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Welcome SB,I published mine in August and always expected nothing to happen! Unless I find a (cost free) way of drawing attention to the book it will probably remain just a space filler amongst the other 1,500,000+ books on Amazon, no matter how brilliant it might be ;-) I do get a dribble of sales, but they are neither going up or down at the moment.
So I'm thinking all the time of ways to get it noticed - unless you are lucky I suspect your book may go the same way?
My current cunning plan is to save up enought to buy a big ad in a national newspaer or magazine...
I published a collection of short stories in April, and there was indeed a quick hit - probably friends and family for the most part - before sales declined into a sporadic event. Put it this way, I've sold 3 copies this week, and that's a good week.I've notched up some very pleasant reviews, but they don't seem to do much to boost sales. I've paid for Goodreads advertising, which has so far resulted in 360,000 or so impressions, far fewer clickthroughs, and only one (as far as I know) purchase.
I suspect that part of the problem is my reluctance to become the all-singing, all-spamming promo machine that the market seems to demand. Another part is the fact that collections of short stories do not seem to sell particularly well.
But it's all jolly good fun.
Thanks for that will take it on board. I'm publishing the stories separately...then as one at the end. Xmas one on the way - Tales from the Jasmine. It's free for one more day...that seems to have added to number of downloads - albeit, not revenue.
I think a couple of important questions are 1)why do you write? 2)Why did you publish?Personally I write because I enjoy it, I have a story to share and if anyone buys and reads my book, and hopefully likes it, then that is awesome. :)
I think i am still in the "wow someone brought a copy" stage. I am past the people I know buying it because they think they should.
I am planning a series, I also have a selection of erotica short stories which may or may not see the light of day and also some short dark fairy tales which I may one day do something with if I ever get more than 3:)
But I have been writing for a while and only published this year. I very much doubt I will ever be able to give up the day job and that is fine, any sale is a good sale and if it picks up then great if not and continues to potter along I will keep writing. Writing is what keeps me sane and a lot I will never dare show to anyone.
A lot of people seem to think they can write, stick their book Kindle and then suddenly the are EL James or Stephen King.
There are a LOT of books available on Kindle, which I think is good, some are great, some are good and some are, well crap. Same as anything else really.
There is also something to be said for having a body of work. When I first put my books out there, there was an immediate response - they were ignored. Stayed that way for a long time with only the discerning folks on this forum paying any interest. Then, suddenly, I seemed to hit a sort of critical mass and people started to find the books and they ended up in the fantasy filter lists and the stream has been small but steady ever since. I did no new publicity (and I had done no old publicity either), but suddenly people seemed to be willing to take a chance, perhaps because I had enough books out there to show that I wasn't just a flyby pubber. Oh and don't underestimate the value of reviews. They do work, especially if from someone respected and revered such as our Ignite. If you get a top 100 reviewer saying it's good then you will get noticed.
Rome wasn't built in a day and it still isn't finished.
There was an interesting interview on a podcast I listened to in which an author was asked for his most important piece of advice to new writers. He responded by saying they should quit, his reasoning being that if they actually could quit writing then they shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
The kindle (and others) have given us the stage. We put on our act and hope someone notices and enjoys it. If you want fame and fortune then you need to be doing the whole mainstream publishing thing and good luck with that!
Thanks for the responses. I've been working as a written sports journalist at a big organisation for 13 years - so hopefully that's given me some good grounding.I do plan to write and publish regularly, and I think you're right Darren, it's about building a decent portfolio of work.
I enjoy writing fiction (taking a break from writing non-fiction) - it's a nice release. Also good that Joe Public has the chance to make a mark on this world without having to go through the middle-man (men/women).
I think the fact that you have done professional writing will have given you a good grounding. It will have taught you the basic trade/craft of writing.I think building the portfolio helps. I think that reviews/blogging/whatever probably help, but I also think that you have to keep up the pressure for a long time, so you're there to get the break when it comes.
Think years, not months
Networking does help, and it sounds as if you'll have a good base of contacts to work with. Have to say my own ebook sales have continued at the same steady pace throughout the year, and picked up a bit with the new book out. Definitely helps having a 'body of work'.
Good luck with your writing.
I am hoping book 2 is out for xmas, and book 3 sorted by mid year 2013. The short stories... well whenever I have enough that I feel they are respectable and I can charge for them.I have had a few people ask me when book 2 will be out so that is something:)
Good work, Alexandra! Ignite and my girlfriend are the only ones clamouring for my book 2 :)The body of work thing makes a lot of sense to me, and I have two pieces that I could put out as a second book quite easily by knocking out the formatting kinks over a spare weekend.
The problems are twofold. First, I don't have a spare weekend until mid-December, and maybe not even then.
Second, in spite of the general soundness of the theory, I'm unconvinced that the publication of an MPhil thesis on violence in New Wave cinema is likely to have much impact on the sales of a collection of magical realist / vaguely literary short stories.
Andrew wrote: "Second, in spite of the general soundness of the theory, I'm unconvinced that the publication of an MPhil thesis on violence in New Wave cinema is likely to have much impact on the sales of a collection of magical realist / vaguely literary short stories.....Just top and tail it with an erotic beginning and a violent end and you'd probably sell it as a 'modern novel'
I'll take two clamourers over none any day of the week!
The cream always rises to the top, or so I used to think. As I've said before, getting noticed is like trying to win a shouting contest in a crowd of 50,000...and some people have megaphones.
R.M.F wrote: "The cream always rises to the top, or so I used to think. As I've said before, getting noticed is like trying to win a shouting contest in a crowd of 50,000...and some people have megaphones."I can assure you, based on agricultural experience, that it isn't just cream that rises to the top. Otherwise we wouldn't have to stir slurry pits before emptying them :-(
Love reading these comments. Good fun....I'll see where this brand of writing gets me.
Newbie here. This is one for authors who have had their book published on Amazon for one year+.
I published the first tale of short story collection in October, with the second coming out in early December.
What has the pattern of sales/downloads been like during the first year?
Is it a 'grower'? Bit like a song with a non-obvious hook?
Or a slow death after the quick hit?