tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4869527318255268135.post8109559955187815471..comments2023-07-30T01:32:13.498-07:00Comments on Jodi Henley: What makes an indie book sell?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14553958040386480998noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4869527318255268135.post-43048375638951918122013-10-17T19:34:27.403-07:002013-10-17T19:34:27.403-07:00Thanks, Jodi. I have good days and bad days, but I...Thanks, Jodi. I have good days and bad days, but I'm a tough old bird and hanging in there. :) I had wondered about my next book, offering the first book in the series for free for a while, maybe a week before I release the second book. Hoping that spurs some sales. ((hugs))Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05331887972977291676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4869527318255268135.post-71371892059508775332013-10-17T11:56:56.345-07:002013-10-17T11:56:56.345-07:00lol, Jen! I think you're a niche writer comfor...lol, Jen! I think you're a niche writer comfortable being a niche writer--now if only you could be a niche writer with a huge financial cushion. :) And I've been wondering about what makes someone chasing the market sell and some fail. It's got to be "something" you know? I need to spend some time actually thinking about it. :)<br /><br />Hi CC!<br /><br />I've been doing a lot of reading about the Amazon algorithms and watching sales rank and catalogs of the people whose processes (and productivity levels) I know and I'll say--I've seen some niche writers climb out of obscurity, but it takes a freaking long time. And "only" after a few reviews--not glowing reviews like friends give, but the random star reviews. The only thing, imho that can shorten the process is connecting with someone with connections and is willing to talk--like a reviewer with a book review blog, or someone with incredible social media connections, or just a lot of friends who have friends. I've also seen people who start out really big with a one-two release tank like a dead shark because they can't maintain writing/releasing momentum.<br /><br />I'm rambling again, sorry. :(<br /><br />I think what I'm trying to say is if you aren't willing to wait for the long tail to catch up with your quirky books (and I've just noticed there are easily over four million books on Amazon (thought it was three, lol!)) reviews and simply getting your name out are where it's at.<br /><br />goodreads, librarything, making them downloadable off your site for awhile? Think like a library? The more you can reach at this point, the more you'll stand out from the other four million<br /><br />Free = reach. And reach = name recognition, which later leads to sales and readership. Or if not a huge jump in sales, at least readership and you haven't lost anything except potential sales that you wouldn't have gotten anyway. But if you're sitting on a two million giveaway pile, that's two million people who might buy next time, and to paraphrase Zig Zagler, if you don't have someone to ask, no one will buy.<br /><br />(((hugs))) Hope you feel okay today. :) I know what you mean, I've been having vision issues. Not a good thing. :(Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14553958040386480998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4869527318255268135.post-49391766559933339542013-10-17T06:58:26.379-07:002013-10-17T06:58:26.379-07:00I'm also a slow writer, I have health issues b...I'm also a slow writer, I have health issues beaucoup, so I can''t sit at a computer very long. Which means I can either do a 30 minute timed writing, or balance my checkbook, or pay bills online, or do social media, or read my emails, but I cannot do them all in that same 30 minutes. Then I have to go lay down and may not get back on the computer that same day. It makes writing almost painfully sloooow. It can take me 6 months to write a novella and years to write a novel that others can pop off in a couple of months. I'm a slow typist, as well. I try my very best to write the best book I can at the time I write it, but I'm not there yet, like others I see soaring the charts. And I think the whole productivity issue is key. I've had books tank horribly, and others do okay, but struggle to find an audience. Not sure what can be done to increase my sales, but I can't write to a formula either, unless I stumble upon it by accident. lol<br /><br />I don't write f/f/ or m/m since it's just not my thing. I have experimented with bdsm-lite in my writing and noticed those books seem to do better overall. But I don't want to get stuck only writing bdsm and feel a real need to branch out since there are so many things I want to write about. I just lack the time. How do I find an audience that likes my quirky style? Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05331887972977291676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4869527318255268135.post-8081837636917874922013-10-17T05:59:29.814-07:002013-10-17T05:59:29.814-07:00I always love your take on things. Melissa Blue an...I always love your take on things. Melissa Blue and I often discuss things like this and the conversation often ends with "Well, we could try to figure it out but it would drive us both crazy. So....next topic?" I learned after a REALLY tough 2012 that I don't know crap and my job is to do the best job of writing I can do. I'm no social media whiz, but I hang in there. I've seen some authors explode with success when they "chase the market" (write a sparkly vampire aiming to capitalize on Twilight...BDSM to capitalize on 50 Shades) and I've seen others crash into oblivion. So, since I'm not comfortable writing to the market, I don't. An editor for a big epub once told me that I wasn't "formula" so that's why I didn't sell. Probably true. But if I tried to write to the formula, it wouldn't be me anymore. Now, I'm rambling. LOL!Jennifer Leelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06984802219973478954noreply@blogger.com