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Writer's Craft #9
Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes: Indie Publishing Success - Sell More Books
Does your book sell as well as it deserves?
If it doesn't, one of twenty blocks may hinder its sales—blocks you can easily remove once you're aware of them. Sell more books!
Many authors who've used this guide for a few weeks already report a significant increase in sales.
Each chapter reveals one area where indie authors are sabotaging their books' success, and shows how you can free yourself from that trap. Whether you want to sell 100,000 copies or would be happy with just 100, this guide helps you raise your book above the hundreds of thousands of titles competing for attention. All strategies are proven and ethical - no cheating, no aggressive methods, no hype.
Rayne Hall is the author of over 60 books published under several pen names, in several genres, in several languages, by several publishers ... and all the recent ones are indie-published. As a trained publisher with thirty years experience, she knows the business. In this book she reveals the strategies that worked for her, and the mistakes she made and learnt from along the way.
If it doesn't, one of twenty blocks may hinder its sales—blocks you can easily remove once you're aware of them. Sell more books!
Many authors who've used this guide for a few weeks already report a significant increase in sales.
Each chapter reveals one area where indie authors are sabotaging their books' success, and shows how you can free yourself from that trap. Whether you want to sell 100,000 copies or would be happy with just 100, this guide helps you raise your book above the hundreds of thousands of titles competing for attention. All strategies are proven and ethical - no cheating, no aggressive methods, no hype.
Rayne Hall is the author of over 60 books published under several pen names, in several genres, in several languages, by several publishers ... and all the recent ones are indie-published. As a trained publisher with thirty years experience, she knows the business. In this book she reveals the strategies that worked for her, and the mistakes she made and learnt from along the way.
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2014
40 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Rayne Hall
108 books1,437 followersRayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction, some of it quirky, most of it dark. She is the author of over sixty books in different genres and under different pen names, published by twelve publishers in six countries, translated into several languages. Her short stories have been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies.
After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled in a small Victorian seaside town in southern England. Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, she worked as a museum guide, apple
picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.
Currently, Rayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction and tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books.
Her books on the writing craft (Writing Fight Scenes, Writing Scary Scenes, The Word-Loss Diet, Writing Dark Stories, Writing About Villains, Writing Short Stories to Promote Your Novel, Writing About Magic, Twitter for Writers) are bestsellers.
Rayne Hall is the editor of the Ten Tales anthologies:
"Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires"
"Scared: Ten Tales of Horror"
"Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts"
"Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates"
"Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft"
"Spells: Ten Tales of Magic"
"Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies"
"Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance"
"Dragon: Ten Tales of Fiery Beasts"
"Cogwheels: Ten Tales of Steampunk"
with more titles coming soon.
The stories in her Six Scary Tales series and the Thirty Scary Tales collection are subtle horror: suspenseful, creepy atmospheric, unsettling. Although they contain little violence and gore, they may not be suitable for young readers. Many of these stories have been previously published in other books or magazines.
British English: All Rayne Hall's books use British words, spellings, grammar and punctuation. If you're allergic to British English, avoid them. ;-)
Mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/boqJzD
Website: http://sites.google.com/site/raynehal...
YouTube "Ten Random Facts about Rayne Hall" (2 minute video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXR4T...
Contact Rayne Hall on Twitter
@RayneHall follows back writers and readers. http://twitter.com/RayneHall
After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled in a small Victorian seaside town in southern England. Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, she worked as a museum guide, apple
picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.
Currently, Rayne Hall writes fantasy and horror fiction and tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books.
Her books on the writing craft (Writing Fight Scenes, Writing Scary Scenes, The Word-Loss Diet, Writing Dark Stories, Writing About Villains, Writing Short Stories to Promote Your Novel, Writing About Magic, Twitter for Writers) are bestsellers.
Rayne Hall is the editor of the Ten Tales anthologies:
"Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires"
"Scared: Ten Tales of Horror"
"Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts"
"Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates"
"Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft"
"Spells: Ten Tales of Magic"
"Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies"
"Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance"
"Dragon: Ten Tales of Fiery Beasts"
"Cogwheels: Ten Tales of Steampunk"
with more titles coming soon.
