I was wrong with my post written about an hour or so ago. My children's detective novel is going live on Kindle at midnight tonight and, because of the time difference, is already on sale on Amazon across most of Europe. And this means that the very first person to be able to read Trouble at Chumley Towers (which is in English, of course!) is someone in Germany!
I had one advance order on Amazon.de and that order has already shown up in my account. I presume the remaining ones will go through tonight for UK customers and tomorrow morning for those who bought it on Amazon.com.
So if you live in Britain and would like to be among the very first to read the fourth book in the Lou Elliott mystery adventure series, you've got just over half an hour to put in an advance order. At £1.99 it is the same price exactly as the other full-length books in the series - and is also considerably longer.
Trouble at Chumley Towers is more in the mystery detective genre than its predecessors which were essentially mystery adventures. Lou is spending Christmas with her friends Jack, David and Emily at their home in Malpas, Cheshire. A series of thefts have taken place from the nearby stately home, Chumley Towers, and Lou leads the others in an investigation to find out whodunit!
I hope you enjoy the book and to those of you who have been kind enough to order your copy in advance, many thanks / vielen dank!
Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts
Friday, July 03, 2015
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Listing back up and a (small) sales flurry!
Well, maybe I should ask Amazon / Kindle Direct Publishing to lose my ebook listing a bit more often. Despite Smugglers at Whistling Sands being unavailable to buy for most of yesterday, I've managed three sales between yesterday evening and this morning.
So I'm really chuffed by that and it's pushed me into the top 100 paid-for books in the category Children's Fiction Action & Adventure. I am going to watch my sales closely for Smugglers - if it does start to take off, I will definitely write a sequel. If the demand is there, then I will be delighted to get headstrong Lou Elliott and siblings Jack, David and Emily back together at Abersoch for another holiday and who knows, possibly fall into another adventure!
Meanwhile, work continues on my second very different book aimed at the adult market. I called it a horror story in a previous post but I don't think it will spill into that genre particularly, I think it will be more in the realms of tense, pyschological thriller. I'm not sure I'm the type to write "horror" if you know what I mean.
I've got nearly 4,000 words written but before I go any further with it I am going to let my imagination guide me into mapping out a full plot. So far, I have just allowed it to gush out of my head but I do think that an author needs a basic structure as a guide - from which one can always stray, of course.
Anyway enough about my fiction ambitions - here's some non-fiction for you: I have a day's newspaper writing to do. I'm working from home today, the sun is shining, it's a fairly blue sky from what I can see through the skylight and so I must prioritise that which pays the bills!
So I'm really chuffed by that and it's pushed me into the top 100 paid-for books in the category Children's Fiction Action & Adventure. I am going to watch my sales closely for Smugglers - if it does start to take off, I will definitely write a sequel. If the demand is there, then I will be delighted to get headstrong Lou Elliott and siblings Jack, David and Emily back together at Abersoch for another holiday and who knows, possibly fall into another adventure!
Meanwhile, work continues on my second very different book aimed at the adult market. I called it a horror story in a previous post but I don't think it will spill into that genre particularly, I think it will be more in the realms of tense, pyschological thriller. I'm not sure I'm the type to write "horror" if you know what I mean.
I've got nearly 4,000 words written but before I go any further with it I am going to let my imagination guide me into mapping out a full plot. So far, I have just allowed it to gush out of my head but I do think that an author needs a basic structure as a guide - from which one can always stray, of course.
Anyway enough about my fiction ambitions - here's some non-fiction for you: I have a day's newspaper writing to do. I'm working from home today, the sun is shining, it's a fairly blue sky from what I can see through the skylight and so I must prioritise that which pays the bills!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Work has begun on book 2 - 2,500 words written so far!
I'm pleased to say that I have finally taken the plunge and begun writing my second book, with 2,500 words penned so far. I began it intending it to be a short story but it might go full length, I'm not sure yet.
I decided to just let the mood take me with this novel - I simply wanted to take the cork out of the bottle labelled Creativity & Get On With It. I have sketched out a very simple plot for what is in many respects a very simple book.
But it's a HORROR story - or at least, a tense, pscyhological thriller - not that it is for me to judge where it will ultimately horrify or thrill anyone or make them tense. Certainly it is for adults not children, it is not a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and I wouldn't want my young readers buying it. Will I even choose to publish it? I don't know. So long as it works in the genre I have chosen, hopefully in a Roald Dahl-esque sort of way, although probably not quite at his level, I think it will be fine.
The important thing for me was to put Smugglers to bed for a bit. I am not abandoning it, I will continue to market it from time to time, but I had to push it out of my head sufficiently to allow me to start writing something else. Some people only have one book in them, I think I have several. If any become commercial golden eggs that's a bonus - I just know I have to write them. Another children's book at least is called for - a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and two or three books for the adult market in different genres.
