Bill Hiatt's Blog, page 13
May 4, 2014
Tip #7: Use Copromote to Increase Your Advertising Reach.
Wow! It’s been over a year since I added any new tips. Well, less if you count the tip about the importance of advertising that I added to one of my September news updates. Still, that’s a lot less activity than I planned originally.
In that earlier post I discussed the critical need for self-published authors to advertise. Basically, when I wasn’t advertising, I wasn’t selling. (There are just so many books out there, especially self-published ones, that getting a book noticed is hard without considerable effort.)
The problem with advertising is that it usually costs money, and most self-published authors don’t have large sums to invest in advertising. Not only that, but some essential services, like professional editing and cover design, also cost money, so even though self-publishing in places like Amazon KDP is free, the surrounding expenses can really pile up fast.
Because of how expensive “free” self-publishing can be, a writer needs to find ways to maximize the effectiveness of his or her advertising dollar. Some other time I’ll tell you about my epic fails with ad buys that were fairly expensive and produced no results. Right now, though, I’m going to keep it positive and talk about one of the great blessings available to self-published writers: free (or nearly free) advertising.
One of the all-time gems I have stumbled across recently for free or low cost advertising is copromote (https://copromote.com/). I actually noticed it in a Facebook ad, and you can find it on Facebook very easily by searching for “copromote.”
What the creators of copromote have done is establish a community of advertisers who help each other. The system runs on “karma cash.” Basically, you get an initial karma cash deposit for joining and for the number of Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr followers you have. From that point you earn karma cash for sharing someone else’s promotion, the amount being determined by the number of followers you have. You spend karma cash when other people agree to share yours, the cost being determined by how many followers they have.
You can buy karma cash if you need it; I think the going rate is $100 for $200,000 in karma cash. (That could sound like a lot of money, but remember that that amount buys you 200,000 impressions–people seeing your ad. You’d have to spend into the thousands to get the same exposure from Facebook advertising.) You can also subscribe to a membership plan that gives you a certain amount of karma cash each month. That said, if you are cash strapped, you can promote modestly for free by sharing other people’s promotions like crazy.
The catch is that you can’t get very much promotion this way unless you have a pretty good-sized group of followers. Though I see people on copromote with followers in the low hundreds, I don’t think you’ll really get very far until you have at least 5,000. Some of you are gasping at this point. If you are just starting out as an author, it’s unlikely you have anywhere near that many. In another post I’ll discuss ways to build Facebook and Twitter followings. For right now I’ll just say, if you are starting small, you will get small results, but there is no harm in joining. One of the side effects of being a member, if you promote others a lot, is that suddenly you will have quite a stream of new content, and that can help to keep and build a following. You might not think a stream of ads would do this, but a lot of the people on copromote are bloggers advertising interesting blog posts, so by passing on those promotions, you are giving your fans access to more potentially interesting reading material. Also, people who like an author page, for example, generally want to read about book bargains and things of that kind, so at least the advertising won’t be a turnoff. It is also important to note that copromote only allows you to share three promotions each day, a policy that keeps your posts from being flooded by that sharing.
The other catch is that using copromote can be time-consuming, primarily because you will want to look over the promotion requests carefully. The reason is that a lot of people on copromote are, as one of the employees put it generously, “new promoters.” In other words, some of them have difficulty writing good ads, and you don’t want to share unappealing content with your fans. Here are some of the things you will want to watch out for:
ads written in the first person (which copromote cautions its members not to do): these will look like your own posts and cause confusion
ads that are just a link (would you click on a random link with no explanation?)
ads in which the link doesn’t work (yes, you may roll your eyes at this point!)
ads in which the link doesn’t go straight to what is being advertised. It isn’t good strategy to advertise a book on Amazon and then link to the Amazon home page, for example; most people are not going to go to the trouble of searching for the book. I have also seen ads link to the homepage of the author’s publisher; again, most people aren’t going to hunt for the book.
ads which are not consistent with interests of your fans and/or your own image. For example, since I write young adult fiction, I’m probably not going to start advertising erotica. (Note that ads are sometimes cryptic, and you won’t know the product is erotica without checking.)
As a consequence of all these potential problems, you should not only read the ad but follow the link and see what you find. You don’t need to read every word of a blog post, for example, but you should look at enough of it to determine if it has value for your followers.