The stories in her Six Scary Tales series and the Thirty Scary Tales collection are subtle horror: suspenseful, creepy atmospheric, unsettling. Although they contain little violence and gore, they may not be suitable for young readers. Many of these stories have been previously published in other books or magazines.
British English: All Rayne Hall's books use British words, spellings, grammar and punctuation. If you're allergic to British English, avoid them. ;-)
Mailing list:
http://eepurl.com/boqJzD
Website: http://sites.google.com/site/raynehal...
YouTube "Ten Random Facts about Rayne Hall" (2 minute video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXR4T...
Contact Rayne Hall on Twitter
@RayneHall follows back writers and readers. http://twitter.com/RayneHall
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 27, 2015
I'm on a journey with reading books about marketing and publicity of books. I'm reading them for two reasons. One is to gain knowledge I can use to benefit my author clients as I am a Book Publicist, the other is to find great books I can recommend to the many Authors I represent so they can learn more about self-promotion.
So I picked up this book with an open mind, intrigued as Rayne Hall has a series of books on writing and book marketing.
It's a very easy book to read, no complex babble in here for you to get your head around. Each chapter tackles a different element of book marketing.
This was a book where I gained some new knowledge but for the most either knew the tips already or found them outdated. Her information on how Amazon's rankings and algorithms work may be new to many.
Overall I was hoping for more revelation from this book and I know even my most novice Indie authors are already aware of a lot that's in this book. In saying that it has got some things you can glean from it, probably not if you do a LOT of self-marketing already.
I found the chapter on cover art choices good but not deep enough, I think it flitted over this critical issue. I see horrendous ebook covers all the time that new authors think are fabulous. Those authors can certainly take tips from this book. I'd like to have read more on this topic (perhaps a stand alone book please Rayne on this topic)?
So a middle ground book for me. 3 paw prints from Booklover Catlady. I'll be reviewing Rayne's book about managing Twitter for Writers next. Do have a peek at her series if you are a writer/author that's especially new at the game.
For more of my reviews I'll meet you at:
https://www.goodreads.com/BookloverCa...
You can follow me on Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
So I picked up this book with an open mind, intrigued as Rayne Hall has a series of books on writing and book marketing.
It's a very easy book to read, no complex babble in here for you to get your head around. Each chapter tackles a different element of book marketing.
This was a book where I gained some new knowledge but for the most either knew the tips already or found them outdated. Her information on how Amazon's rankings and algorithms work may be new to many.
Overall I was hoping for more revelation from this book and I know even my most novice Indie authors are already aware of a lot that's in this book. In saying that it has got some things you can glean from it, probably not if you do a LOT of self-marketing already.
I found the chapter on cover art choices good but not deep enough, I think it flitted over this critical issue. I see horrendous ebook covers all the time that new authors think are fabulous. Those authors can certainly take tips from this book. I'd like to have read more on this topic (perhaps a stand alone book please Rayne on this topic)?
So a middle ground book for me. 3 paw prints from Booklover Catlady. I'll be reviewing Rayne's book about managing Twitter for Writers next. Do have a peek at her series if you are a writer/author that's especially new at the game.
For more of my reviews I'll meet you at:
https://www.goodreads.com/BookloverCa...
You can follow me on Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
February 13, 2016
Another good book in this series with a lot of useful information. I also like the cute little cartoons strewn through the book. I think my favorite is the "not selling many copies of herself" one about being a bestselling author. I also like that she's not afraid to show the mistakes she's made and learned from so that someone else won't do the same. It says a lot about her and how much she really does want others to succeed in their own writing pursuits.
June 25, 2018
I bought this book thinking it would be same-old, same-old, like hundreds of other books out there telling you the same stuff that doesn't work. I had vowed never to buy one of thse how to sell books on Amazon ever again. They are all rehashed tips that are outdated, badly written, and making their authors money every time a desperate indie author buys a copy. But...I had seen Rayn Hall advertising her books on Twitter and I was attracted enough to look for it on Amazon and buy a copy. I'm pleased that I did. Well-written, easy to read with useful info, debunking marketing myths that others sell. I loved this book and am now keen to read some of her other Writer's Craft books. This lady knows what she is talking about!
November 7, 2014
Twitter for Writers Review
Alex Binkley 08/07/2014 Keep this message at the top of your inbox
To: Rayne Hall
I posted the following review on Amazon but the book didn't show up in all your title on Goodreads so I could post it there.