Time is the enemy, of course. I look back with regret at all the lazing around I did as a student in long holidays with bucketloads of empty hours years ago, and these days, especially with a wife and kids to entertain, not to mention the day job, time is a precious commodity is in short supply. That said, I am determined to make time - roll on book two! (I'll reveal a bit more about it in subsequent posts.)
I decided to just let the mood take me with this novel - I simply wanted to take the cork out of the bottle labelled Creativity & Get On With It. I have sketched out a very simple plot for what is in many respects a very simple book.
But it's a HORROR story - or at least, a tense, pscyhological thriller - not that it is for me to judge where it will ultimately horrify or thrill anyone or make them tense. Certainly it is for adults not children, it is not a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and I wouldn't want my young readers buying it. Will I even choose to publish it? I don't know. So long as it works in the genre I have chosen, hopefully in a Roald Dahl-esque sort of way, although probably not quite at his level, I think it will be fine.
The important thing for me was to put Smugglers to bed for a bit. I am not abandoning it, I will continue to market it from time to time, but I had to push it out of my head sufficiently to allow me to start writing something else. Some people only have one book in them, I think I have several. If any become commercial golden eggs that's a bonus - I just know I have to write them. Another children's book at least is called for - a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and two or three books for the adult market in different genres.
Time is the enemy, of course. I look back with regret at all the lazing around I did as a student in long holidays with bucketloads of empty hours years ago, and these days, especially with a wife and kids to entertain, not to mention the day job, time is a precious commodity is in short supply. That said, I am determined to make time - roll on book two! (I'll reveal a bit more about it in subsequent posts.)
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Two sales today (which is progress!)
I am quite pleased today that I have had two sales of my book, one on Amazon.com and the other on Amazon.co.uk. That is better than nothing and it does mean that since my book promotion I have sold an extra five. Added to that are the two books I sold immediately prior to the promotion starting.
So that is seven paid-for sales for Smugglers at Whistling Sands since it was relaunched in Amazon's Kindle store Friday. It could start to build momentum from this point, or it could just fizzle out, but we shall see. I believe strongly that I have just got to keep the faith now, I have got the book how I want it and I've got to start pushing it in various different ways.
The twin planks to my strategy as an unknown author is a) sell cheaply - 77p UK and $1.22 including sales tax in America and b) to promote and promote. I shall be using all the remaining four of my free promotion days over the next three months, but spacing them out sparingly.
Tomorrow, my target is to sell three . . . !
So that is seven paid-for sales for Smugglers at Whistling Sands since it was relaunched in Amazon's Kindle store Friday. It could start to build momentum from this point, or it could just fizzle out, but we shall see. I believe strongly that I have just got to keep the faith now, I have got the book how I want it and I've got to start pushing it in various different ways.
The twin planks to my strategy as an unknown author is a) sell cheaply - 77p UK and $1.22 including sales tax in America and b) to promote and promote. I shall be using all the remaining four of my free promotion days over the next three months, but spacing them out sparingly.
Tomorrow, my target is to sell three . . . !
Friday, October 28, 2011
Price promotion - price of book reduced from £1.71 to 86p
I've decided to cut the price of my Kindle ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands from £1.71 to 86p for now. Sales have tailed off in the last fortnight, it's my fault because I haven't had the time to promote the book properly but I'm going to start pushing it with a straightforward price drop.
I was worried before that selling it so cheaply could be taken as a sign of poor quality or lack of confidence on the part of the author, but there are so many good books out there for 86p or less. Incidentally, you cannot set your price for less than 86p, but if Amazon become aware it is for sale for less than 86p elsewhere on the internet, such as on Smashwords, then they will cut the price to match. I only sell on Amazon at the moment, so 86p is the lowest it can be sold for.
I have to face facts, I am still an unknown author - I have had 47 sales since mid-summer, none of which have (to my knowledge) gone to friends and family, since I only wanted what I call "genunine" purchases. Forty-seven is a lot better than none, which is the fate of quite a few unknown authors selling their self-published novels. But if I want more I have got to raise my game. Writing the book in the first place is proving to be only half the battle - possibly the easier half.
I was worried before that selling it so cheaply could be taken as a sign of poor quality or lack of confidence on the part of the author, but there are so many good books out there for 86p or less. Incidentally, you cannot set your price for less than 86p, but if Amazon become aware it is for sale for less than 86p elsewhere on the internet, such as on Smashwords, then they will cut the price to match. I only sell on Amazon at the moment, so 86p is the lowest it can be sold for.