I should mention one other potential drawback: the service is Twitter-centric, and instead of allowing different versions of the ad for different services, an advertiser can create only one, which means working within the Twitter character limits. That’s fine for Twitter, but the posts don’t look very attractive on Facebook. I worried about that a little at first, but my fans don’t seem to mind, and some of the posts even produce a fair amount of interaction, despite their truncated format.
Of course, getting new eyes on your ad is only part of the battle, but more eyes are better than fewer eyes. I have more than 6000 FB fans and Twitter followers combined, which is not a bad base, but this weekend I’m winding up a promotion on copromote that will have been seen by 500,000 people. Only a few of those will actually buy the book I’m advertising, but even that many sales is worth it, considering I’m spending a very small amount to advertise to them.
(The image above was created using http://photofunia.com/.)
Share My Countdown Deal Giveaway!
You know how much I like contests, so here’s another one. All you need to do is share my Countdown Deal with your Facebook friends for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card. You can enter right from here or from my author page on Facebook. See the Rafflecopter information below. If you’re interested, though, hurry, because the contest only lasts for three days this time.
April 30, 2014
Another Great Reading Opportunity!
Nature’s Unbalance: The Chosen, book 2
New Edition!
Finally re-releasing with a beautiful new cover!
Synopsis:
During a time of celebration for The Chosen, a mysterious force appears on Phantasma, threatening to destroy Nature and all of her creatures. Will The Chosen find and defeat this force and save Nature before it’s too late?
Excerpt:
Suddenly, as if someone had cast a freeze spell, everything stopped. As everyone looked around, they saw the shamans and druids gather together nervously and look up at the sky. Everyone else’s eyes focused upwards to see what was going on; chatter and screams could be heard as the sky suddenly darkened out of nowhere. Day became night in an instant. Now in a near panic, everyone shouted out assumptions.
“It’s Gastle! He’s back!”
“That’s impossible! This must be a new monster.”
“Perhaps it’s Gastle’s descendants seeking revenge for his death.”
“Or an old enemy trying to replace him on the throne.”
“Everyone, please, stay calm,” Striker spoke up. As the head of The Chosen, he normally took command, and it was accepted by those around him. “Let’s try to get some answers before we make assumptions.” He turned to the druids and shamans, who talked animatedly with each other while they pointed to the dark sky. “Red, any idea what this is?”
“It’s definitely not Gastle, or any other creature in Phantasma. There’s something off with the elements. Whatever caused this is a natural entity, and comes directly from Nature herself. There is a definite shift, and it’s unbalanced. We can all sense it.”
“Any idea what it could be?”
“No, but the strongest feelings we received are coming from the North, in the Polard region. We need to go there and see the situation for ourselves.”
Halli glanced at Queen Laurali who stood nearby and listened to the conversation between Striker and Red. The queen came toward the group, and Halli knew what she would say.
“I know this is a day of great celebration,” the Queen said, “but under the circumstances, I think it would be best if The Chosen headed out at once to seek some answers.” She turned toward the bride and groom. “Halli and Silvor, I will send a replacement healer and mage, of course, so you two can start your honeymoon. Until we know more, there’s no reason for you to cancel your plans.” But Halli and Silvor wouldn’t hear of it.
“We go with our family,” Silvor said. Halli nodded in agreement. “We can celebrate our honeymoon once we know what’s happened.”
Queen Laurali bowed her respect to them.
“Very well,” she said. “The Chosen, in its entirety, will head out right away toward Polard to see what you can find out. You may change in my tower while your horses are prepared.”
Coming soon from Amazon
Andrea Buginsky is a freelance writer and author. The Chosen, a middle-grade fantasy novelette was her first book, and was followed by My Open Heart, an autobiography about growing up with heart disease. Andrea released Destiny, the first book of her New Avalon series, in 2013. She is currently working on more books in both series. You can find Andrea on her website. Her books are available at Amazon. Remember to sign up for Andrea’s newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of her exciting events.
April 13, 2014
Visit Indie YA Books: Find Great New Reads and a Great New Contest!
Indie YA Books is fast becoming a great place to find new reading material, especially for teenagers. Now it is also the headquarters for a great contest (and those of you who are regular followers know how much I like contests!)
This contest is the “My Pet and I Selfie Contest.” The name pretty well says it all, but for details visit http://indieyabooks.com/competition/.
(Okay, so your pet probably isn’t a dragon…but we can dream, can’t we?)
(Photo is copyrighted by Algol and licensed from http://www.shutterstock.com.)
March 21, 2014
Get “Echoes from My Past Lives” for free!