Be your own marketer
The author of a self-published or small press book is quickly confronted with the challenge of marketing the tome so he or she can afford financially and mentally to write another. One route that some writers have used for successfully generating sales is Twitter. But it’s a daunting task deciding what messages and tactics are effective in that and other social media, which are full of people promoting books and other products.
Rayne Hall’s Twitter for Writers is a handy guide full of her lessons learned about mastering Twitter and coming out, dignity intact, with sales to boot. Hall is author of a swirling fantasy novel Storm Dancer, several writing improvement books and the editor of several anthologies as well as regular participant in Twitter. Just following her @raynehall and her sidekick Sulu the cat is an education in the using the medium. Twitter for Authors brings together her experience in a step by step guide to getting it right and avoiding the pitfalls.
The book is intended to be used by beginners and seasoned Twitterers. If a reader is comfortable with Twitter and other social media, he or she can scan the pages for new ideas and tips. If still a Twitter rookie, then the reader can work through the chapters one at a time incorporating Hall’s suggestions and gaining the confidence needed to became a regular Tweeter.
Each chapter addresses the basics of the topic, pitfalls to avoid, and advanced strategies. It will take newcomers a while to work through all her suggestions. She starts with establishing the author’s profile, easing into Twitter with retweets, introducing the book, displaying the cover, chatting with others, developing quality followers, promoting the book and getting reviews, how to protect against hackers, trolls and cyber-bullies and even organizing a Twitter party.
Even when the author has completed all her steps, the book remains an excellent reference when new ideas are called for or questions arise. The book would probably offer plenty of ideas for anyone with a product for sale or idea or cause to promote. It could probably teach most Twitter devotees a trick or three.
Twitter was famously described some years ago as the global clearing house of cerebral flatulence. At times, it still seems like that. But Hall’s guidebook can help you avoid the worst time-wasting and mind-numbing effects of it while harnessing its potential as a sales tool and idea generator.
The book is published by Scimitar Press.
March 5, 2015
Since the Amazon revolution, the independent publishing business can be reduced to three simple rules: writing a book is hard, publishing a book is easy, selling a book makes writing look like a cakewalk. Aspiring young authors who spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars at writer’s conferences may wish they had simply downloaded (or bought) Rayne Hall’s Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes.
Why Does My Book Not Sell? contains more useful information than I remember gleaning from a decade of seminars, and corrects a great deal of misinformation passed out to boot. For years publishers and agents buzzed about platforming, much of it an excuse to avoid marketing their own writers. Hall’s information was more concise and, in my opinion, far more correct. And she never used the word “platforming.”
Hall covers three basic strategies: Tweak your book, tweak your marketing campaign, and, most important, improve your writing.
It may seem counterintuitive to discuss writing skills when your book is already on the market, but Hall believes writers sell books by look forward to their next book. She also recognizes that many authors now use print on demand and eBook delivery, which allows them to revisit their books and revise them (which may require a new ISBN should the revisions be substantial).
Her tweaking strategies, such as a cover redesign, are right on target. Hall and my first publisher, the late Susan Bright of Plain View Press, are in total agreement. Covers sell or kill books. I’ve been unhappy with the cover of one of my books from the beginning and just a glance at some of her examples allowed me to rethink the problem entirely.
Independent authors new to the publishing game may find Hall’s marketing strategies formidable, but well worth exploring. From trimming and focusing your social media presence to positioning your book for special category sales, she offers a number of precise tools to position you to boost sales.
As with her popular Twitter for Writers, Hall’s prose is clean, enjoyable and easy to follow. Even if your books are selling, you would be wise to see if she has a few tricks you haven't stumbled across.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer, and Raising Hell.
Why Does My Book Not Sell? contains more useful information than I remember gleaning from a decade of seminars, and corrects a great deal of misinformation passed out to boot. For years publishers and agents buzzed about platforming, much of it an excuse to avoid marketing their own writers. Hall’s information was more concise and, in my opinion, far more correct. And she never used the word “platforming.”
original cover
Hall covers three basic strategies: Tweak your book, tweak your marketing campaign, and, most important, improve your writing.
It may seem counterintuitive to discuss writing skills when your book is already on the market, but Hall believes writers sell books by look forward to their next book. She also recognizes that many authors now use print on demand and eBook delivery, which allows them to revisit their books and revise them (which may require a new ISBN should the revisions be substantial).
