Random stuff - the something good happened thread Showing 2,951-3,000 of 3,973

[D.J.]

Thank you. I'll agree I did something which is better than doing nothing. I could have given up. No, it might have made someone else give up. I tend to change gears as you put it. I've done it a couple of times at other points in my life.

I need more time to write more books and find a marketing strategy that works for me. Not asking too much then!

[Carole]

You'll get there, Debz

[D.J.]

Big Grin! I sold a paperback. I'm pretty sure a colleague bought it but even so, it's only me and a friend who have bought my paperbacks before now. (And the friend hasn't finished reading it.)

And I've just set myself up on the Kobo Writing Life site so I can be direct to them and use their promo stuff. (Thank you Alex for the reminder.)

And now CL's instructions for Amazon adverts...

Edited to add: that paperback sold at .com not .co.uk and therefore went to someone else. Curious. lol

[Carole]

Congrats, Debz!!

[Anna]

Congratulations for the first part of your post and good luck with the last sentence!!!!!

[D.J.]

Thanks both. I'm working my way through the instructions for the Amazon ads. So far I've got a log in and abandoned the first website without filling in any payment details etc. I've gone to the other website and logged in. I don't know which ad to pick. But it allowed me in.

[D.J.]

Lol. Not sure I could be bothered with that. I am now waiting for my first Amazon ad to... do something. It’s all set up. Im sitting here sort of... well I’ve learnt what an impression is. So that’s progress.

#IfIKnewStuffIdBeDeadly

[Dale]

Sold 6 books at my writing workshop last night. On Wednesday, I'll be participating in a "local authors night" at our library, where four of us will be talking, answering questions, and selling/signing books. I'll let you know how that goes.

[D.J.]

Six books is brilliant, well done. I haven't sold that many at full price in a month let alone one night. Good luck with the authors night.

[Carmel]

I hope all this promo work pays off for you, Debz! It's not much fun, but the exhileration one feels with a sale is rewarding! Congrats, Dale, and good luck on the author's table. :)

[Angel]

D.J. wrote: "Tweeted both Angel.

Yay. Missing Remnants has just been released.

I'm just waiting for the price updates and Amazon to say the paperback is available.

And now-promo... my favourite job (not)"

Thanks.

I think you're going to hit your mark. You keep plugging away at it. That's why I know it'll pay off for you.

[Dale]

D.J. wrote: "Six books is brilliant, well done. I haven't sold that many at full price in a month let alone one night. Good luck with the authors night."

Yeah, that's better than what I've sold at bookstore signings. I discount them a little when I'm selling them myself ($10) to make it easy on myself and on customers.

[Angel]

Dale wrote: "D.J. wrote: "Six books is brilliant, well done. I haven't sold that many at full price in a month let alone one night. Good luck with the authors night."

Yeah, that's better than what I've sold at..."

Congrats, on your sales and I wish you well on your author night, Dale.

[D.J.]

Thanks Angel and Carmel. Here's hoping I get some sales somewhere. I will have tried.

[Angel]

I sold 55 copies total. 19 of my Corridors of Mind and 36 of Weeping Well. I even got on the Kindle Bestsellers list Top 100 Free
with Corridors of My Mind #4 in Poetry Anthologies and Weeping Well # 73 in Crime Action Fiction on Amazon. The first day I sold 46 copies, the second day 8 and the third day 1. By the fourth day 0. I remember last year when I did a free promo I topped at 286 copies total but I was in a Group promo here on Navigating Indieworld. I always say Group promos do help increase interest and sales well at least for me when I do a free promo while in a group promo. But, yes its temporary. My rankings and the interest plummet after that. And here in there and sometimes frequently I'll get paid sales.

Nothing to shake a stick at 9 cents here, 2 dollars there. One time I actually made $20.00 total. Mind you this is when I do nothing at all to promote. I remember when I only had one book out. I made a total of $300 with mostly e-book and paperback sales.

The first three weeks of my first book being out there published. I made over a hundred dollars and I didn't do anything to promote it at first. Then I promoted like crazy and I was getting sales but the amounts were $10.00, here 14.00, 20.00. It took me over a year to get to that total of 300.00 dollars. Then for 19 to 22 months sales were zero and I was promoting my book and even letting people know that I was publishing another.