Find out how the story of Taliesin Weaver began. Get “Echoes from My Past Lives” free through March 25th.
“Echoes” was originally issued March 23, 2013, so I have it on free promo as part of birthday celebration. Waiting for the right time to jump into the Spell Weaver series? Well, this is the right time! Here is the link: http://viewbook.at/B00BZIROVE
Which Romeo and Juliet is the best date movie?
Recently I was asked to review the latest Romeo and Juliet movie on DVD. Here’s a draft of that review below. Let me know what you think.
What do you want in a film version of Romeo and Juliet…? A chance to share an unforgettable production of the classic love story with someone special. Well, Carlo Carlei’s 2013 interpretation, recently released on DVD is not going to be that unforgettable production. In fact, I need to write this review fast, before the whole movie slides out of my brain completely.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I’m an English teacher, and so some of the aspects of the film that bug me aren’t going to bother you at all. For instance, why does this version start with a jousting tournament instead of the street fight that begins the actual play? If I live to be 150, I’m not going to figure out the rationale for arbitrary changes like that, but for purposes of this review, I’ll let go of my frustration with those issues and focus on the ones you will care about.
Romeo and Juliet has plenty of philosophizing in it, but it is a play that doesn’t work for an audience if the audience doesn’t feel it. How can you understand what Romeo and Juliet are up to if the production doesn’t let you experience the feelings of the title characters and of their families and friends as well? Romeo and Juliet is a personal tragedy of two lovers, but it is a communal tragedy as well. Ironically, it is in this area of feeling that Carlei most conspicuously lets his audience down.
Take Mercutio for instance. Who is he supposed to be? He’s the sarcastic friend that you alternately want to smack or high-five, depending on the circumstances. He ridicules Romeo’s passion for Rosaline but takes on Tybalt to defend Romeo when Romeo, from Mercutio’s viewpoint, is oddly unwilling to defend himself. In Carlei’s production Mercutio is just flat. He loses all his sarcasm, all his wit, and becomes just a plot device. Most of the banter between Mercutio and Romeo is cut, and what little is left doesn’t give us a clear idea of their relationship. If I weren’t familiar with the play, I would have difficulty figuring out why Mercutio feels so obligated to defend Romeo. But wait, Carlei supplies a motivation. For no apparent reason, he makes Mercutio, who in the original is a member of the Prince’s family, into a Montague. Great, Mercutio stands up for Romeo because he feels obligated to, not because there is any deep bond between them. Wake me when it’s over.
Actually, Romeo is out of luck in this production as far as friends are concerned. Benvolio, who is supposed to be his closest friend and confidant, as well as cousin, gets merged with Balthasar, a younger and more subordinate character, with the result that Benvolio seems more like a little kid tagging along with Romeo than a best bud. No wonder Carlei cuts much of the romantic advice that Benvolio gives Romeo in the original play: it would sound ridiculous coming out of this version of Benvolio. Unfortunately, Carlei didn’t have the sense to protect Benvolio from looking ridiculous in other ways. As usual, for no apparent reason Carlei introduces a sequence in which Benvolio, noticing that Romeo isn’t going after Rosaline at the Capulet party, tries to flirt with Rosaline himself—after hinting to Romeo how dangerous a romance with a Capulet would be. In the original play Benvolio is a rock Romeo could lean on, if only he realized it. In this version Benvolio is both the annoying little kid and the jerk who wants to get his buddy’s girl for himself.
Juliet doesn’t fare any better. In the original play the Nurse is like a mother figure who supports Juliet when her remote and overly formal mother doesn’t. The Nurse is warm and maternal, and often inadvertently funny. Carlei’s version of the Nurse, on the other hand, is only marginally less remote than Juliet’s mother, so relatively emotionless it is hard to believe her willingness to help Juliet get together with Romeo. Shakespeare’s Nurse was also one of the clown parts, whose lines are rivaled for humor only by Mercutio’s. Carlei’s Nurse is a stiff matron without even a touch of humor. Even the lines that make one realize that the Nurse’s deceased daughter would have been the same age as Juliet are gone. After all, we wouldn’t want any real emotional connection between Juliet and the Nurse, now would we?
Despite the emotional wasteland in which Carlei places them, I still hoped to feel something for Romeo and Juliet. I just couldn’t. With so much of their context ripped away, I didn’t really know them, and so it was harder to feel for them.