Her tweaking strategies, such as a cover redesign, are right on target. Hall and my first publisher, the late Susan Bright of Plain View Press, are in total agreement. Covers sell or kill books. I’ve been unhappy with the cover of one of my books from the beginning and just a glance at some of her examples allowed me to rethink the problem entirely.
Independent authors new to the publishing game may find Hall’s marketing strategies formidable, but well worth exploring. From trimming and focusing your social media presence to positioning your book for special category sales, she offers a number of precise tools to position you to boost sales.
revised design
As with her popular Twitter for Writers, Hall’s prose is clean, enjoyable and easy to follow. Even if your books are selling, you would be wise to see if she has a few tricks you haven't stumbled across.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer, and Raising Hell.
February 5, 2016
Although the book we are selling is in its early stages of promotion and is selling steadily, and we are yet to accelerate our publicity, we found Rayne Hall's book Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes has many valuable suggestions. The text is well set out and easy to understand. A quick read. Many of the suggestions, within Rayne Hall's book, confirm we're heading in the right direction, promoting JA Wells' The Merry Millionaire: Entering into the spirit of the Jazz Age with gay abandon. Several other "simple fixes" gave us food for thought, and have gone on our "to do" list.
December 7, 2014
Good insights for the self-publishing writer
Though the book is mainly geared towards self-publishing authors, and I am with a small press, I decided to give it a try. The insights and advice are sound, and things all writers should keep in mind, even if they aren't able to control all factors as the book suggests. Though some of the "fixes" are not always within a small-press author's immediate power (such as changing an already-existing cover or title) knowing this information helps a writer prepare and strategize for future projects. Of course, for authors who are 100% self-pubbed, the suggestions can be immediately addressed.
This is definitely an eye-opener for all authors. And it is a quick study. Highly recommended. I'm suggesting it to both my small press's marketing team and my fellow authors with the house.
Though the book is mainly geared towards self-publishing authors, and I am with a small press, I decided to give it a try. The insights and advice are sound, and things all writers should keep in mind, even if they aren't able to control all factors as the book suggests. Though some of the "fixes" are not always within a small-press author's immediate power (such as changing an already-existing cover or title) knowing this information helps a writer prepare and strategize for future projects. Of course, for authors who are 100% self-pubbed, the suggestions can be immediately addressed.
This is definitely an eye-opener for all authors. And it is a quick study. Highly recommended. I'm suggesting it to both my small press's marketing team and my fellow authors with the house.
September 26, 2014
I have been self-publishing for a year now, and wish I had read this book when I first started. It's crammed with no-nonsense, practical advice distilled into a few pages. I thought I'd learnt a thing or two in the trade, but I kept striking my forehead every other chapter going, "of course! Why didn't I think of that??"
From how to design a cover for maximum effect to how to promote on social media, blogs and websites, Hall has the answer to pretty much every question Indie authors ask. In that sense, this is not so much a book as the best FAQ I've read on the subject. Well worth every penny, whether you are a new author looking to self-publish, or an old hack trying to make sense of an ever-shifting landscape.
From how to design a cover for maximum effect to how to promote on social media, blogs and websites, Hall has the answer to pretty much every question Indie authors ask. In that sense, this is not so much a book as the best FAQ I've read on the subject. Well worth every penny, whether you are a new author looking to self-publish, or an old hack trying to make sense of an ever-shifting landscape.
June 17, 2016
I don't have a book out yet, but I'm a writer, and if it's one thing I do, it's research. Read about mistakes so I don't make them, sure!
I found Ms. Hall's book to be very informative. It does not contain the secret to selling millions of books, rather, it was a lesson in social media etiquette with a few other tips thrown in for good measure. I do appreciate she would give the reader real life examples (her own mistakes) as a guide for what kinds of consequences there are to making the mistakes she very generously wrote about.
Going forth into my own publishing adventure, I will take these tips into consideration, and anyone who is attempting to self-publish their book should read hers.
I found Ms. Hall's book to be very informative. It does not contain the secret to selling millions of books, rather, it was a lesson in social media etiquette with a few other tips thrown in for good measure. I do appreciate she would give the reader real life examples (her own mistakes) as a guide for what kinds of consequences there are to making the mistakes she very generously wrote about.