When the next book came out, it boosted the sales of the first book which was disappointing because the newly published book got little to no attention. Mostly no attention at all even though I kept promoting it solely leaving the first book out of promotion. My first book stayed on the Top 100 paid Kindle Bestsellers for three years straight from 2014 when the book came out to 2017. Staying at #4 mostly, at times at #1 and at #80, even at #74. But now sales have been pretty much nonexistent on both of my books overall unless I do a free promo. But even with the occasional free promos, I'm finding my sales are declining drastically compared to what they were the previous years. Once in a blue moon I might see a sale or two, if I'm lucky without any promotion. I get the message that I need to put out new books. But will the new books sell? I'm already struggling to get the next books out. Not due to writer's block. I'm writing a lot of new stuff constantly and obsessively. But, because life happens and my computer issues make it worse.

My financial struggles are worsening. Not good when you have a disabled child and you're raising them and taking care of them on your own. Or for anyone who is a single parent with a child or children. My goal is to get a book published this year but...oh, well.

But I'm determined and dedicated. I'll make it happen. In the meantime, please like and share this blog post I have just posted. Thanks!

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

[D.J.]

Liked and shared.

You're not the only person I've read who has reported a decline in sales in recent years. I feel I missed the boat having not published until 2016. I have never had sales amount to more than a few quid and a loss of hundreds of pounds overall when you take into account promotions, covers and editing software I have bought. But like you, I'll plod on.

[D.J.]

I was very angry here:

https://medium.com/@debzcooper/i-need...

[Angel]

D.J. wrote: "I was very angry here:

https://medium.com/@debzcooper/i-need..."

Shared.

[D.J.]

Thanks Angel.

[Angel]

D.J. wrote: "Liked and shared.

You're not the only person I've read who has reported a decline in sales in recent years. I feel I missed the boat having not published until 2016. I have never had sales amount ..."

Thanks. I think I should've started sooner. I wanted to start publishing in 2012. But it happened two years later. I think if it had happened in 2012. I would've been more successful and had more books published. But I've known people to quit the whole thing of writing, publishing after a year. The fact that we're still here right in the thick of it says something good about us all who want to still stick it out.

[Carmel]

Angel wrote: "D.J. wrote: "Liked and shared.

You're not the only person I've read who has reported a decline in sales in recent years. I feel I missed the boat having not published until 2016. I have never had ..."
Your determination is admirable, and I hope it begins to pay off soon. When I read the statistics on how many books are published in a year, it boggles my mind and reminds me what an uphill slog this is.

[Dale]

Angel wrote: "Congrats, on your sales and I wish you well on your author night, Dale. "

The weather conspired against us. It's been raining all week. (Baltimore rescheduled it's annual "Bike to Work Day," which was supposed to be tomorrow. I think they should have just changed it to a "swim to work" day.)

We had 4 authors speaking, and 10 participants, all but one of whom came to support a particular author. We each talked for 10 minutes, then had some chat time with the guests. I think only 2 books were actually sold, one of which was mine bought, paradoxically enough, but a woman who is also part of my writing workshop. She already had copies of all my books but was buying this one for a friend. The one guest who didn't know any of the authors signed up to get my emails and wants to attend my workshop.

It was a nice event, just not very well attended and not lucrative.

[D.J.]

That’s a shame but my worry would always be that no-one turned up. At least you had more than that.

[Dale]

D.J. wrote: "That’s a shame but my worry would always be that no-one turned up. At least you had more than that."

Yeah, can't complain too much so long as there is some kind of audience.

[D.J.]

It reminds me of a scout fair I did. I was selling hand-made candles. They stationed me next to the make-your-own-candle table. I made so many to sell. I've probably still got them and this was years ago. I sold one, and I think I sold that because someone took pity on me.

[Dale]

D.J. wrote: "It reminds me of a scout fair I did. I was selling hand-made candles. They stationed me next to the make-your-own-candle table. I made so many to sell. I've probably still got them and this was yea..."

I've done several signings at an independent bookstore and one at a local B&N. I've always sold in the 3 - 5 copies range at those events. I've sold more to people at the workshop I run, even though I don't do that specifically to sell books, than I have through any other venue. I was told that even relatively well-known authors don't often sell much at bookstore signings.

[Angel]

Carmel wrote: "Angel wrote: "D.J. wrote: "Liked and shared.

You're not the only person I've read who has reported a decline in sales in recent years. I feel I missed the boat having not published until 2016. I h..."

I think what you're doing is admirable as well. And I know it will pay off for you. Yes it is quite the tough road but I think that's what makes this writing and publishing world so amazing is that brilliant people like you keep striving for success.

[Angel]

Dale wrote: "Angel wrote: "Congrats, on your sales and I wish you well on your author night, Dale. "

The weather conspired against us. It's been raining all week. (Baltimore rescheduled it's annual "Bike to Wo..."