Yes, that thud you just heard was Shakespeare turning over in his grave. Carlei’s presentation is not one of which he would have approved. More to the point, I can’t imagine too many teenagers approving either. Do I have any evidence for that assertion? My students were not talking about the film when it was in theaters, and they are not talking about it now. Get the point?
Well, how about Baz Luhrmann’s take on Romeo and Juliet? (If you don’t follow directors, that’s the one with Leo DeCaprio and Claire Daines in it.) Although I’m not a big fan of modern dress Shakespeare and thus couldn’t get used to Romeo running around in a Hawaiian shirt, this version was fun rather than annoying. Sometimes Luhrmann throws Shakespeare’s intent out the window, so I prefer to think of it as a separate work in the same way that West Side Story is. That said, Luhrmann maintains enough of the chemistry of the original for me to feel with and for the characters.
But wait! Before you get your Netflix order ready, I want you to consider another alternative: Franco Zefirelli’s 1968 Romeo and Juliet, starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting.
Okay, I know some of you are saying, “Who?” about all three of them. Bear with me for a minute.
I saw Romeo and Juliet about a year after it first came out in theaters. I was thirteen at the time, and it instantly became not only my favorite version of Romeo and Juliet but one of my favorite movies of all time. My freshmen English classes normally have to watch at least part of it. They protest bitterly at the beginning that they want to see the one with Leo and Claire. By the end, though, they are no longer protesting. They can see exactly what I mean about the effect the Zefirelli version has. If we are lucky enough to have time to see the ending, there isn’t a dry eye in the house. (Yeah, guys, you may want to have some Kleenex discreetly near at hand, unless you want your girlfriend to see your sensitive side.)
This kind of reaction comes partly from the fact that Zefirelli successfully exploits the power of the relationships that Shakespeare created. Zefirelli’s Mercutio, though played by an actor too old to be an ideal fit, is the wise-cracking but deep-hearted guy Shakespeare intended. Benvolio and Romeo really are best buds. The Nurse is more mother to Juliet than Juliet’s mother is. Each of these characters plays his or her part in the inevitable tragedy, but, more important, each one of these characters plays his or her part in helping us discover who Romeo and Juliet really are. Nor are these the only ones. Zefirelli’s Prince means business in trying to restrain the feud; Carlei’s Prince doesn’t get that worked up, even at the end. Zefirelli’s Capulet has so much force behind his anger with Juliet when she won’t marry Paris that every year one or two of my students actually think he is going to beat her. Carlei’s Capulet is just going through the motions. In fact, virtually every Carlei character is just a pale ghost of the parallel character in Zefirelli.
As for Romeo and Juliet, yes, I know, you may not have heard of the actors before, but give them a chance.
Guys, aside from being a great actress, Juliet is volcanically hot, more so than any other Juliet I have ever seen. (Sorry, Claire!) If you want to feel what Romeo is feeling, just look at Juliet, and you will get the idea. Even love at first sight seems plausible with a Juliet like Olivia Hussey. If I ever had a celebrity crush, she was it.
Girls, when showing the film in class, I have to repeatedly deny that Romeo is Zac Efron. Actually, that’s such a popular confusion of identity that at one point someone put up the wedding night scene on YouTube and labeled it as a deleted scene from High School Musical. I have heard girls debate who was hotter, Romeo or Benvolio, but I have never heard anyone complain that Romeo wasn’t hot enough to make Juliet’s reaction to him completely understandable.
Looking for an unforgettable Romeo and Juliet to share with that certain someone? Try Zefirelli’s Romeo and Juliet. You will not be disappointed!
February 4, 2014
November 23, 2013
A great new book–and a great contest–what could be better?
The moment has finally arrived! Divided against Yourselves, the new novel in the Spell Weaver series, is now live on Amazon. Check it out when you get the chance at http://viewBook.at/B00GV3L42I . If you don’t have time right now, you can spend a couple of seconds right here admiring the amazing cover art by Michael Federman.
Shortly, I’ll be adding a Rafflecopter giveaway to this page. It will include great prizes, just in time for the holidays, so stay tuned!
One of the entries for the contest above asks you to comment about why you like fantasy literature. Reply to this post to include your comment. (If you really don’t like fantasy literature, you can explain why you don’t instead.
October 30, 2013
Looking for Exciting New Reading? Try Merita King’s New Novel, “Bygora Vandos ~ Sinclair V-Log LB734/A”
Sam Sinclair didn’t usually play the role of detective. His job was just to chase and catch a specific target and deliver them into the hands of the Inter Galactic Law Enforcement Agency, so when his boss offered him an undercover job, he was only too happy to accept.