Going forth into my own publishing adventure, I will take these tips into consideration, and anyone who is attempting to self-publish their book should read hers.
September 7, 2016
A pretty straightforward book, especially useful for people who don't have much of a background in marketing or understanding of how Internet culture works. I might be giving it a little lower score than it deserves, since a lot of this was information I already knew. My one complaint though was that there was a lot of good examples of things you should fix, there wasn't any ideas for what to do if you're doing pretty much all of those things and your book still isn't selling. Definitely worth a read for anyone who's publishing their own book - especially those new to it, but if you're looking for a magic bullet, I guess it's important to remember they don't actually exist. :)
December 20, 2015
I found Rayne Hall's Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes easy to read and helpful.
It is probably not as 'meaty' as some of Rayne's other books for writers (I particularly enjoyed her books on Twitter for Writers, Writing Vivid Settings and The Word-Loss Diet ) and there is some overlap with other books. In particular, there was probably more emphasis on what not to do rather than what to do. Nevertheless, I found some gems that made this book well worth reading :)
It is probably not as 'meaty' as some of Rayne's other books for writers (I particularly enjoyed her books on Twitter for Writers, Writing Vivid Settings and The Word-Loss Diet ) and there is some overlap with other books. In particular, there was probably more emphasis on what not to do rather than what to do. Nevertheless, I found some gems that made this book well worth reading :)
June 20, 2015
Practical. Concise.
A no-nonsense approach: "I can show you how to boost sales... but I don't have a magic wand."
The author was honest about where she went wrong and what she learned.
Well, I haven't self-published a book, yet.
But they say, forewarned is forearmed.
A no-nonsense approach: "I can show you how to boost sales... but I don't have a magic wand."
The author was honest about where she went wrong and what she learned.
Well, I haven't self-published a book, yet.
But they say, forewarned is forearmed.
November 11, 2014
Simple, straight-forward advice I am already implementing. I liked how the author shared what didn't work for her and what she learned.
September 14, 2018
Very helpful advice
Rayne Hall’s book Why Does My book Not Sell? contains plentiful useful tips for the indie author on subjects including how to create effective covers and book descriptions. I especially appreciate her giving the low-down on common promoting practices that might waste an indie author’s time or money. I wish I’d read the book before I’d made so many of the mistakes she mentions.
Rayne Hall’s book Why Does My book Not Sell? contains plentiful useful tips for the indie author on subjects including how to create effective covers and book descriptions. I especially appreciate her giving the low-down on common promoting practices that might waste an indie author’s time or money. I wish I’d read the book before I’d made so many of the mistakes she mentions.
May 9, 2017
This is an excellent read for authors. I should have read this when I first published and saved my time and money which I wasted on lots of well promoted 'fail proof' programs. I did everything wrong! Rayne gives examples of what did not work for her and ideas of how to fix it. Very good practical no-nonsense advice.
July 1, 2018
It's a very amazing book. As an author, desperate to get a sale on my books, I have constantly failed at everything that I have done and this book pretty much told me what I've should have done to make a sale. Also, everything that I did wrong is actually in this book so I can absolutely relate. It's an amazing book that aspiring authors should have in their collection.
February 24, 2017
Really useful advice for a newbie like me. It's all a bit of a minefield but I'm learning as I go along. great tips and easy to read format. Have bought a couple of others in the series and will work my way through them.
February 26, 2018
I enjoyed going through the useful tips. I found that some of them were repeated content of some of Rayne’s other books which I have read.
I do think this will help beginners on their journey in the first year of publishing but also refresh those who have been around for some time.
I do think this will help beginners on their journey in the first year of publishing but also refresh those who have been around for some time.
March 8, 2023
Glad I read this book
The information provided gave me insight on publishing my own books. Full of usefull information and well written. I would recommend this book to other self-published authors..
The information provided gave me insight on publishing my own books. Full of usefull information and well written. I would recommend this book to other self-published authors..
January 30, 2024
I really like Hall’s approach to helping writers. Her books are quick and accessible so you can read them and start implementing the advice right away. This one is great for people selling books online because you end up with plenty of ideas to change your approach and not burn out with publishing.