I think you were successful. Who knows you may have gain the attention of more than you know. And I believe the lucrative part will be close by. Possibly closer than you realize. I wish you all the best. I have enjoyed your flash fiction stories. You truly are a talent.

[Dale]

Angel wrote: "I think you were successful. Who knows you may have gain the attention of more than you know. And I believe the lucrative part will be close by. Possibly closer than you realize. I wish you all the best. I have enjoyed your flash fiction stories. You truly are a talent. "

Thank you! I posted another one today. Kat posted a funny picture of a couple of baboons for the prompt, and I dashed off a piece that I hoped would be the first entry. Turned out to be the second, but that's okay. See here. I hope you enjoy it!

[Angel]

Dale wrote: "Angel wrote: "I think you were successful. Who knows you may have gain the attention of more than you know. And I believe the lucrative part will be close by. Possibly closer than you realize. I wi..."

Read and shared!

[Anna]

I've got family visiting this week (from abroad) so I have hardly any time to attend to my favourite 'to dos', i.e. writing related matters but I did just want to let this wonderfully supportive group know my good news. Everyone else will have to wait until either they all go out, or they go home. I love them dearly, of course, I adore them and so that's why writing has to wait.

Someone has nominated one of my books for an eBook award. Someone I hardly know alerted me to this so I took a look. I stared, I blinked, I checked several times and my book is still there. No doubt there will be some of you who have gone through this before and have felt the same.

I only wish I could thank the person who nominated my book.

https://bardsandsages.com/efestivalof...

P.S. Marie Silk's books are on there too. Congratulations Marie.

[Carole]

Congrats Anna!! And Marie, too!

[Anita]

My new book, A u 7 9, is off to what I consider a great start. I've received several reviews that are all very positive, and have sold a few books. For me, that's a good beginning.

[Carmel]

Angel wrote: "Carmel wrote: "Angel wrote: "D.J. wrote: "Liked and shared.

You're not the only person I've read who has reported a decline in sales in recent years. I feel I missed the boat having not published ..."
That is very sweet of you to say. :)

[Carmel]

Excellent to hear, Marie, Anna and Anita! You give everyone hope! Enjoy, and I hope it all continues.

[Anna]

Thank you, Carole and Alex.

And so glad to hear of other good news on this thread.

[Dale]

Thank you, Angel!

[D.J.]

Well done Anna, Marie and Anita.

[Erica]

That is wonderful news, Anna! Congrats to you and Marie. :)

[Erica]

Congrats, Anita!

[Carole]

What an Honor! BookWorks gave my book, Bulwark by Brit Lunden, BookWorks Book Of The Week! Check out the post here!
https://www.bookworks.com/book/bulwark/

Please Share!

[D.J.]

Well done!

[Anna]

Oh brilliant, Carole!

[Carmel]

Carole wrote: "What an Honor! BookWorks gave my book, Bulwark by Brit Lunden, BookWorks Book Of The Week! Check out the post here!
https://www.bookworks.com/book/bulwark/

Please Share!"
Sweet!! You give us all hope! :)

[Carole]

Make sure u join. They are a great group. Thanks Carmel

[Angel]

Carole wrote: "What an Honor! BookWorks gave my book, Bulwark by Brit Lunden, BookWorks Book Of The Week! Check out the post here!
https://www.bookworks.com/book/bulwark/

Please Share!"

Done.

[Erica]

Way to go, Carole. I have been on BookWorks for a while, but need to get more involved again.

[Carole]

Yes- they want to network people so badly.

[D.J.]

How do you manage the time with all these things? I’m finding it difficult to fit everything in. I’m not sure I can take another one on and do everything else.

[Carole]

You know, they asked the same thing at the Breavement Group I am going to- I don't know. We've always sqeezed alot into our plates. All of us do and yet, I swear we have so much down time and time for each other. I think we are all very goal oriented. I always had to juggle a lot. You know how hard it is to running a business from your home- mine runs 24/7 (it's not in the home anymore and hasn't been for 20 years) but i learned never to put things off- (Having kids toaught me that too- you never knew when you'd be down for the count with strep or something). I tackle things as soon as they come in, I live by lists. I had to do that because when you are self-employed and your own boss- I learned the hard way that if you fail to do it- you won't eat. Debz- we started soooo poor and I had so many people depending on us to survive- we had to work or not eat.
I also jettistoned time suckers. I let go of all the things that weren't part of my goal and not important to my life. I realized a lot of what I was worrying about took away fromt he quality of life and when I stopped worrying about things- it freed me up to think more..