Together with his new partner Ren, Sam begins the slow process of investigating the secluded and secretive Calmarin Research Station. Although set up to apparently investigate the cause of dying trees in the locale, rumours run rife among the local people about what really goes on there. What Sam and Ren discover after weeks of carefully working their way in, is one of the most terrible crimes against humanity that either of them have ever encountered and both vow to do their utmost to bring it to an end.
Sam finds many allies amongst the local people but with his cover blown and Ren taken prisoner, he no longer knows who can be trusted. As the job reaches its explosive climax and the personal cost to Sam takes its toll, the shocking truth finally comes out.
Introduction to The Sinclair V-LogsThe Sinclair V-Logs is a series of personal video logs, made by Sam Sinclair, Freelance Law Enforcer with the Inter-Galactic Law Enforcement Agency. In his own words, Sam recounts the more memorable of his experiences during his twenty years working for the Agency. He shares his adventures with honesty and humour, and as he becomes comfortable telling his story, we learn more about the man himself. Despite the dangers of his profession, Sam is sensitive and dedicated to maintaining his own code of standards.
This second volume in the Sinclair V-Logs series sees Sam journey to Deligon 2, far across the galaxy. Sent on an undercover mission to investigate the Calmarin Research Station, he and his new partner soon discover something that endangers not only their own lives, but those of everyone on the planet.
Come, share the journey with Sam Sinclair.
Excerpt from Bygora Vandos – Sinclair V-Log LB734/A
Thirty minutes later I was kitted up and had received a huge welcome from Essy, involving lots of face licking and belly rubs and both of us were standing outside Spurrell’s office. I raised my hand to knock but a thought raced through my mind and I looked at Essy.
“I need you to obey me without question tonight baby,” I sent her the thought and she looked up at me, her eyes focussed in that way I had come to recognise as understanding. “I will ask you to do some things that are a little different from our normal work but I need you to trust me and obey.” We locked eyes and I knew she understood and I breathed a sigh of relief as I knocked on Spurrell’s door.
“Come in Joss,” he said as he stepped aside. “Thanks once again for coming in at such short notice.”
“No problem,” I replied. “What’s the panic? You said there was an accident?”
“Yes, one of our latest umm, patients went a bit crazy and injured a couple of our security guys. It started a bit of a riot and we had to lock the place down to contain it.”
“Oh I see. Are the guys okay?”
“Yeah, they’ll live. They’re in the infirmary now. It took several guys to hold the patient down so we could get some sedative into him. He’s calm now.”
“Where would you like me to begin my patrol Sir?”
“If you go and relax for a while and maybe begin at eight? Is that okay with you?”
“Of course Boss.”
“Thanks. You’ll be starting with the patient’s cubicles tonight so report there for duty at eight okay?”
“Yes Sir,” I nodded and turned to leave, Essy at my heels as always. I raced back to the staff accommodation and went into the same room I had used the week before. First, I called Marlo and asked if Ren had got home okay. His reply chilled me to the bone.
“He never arrived home Joss. We’re worried sick.”
“Oh shit no,” I said as I remembered my conversation with Spurrell just minutes before. “I think they have him prisoner here. Oh fuck I have to get him out of here.”
“What can we do?”
“Get to the tunnels as quick as you can and wait for my call. I’m going to call in the troops now, which will mean we have two hours until the shit hits the fan.”
“Okay, I’ll round everyone up and we’ll be there within the hour. Be safe buddy.”
I then called the troops, gave them the details, and heard the siren going off in the background as I spoke with their commander.
“We’ll be with you in two hours Joss. Just hold on. We’ll have you both out of there, I promise.”
Another call to Kobey sent him into a panic, which did not surprise me knowing his obsession with schedules. He rose to the occasion though and said he would do what he could with the guards he had on duty and promised the troops would not encounter any problems when they arrived. The next two hours dragged by, the slowest two hours of my entire life and I spent every minute worrying for Ren. Eventually I couldn’t stand it any longer and reported for duty fifteen minutes early. Spurrell was in the patient cubicle when I arrived and smiled when he saw me enter.
“Hello there Joss, nice to see you eager for work tonight. Come and meet the source of all our problems.”
I sent a thought to Essy as I walked to the end of the narrow corridor lined with patient cubicles.