January 13, 2025
I'm glad I chose your book
Rayne has been a new discovery for me. She has been a great source for my plans to become an outstanding writer. I like the way you write and the advisors that you give. Very helpful. I will certainly read more of your books.
Rayne has been a new discovery for me. She has been a great source for my plans to become an outstanding writer. I like the way you write and the advisors that you give. Very helpful. I will certainly read more of your books.
November 13, 2017
Listen and learn
Excellent and direct advice.
Debunking some of the mysteries of Amazon and getting to the heart of what potential readers are looking for. Great!
Excellent and direct advice.
Debunking some of the mysteries of Amazon and getting to the heart of what potential readers are looking for. Great!
November 15, 2017
Will definitely be referring to this when I have some of my own books published.
January 20, 2018
Too rudimentary for me, but still a good set of reminders and solid information.
June 13, 2021
Pure gold
The best fixes for real writing problems in books. Worth thousands of dollars in wisdom.
Thanks miss Hall, you are a great teacher.
The best fixes for real writing problems in books. Worth thousands of dollars in wisdom.
Thanks miss Hall, you are a great teacher.
March 15, 2017
This a book is good for beginners
This book covers a lot information. I wished the author would gave a bit more suggestions. The last two chapters were helpful and learned new things.
This book covers a lot information. I wished the author would gave a bit more suggestions. The last two chapters were helpful and learned new things.
January 19, 2015
I just finished another excellent how to book for writers from Rayne Hall. Why Does My Book Not Sell? is by a writer and indie publisher whose books span fantasy, horror and eminently practical guides to help writers write and market their work.
Why Does My Book Not Sell? is divided into 20 chapters, all concise, with detailed information on how to improve what you’re doing now to sell your book. She covers all the bases, starting with cover design and ending with how to freshen up your writing voice. The chapters cover blurbs, sample pages, landing pages, researching readers, targeting marketing, distribution channels and pretty much everything else an indie author needs to know to successfully market a fiction or nonfiction book.
I learned something from every chapter, but what gave me the most giggles was the information in the last two chapters, Overused Openings, and Freshen Up Your Writing Voice. They list clichéd opening scenes and overused words in the opening pages of fiction that will reduce your reader to yawns. I was grateful that my latest manuscript did not contain any of these errors, but I also remember, with embarrassment, some early stories that did. Rayne is a former editor and fiction writer herself, so she knows what she’s talking about here. Those chapters alone were worth the price of the book.
Since I’m not overly affected by book covers in general, I was fascinated by her take on what makes one effective. The sample designs she includes made the point, and I will keep her suggestions in mind for the future. I also rewrote my blurb based on her recommendations.
Another helpful feature was that she listed her personal experience with each of the chapter topics, including the mistakes she made and how to recover from them if you’ve done the same thing. It brought all the advice down to earth. There’s nothing like hearing how somebody else messed up and recovered to save yourself from throwing time and money down the same rabbit hole.
Rayne’s book is not a get rich quick scheme. She has integrity, and speaks from experience about how spamming and intrusive marketing will not work in your favor. I have read several of her other books, and appreciate that I am listening to the wisdom of someone who cares about her reputation as well as making a living.
I highly recommend this book to any current or would be indie author or publisher who wants to learn from the experience of one who has been there.
Why Does My Book Not Sell? is divided into 20 chapters, all concise, with detailed information on how to improve what you’re doing now to sell your book. She covers all the bases, starting with cover design and ending with how to freshen up your writing voice. The chapters cover blurbs, sample pages, landing pages, researching readers, targeting marketing, distribution channels and pretty much everything else an indie author needs to know to successfully market a fiction or nonfiction book.
I learned something from every chapter, but what gave me the most giggles was the information in the last two chapters, Overused Openings, and Freshen Up Your Writing Voice. They list clichéd opening scenes and overused words in the opening pages of fiction that will reduce your reader to yawns. I was grateful that my latest manuscript did not contain any of these errors, but I also remember, with embarrassment, some early stories that did. Rayne is a former editor and fiction writer herself, so she knows what she’s talking about here. Those chapters alone were worth the price of the book.
Since I’m not overly affected by book covers in general, I was fascinated by her take on what makes one effective. The sample designs she includes made the point, and I will keep her suggestions in mind for the future. I also rewrote my blurb based on her recommendations.
