculously busy lives to pay a moment’s attention to something I created. That feels pretty good, to be honest. So, thank you. Thank you for coming, whether in person or remotely; whether on the day of, or days, weeks, months, years after the fact.
I will always be happy to see you. Hope you can say the same!