I have to face facts, I am still an unknown author - I have had 47 sales since mid-summer, none of which have (to my knowledge) gone to friends and family, since I only wanted what I call "genunine" purchases. Forty-seven is a lot better than none, which is the fate of quite a few unknown authors selling their self-published novels. But if I want more I have got to raise my game. Writing the book in the first place is proving to be only half the battle - possibly the easier half.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
If you want to buy my novel - remember that you can use the product links on right of screen
Assuming you want to buy it, that is. I shouldn't presume. But my statistics show that almost nobody uses the product links on this page to purchase my ebook, Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
Instead, people seem to feel that they have to log on to Amazon on a separate page and search for it. You don't need to do that - just simply click in the box advertising my ebook - either the one for Amazon.co.uk or the other one lower down for Amazon.com. This will take you to my Amazon listing where you'll see my book cover and book description. At this point you can choose whether to buy it or not and/or continue shopping on Amazon.
I've put a few other Amazon product links on further down to books that I think viewers of this blog might enjoy, a couple of Enid Blyton's Famous Fives; John Locke's useful advice book on how indie authors can get good sales on Kindle; the current no.1 bestseller on Kindle, Scott Mariani's The Alchemist's Secret, and my all-time favourite book, The Lord of the Rings. I've also put a link to Amazon's new, cheaper Kindle which I think is an excellent product for the price.
It is very much in my interests and all authors who sell their wares on Kindle, that people should have the proper kit to read ebooks. You don't need a Kindle, of course, you can just read an ebook on your computer with easily downloadable softwar, but I think the Kindle, particularly the excellent and more affordable new version really does take some beating.
I intend to put further product links on this blog to books which I personally recommend, in particular of independent authors whose work I am aware of and which deserves pushing.
Instead, people seem to feel that they have to log on to Amazon on a separate page and search for it. You don't need to do that - just simply click in the box advertising my ebook - either the one for Amazon.co.uk or the other one lower down for Amazon.com. This will take you to my Amazon listing where you'll see my book cover and book description. At this point you can choose whether to buy it or not and/or continue shopping on Amazon.
I've put a few other Amazon product links on further down to books that I think viewers of this blog might enjoy, a couple of Enid Blyton's Famous Fives; John Locke's useful advice book on how indie authors can get good sales on Kindle; the current no.1 bestseller on Kindle, Scott Mariani's The Alchemist's Secret, and my all-time favourite book, The Lord of the Rings. I've also put a link to Amazon's new, cheaper Kindle which I think is an excellent product for the price.
It is very much in my interests and all authors who sell their wares on Kindle, that people should have the proper kit to read ebooks. You don't need a Kindle, of course, you can just read an ebook on your computer with easily downloadable softwar, but I think the Kindle, particularly the excellent and more affordable new version really does take some beating.
I intend to put further product links on this blog to books which I personally recommend, in particular of independent authors whose work I am aware of and which deserves pushing.
Sunday, October 09, 2011
New book cover for Smugglers has just gone live on my Amazon listing
If you look towards the top of your screen, you will see a tab for a new page on which I have posted all three of my covers so far, including my new one, on a blue background.
I feel my original cover was simply too simple - and was potentially hampering sales. It simply wasn't striking enough and I hope that this one will be more inviting. I had been meaning to replace the other one for some time and am glad that I have now done so. As the saying goes, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but people do - and probably all the more so with an ebook which you can't physically flick through.
I know myself that a cover can subtly affect my own decision to purchase a book and the experience of reading it. I suppose, when you think about a fine wine will taste better drunk from a cut-glass goblet than a paper cup - perhaps it shouldn't but it does. And bearing in mind how difficult it is for independent, self-published writers to get their work in front of readers, doing one's best to get a decent cover is an investment worth making.
SALES UPDATE (Monday, October 10th at 9am): A dry few days meant there was no chance of me reaching my target of 50 sales within my first 80 days of having published Abersoch-based Smugglers at Whistling Sands, ie. Sunday October 9th. By midnight I remained on 43 sales but overnight, I've had a 44th buyer - so maybe that's a good omen for my new cover!
I feel my original cover was simply too simple - and was potentially hampering sales. It simply wasn't striking enough and I hope that this one will be more inviting. I had been meaning to replace the other one for some time and am glad that I have now done so. As the saying goes, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but people do - and probably all the more so with an ebook which you can't physically flick through.
I know myself that a cover can subtly affect my own decision to purchase a book and the experience of reading it. I suppose, when you think about a fine wine will taste better drunk from a cut-glass goblet than a paper cup - perhaps it shouldn't but it does. And bearing in mind how difficult it is for independent, self-published writers to get their work in front of readers, doing one's best to get a decent cover is an investment worth making.
SALES UPDATE (Monday, October 10th at 9am): A dry few days meant there was no chance of me reaching my target of 50 sales within my first 80 days of having published Abersoch-based Smugglers at Whistling Sands, ie. Sunday October 9th. By midnight I remained on 43 sales but overnight, I've had a 44th buyer - so maybe that's a good omen for my new cover!