Another helpful feature was that she listed her personal experience with each of the chapter topics, including the mistakes she made and how to recover from them if you’ve done the same thing. It brought all the advice down to earth. There’s nothing like hearing how somebody else messed up and recovered to save yourself from throwing time and money down the same rabbit hole.
Rayne’s book is not a get rich quick scheme. She has integrity, and speaks from experience about how spamming and intrusive marketing will not work in your favor. I have read several of her other books, and appreciate that I am listening to the wisdom of someone who cares about her reputation as well as making a living.
I highly recommend this book to any current or would be indie author or publisher who wants to learn from the experience of one who has been there.
October 17, 2014
This book is full of useful tips, and more importantly a broad framework for approaching improving your work as what works is continually evolving. Once enough people find a new technique for improving their book's visibility and sales it becomes less useful. However there are definitely a set of things that will always remain useful.
I'm not going to tell you the list, Rayne deserves to profit from her hard work and she's not charging the earth for the book. I got it on pre-order for £0.77, about 99 cents US. That could of course just have been a ploy on her part to catapult it up the sales rankings. However even if it costs you a little more it may still be worth it for the advice.
Each of the things in the list is backed up with some evidence of Rayne's own experience, and some of them from other people. The explanations given seem sound to me, and there are a number of very sensible caveats about the fact that the market for books is ever changing and as more and more people try things then they become less effective.
If I was to sum up the advice it would be
- keep trying new things to make your work stand out from the crowd.
- You can also use the top few best sellers as a sort of example, although beware that others may be doing the same thing and it may not help you.
- Do what works for you for as long as it works,
- keep on innovating and move on when things become less effective.
Seems sound advice for life, never mind selling books.
There is a load more in there, and just reading it may help you think of more stuff. Don't forget to look at things from your reader's point of view. Who do you think your target market is and how do they find new books to read?
One caveat from me though. I've not yet had time to update any of my own work, so I cannot say whether or not any of the advice in Rayne's book actually works for me. However I still think it was valuable to me as a writer for the reflection time it gave me when I read it.
Go get a copy of 'Why does my book not sell? 20 simple fixes' yourself!
I'm not going to tell you the list, Rayne deserves to profit from her hard work and she's not charging the earth for the book. I got it on pre-order for £0.77, about 99 cents US. That could of course just have been a ploy on her part to catapult it up the sales rankings. However even if it costs you a little more it may still be worth it for the advice.
Each of the things in the list is backed up with some evidence of Rayne's own experience, and some of them from other people. The explanations given seem sound to me, and there are a number of very sensible caveats about the fact that the market for books is ever changing and as more and more people try things then they become less effective.
If I was to sum up the advice it would be
- keep trying new things to make your work stand out from the crowd.
- You can also use the top few best sellers as a sort of example, although beware that others may be doing the same thing and it may not help you.
- Do what works for you for as long as it works,
- keep on innovating and move on when things become less effective.
Seems sound advice for life, never mind selling books.
There is a load more in there, and just reading it may help you think of more stuff. Don't forget to look at things from your reader's point of view. Who do you think your target market is and how do they find new books to read?
One caveat from me though. I've not yet had time to update any of my own work, so I cannot say whether or not any of the advice in Rayne's book actually works for me. However I still think it was valuable to me as a writer for the reflection time it gave me when I read it.
Go get a copy of 'Why does my book not sell? 20 simple fixes' yourself!
August 9, 2015
What ages would I recommend it too? Sixteen and up.
Length? A couple of days.
Characters? None.
Setting? Marketing world.
Written approximately? 2014.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Wondering what to do when even these tips garner very little.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Looking forward to the next update.
Short storyline: A walk through what does and doesn't work for marketing books.
Notes for the reader:
I was hoping to find more specific information on finding my well hidden audience. Honestly, I think many of them gave up reading, or finding new modern books, because much like me, they prefer the classics. Or, more adventure stories, little to no romance, and little to no violence. I found very little information on finding well hidden audiences. That may be because most of my audience never tried to find an online place to hang out, or were run off by romance or hyper action readers, writers, and agents.