“Be ready girl, watch my back.” She slowed her pace a tiny bit and fell into line behind me. I reached the cubicle at the end of the corridor and slowly turned to look through the glass partition wall. He was hunched on the floor, one knee drawn up, his head resting in his hand. Bloodied scraps of cloth dotted around the small cubicle explained why he was shirtless, the bruises already forming over his chest and shoulders telling me of a severe beating.
I leapt forward and banged on the glass.
“Ren, buddy. What the fuck? Why is he being held here? He’s my friend, he works here. I don’t understand. What the fuck is going on?” I yelled at Spurrell, who took a step back from my angry onslaught. I heard growls from behind me and turned to see Essy holding off an approaching lab guy who wielded a huge injector. Instinct drove my hand to my tranquiliser pistol, hidden beneath my jacket and shot Spurrell at point blank range. He was unconscious within twenty seconds and I turned back to see how Essy was doing. The lab guy was retreating towards the door at the far end. He didn’t make it; the sedative dart ensuring he was out cold before he was halfway there. I turned back to Ren, who was almost unconscious in his prison.
“I’ll be back for you buddy, I promise.” I called Essy and together, we raced out into the corridor.
Links.Where to purchase Bygora Vandos.
For paperbacks.
Amazon usa – http://amzn.to/19CRsGj
Amazon uk – http://amzn.to/GPyLDn
For E-books
Amazon usa – http://amzn.to/1cA2LAl
Amazon uk – http://amzn.to/GPyTCY
Contact Merita
Merita King’s website – http://www.meritaking.com
Merita King on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/MeritaKingNovelist
Merita King on Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/MeritaKing
About Merita KingMerita King has loved the science fiction and fantasy genre in both books and movies since she was a young child. She has been greatly inspired by years of watching movies and reading books and has wanted to make a contribution to this genre for many years. Her stories all contain a spiritual thread as she believes that spirituality is universal and crosses all boundaries. She believes that the creative process is largely intuitive and can be very effectively blocked by too much pre-planning. “Plot lines, characters and events all come to me intuitively,” she says, “and this makes the act of writing a constant pleasure.” She is a psychic medium and lives alone in Hampshire, UK.
September 14, 2013
Birthday Aftermath
A combination of the Friday the 13th Contest and an Ereader News Today ad campaign pushed Living with Your Past Selves higher than it has ever gone before. At its peak, earlier today, it was ranked 2,860 in the Kindle Store. I had been hoping for a #1 ranking in at least one of the fantasy sub-genres–and I got two! LWYPS ranked #1 in Arthurian and #1 in Myths and Legends, as well as ranking #9 in Coming of Age Stories. In addition, my author rating also hit its highest point ever: 4,899. That number doesn’t sound that impressive, until you realize how many authors sell books on Amazon; it’s hard to get an exact figure, but I have seen suggestions, including both self-published and traditionally published authors, of over a million. As for ranking in the Kindle Store, Amazon keeps saying over a million, but the reality may be closer to between two and three million now–so figures in the low to mid thousands are actually pretty good. Sure, I’d rather be in the top 100 overall, but everything in its time. Most authors don’t make it that far on their first book. By book 10? Well, maybe–with your continued support.
I should also mention belatedly that LWYPS was recognized as a best book in the young adult category in the Summer 2013 Pinnacle Awards. That brings to six its awards and recognitions. You can see the product page for details.
There is a lesson here for new authors. One commonly hears it said that if your book doesn’t break out during its first month–or first three months, at most–then it will fade away after that point. Nothing can be further from the truth. LWYPS is now one year old and is just having its best month ever. with more than three times the number of sales it had in its first month. However, it would probably have faded away if not for one thing: advertising. October, November, December of 2012 were all dismal months in terms of sales. I started experimenting with advertising, and January and February were a little better, but I really hadn’t figured out what I was doing yet. March was better because of the release of Echoes from My Past Lives, which, as a prequel, also increased LWYPS sales. April, though, was my best month up to that point because I finally got a handle on which advertising worked better. May dropped a little because I had no new advertising start up. June and July were steady, with about the same number of sales I had had during the first month, because I started some new campaigns. August dropped off again because I didn’t. I did another new campaign in September, and suddenly I have sold almost 80 copies in 24 hours, compared to two for the first 12 days of the month. Do you see a pattern here? If I advertise, I sell. If I don’t advertise, I don’t sell.
Most writers would rather be writing than promoting, but if you actually want to make writing a career, you have to find time for the promotion.
(For photo credits, see previous post.)