I find the concept of writing book reviews interesting. Very helpful to readers. Unless, they are formed on unrecognized bias. After this recognition, this will be the last book review I will write. I find writing book reviews tens to make me more lenient, and I try to point out specific examples of what i see as flaws in a book. Whereas, others do not necessarily. In fact, I have been guilty, and have seen others guilty, of calling something a mistake because that is what they were taught. When the reviewer was taught the wrong thing, or applying it wrongly to the current reading, to which it does not apply. (For instance, marking third person writing as poor quality, because they are used to seeing first person POV). Thanks for including this section. It really gave me more to think about.
I think this is a good general overview book.
However, it does not go in depth into many aspects that may matter. And glosses over how to fin new ways that will work. We all know what worked last week won't work this week. So what do we do? Put it all on a rotating cycle?
Length? A couple of days.
Characters? None.
Setting? Marketing world.
Written approximately? 2014.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Wondering what to do when even these tips garner very little.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Looking forward to the next update.
Short storyline: A walk through what does and doesn't work for marketing books.
Notes for the reader:
I was hoping to find more specific information on finding my well hidden audience. Honestly, I think many of them gave up reading, or finding new modern books, because much like me, they prefer the classics. Or, more adventure stories, little to no romance, and little to no violence. I found very little information on finding well hidden audiences. That may be because most of my audience never tried to find an online place to hang out, or were run off by romance or hyper action readers, writers, and agents.
I find the concept of writing book reviews interesting. Very helpful to readers. Unless, they are formed on unrecognized bias. After this recognition, this will be the last book review I will write. I find writing book reviews tens to make me more lenient, and I try to point out specific examples of what i see as flaws in a book. Whereas, others do not necessarily. In fact, I have been guilty, and have seen others guilty, of calling something a mistake because that is what they were taught. When the reviewer was taught the wrong thing, or applying it wrongly to the current reading, to which it does not apply. (For instance, marking third person writing as poor quality, because they are used to seeing first person POV). Thanks for including this section. It really gave me more to think about.
I think this is a good general overview book.
However, it does not go in depth into many aspects that may matter. And glosses over how to fin new ways that will work. We all know what worked last week won't work this week. So what do we do? Put it all on a rotating cycle?
August 4, 2015
It’s a safe bet that everyone reading this book must be an author or would-be author looking for more sales. As I read, I kept an eye out for the most useful part and I realized that it might vary according to what place in the book-writing process one is. The most immediately engaging part was the chapter on book covers, which explained why off-center covers are more appealing in a way that made sense to this not-too-visually inclined writer. She used actual graphs in a way that illuminated rather than confused me, and I'm going to use her insights to select my next cover.
Her suggestions about titles and blurbs were also helpful. However, personally as I write this review I’m in the middle of the novel writing and re-writing process and her chapter on “Freshen Up Your Writing Voice” wins the Most Valuable prize.
Hall writes: "When I was an editor, I could spot a novice's submission by simply glancing at the first two paragraphs. If they contained certain words, I knew this was a beginner who had not developed her unique voice yet." She talks about “novice words”—words and phrases that most novice writers (and some older writers!) use to excess.
When older writers use these, I guess I’d call it “lazy language” but we are all guilty of it, and keeping an eye out for those words and phrases and finding a different way to express the idea can vastly improve the writing. Mark Twain called it: “The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Hall's list of 25 words and phrases to consider avoiding was so useful that I’ve written them down and put them beside my computer to look for and eliminate.
The jury is still out on whether this increases sales on my books, but I will be happy to update if it does!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly I’m going to be referring to it for years to come.
Her suggestions about titles and blurbs were also helpful. However, personally as I write this review I’m in the middle of the novel writing and re-writing process and her chapter on “Freshen Up Your Writing Voice” wins the Most Valuable prize.
Hall writes: "When I was an editor, I could spot a novice's submission by simply glancing at the first two paragraphs. If they contained certain words, I knew this was a beginner who had not developed her unique voice yet." She talks about “novice words”—words and phrases that most novice writers (and some older writers!) use to excess.
When older writers use these, I guess I’d call it “lazy language” but we are all guilty of it, and keeping an eye out for those words and phrases and finding a different way to express the idea can vastly improve the writing. Mark Twain called it: “The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” Hall's list of 25 words and phrases to consider avoiding was so useful that I’ve written them down and put them beside my computer to look for and eliminate.
The jury is still out on whether this increases sales on my books, but I will be happy to update if it does!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly I’m going to be referring to it for years to come.
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