Friday, October 07, 2011
A bad week for sales - I think I need to push my book a bit more
Pride comes before a fall and I was proud - or certainly pleased at any rate - to have sold four books last weekend. What have I sold since? Erm, norra lot, as Cilla Black might put it.
So it's somewhat disappointing. Actually my sales flurry last weekend was largely due I think to a regular holidaymaker at Abersoch who came across my book, bought it, told all his friends about it, and three of them also bought it on his recommendation.
But that is exactly the way a self-published ebook like this will either stand or fall in the end. It isn't enough to just upload it onto Amazon's bookstore and leave the rest to Google. Writing a book is just half the battle - marketing it is at least as difficult and I haven't done anywhere near as much as I should.
You cannot get a better accolade than when a complete stranger like Paul comes across the book and he and his young daughter like it so much they recommend it others who then also buy it. This is absolutely the way to do it. On that basis, and considering I deliberately haven't knowingly sold any to friends and family, I should be pleased to have 43 buyers so far. I need to keep pushing it and I am keen to write another - in fact at least a couple more, one of which will be a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and will also be based at Abersoch / Llyn peninsula using the same core characters: Jack, David, sister Emily and their friend Lou.
I did say that if I were to reach 50 sales by the end of Sunday, October 9, I would guarantee to write that sequel. I am all but relieved of that pledge now by the fact that there is no way I will get seven sales over the next 48 hours. However, I still want to write it - but it may not be my next book. This weekend I am going to think hard about which direction I now wish to take. I have half a mind for my next book to be pitched directly to the adult market, but I'll have to see which way my muse takes me!
So it's somewhat disappointing. Actually my sales flurry last weekend was largely due I think to a regular holidaymaker at Abersoch who came across my book, bought it, told all his friends about it, and three of them also bought it on his recommendation.
But that is exactly the way a self-published ebook like this will either stand or fall in the end. It isn't enough to just upload it onto Amazon's bookstore and leave the rest to Google. Writing a book is just half the battle - marketing it is at least as difficult and I haven't done anywhere near as much as I should.
You cannot get a better accolade than when a complete stranger like Paul comes across the book and he and his young daughter like it so much they recommend it others who then also buy it. This is absolutely the way to do it. On that basis, and considering I deliberately haven't knowingly sold any to friends and family, I should be pleased to have 43 buyers so far. I need to keep pushing it and I am keen to write another - in fact at least a couple more, one of which will be a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and will also be based at Abersoch / Llyn peninsula using the same core characters: Jack, David, sister Emily and their friend Lou.
I did say that if I were to reach 50 sales by the end of Sunday, October 9, I would guarantee to write that sequel. I am all but relieved of that pledge now by the fact that there is no way I will get seven sales over the next 48 hours. However, I still want to write it - but it may not be my next book. This weekend I am going to think hard about which direction I now wish to take. I have half a mind for my next book to be pitched directly to the adult market, but I'll have to see which way my muse takes me!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Good! I'm back in Amazon's bestseller list for children's adventure stories on Kindle
Another sale puts me back in the top 100 bestseller list for children's fiction, action & adventure category - at #83 (as of 4pm Sunday afternoon) with Abersoch-based Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
# Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #9,811 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
* #83 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Action & Adventure
Really chuffed about this, since being on this list is an important part of getting one's book known about and acquiring more readers. Again, it is evidence that you don't have to virtually give your novel away just to get readers.
Well the sun is not far off setting on another weekend and I wish I could say that I have been furthering my writing ambitions these last two days. Unfortunately, the demands of being a dad to two young children and hosting a friend of my wife's who visited for the weekend have conspired against me.
Mind you, right now I have no excuse. My wife has given me a couple of hours' grace to disappear to the top floor where I have my office to do book-related stuff. And what I have been doing - reading rather than writing or promoting. I've been tucking into the No.1 bestseller in the Kindle store: The Alchemist's Secret by Scott Mariani.
The ebook version costs the not-very-princely sum of 49p, which rather disproves my theory that selling too cheap will discourage sales. Ok, but I will say this: Mariani is an excellent writer and this is by all accounts an excellent book. I would have been happier to pay a good pound or two more for it and for him to have been rewarded accordingly. Mind you, he has several books for sale on Amazon and most are for £1.99 and a couple for £2.99. If giving one or two away at 49p apiece helps win more readers for his other novels, good luck to him. Certainly, I am happy to plug The Alchemist's Secret - really gripped by it (not that Mariani is in any need of being plugged of course!).
* I've just tweeted to say that I have set a deadline of Sunday, October 9th, 2011 to notch up my 50th sale of Smugglers at Whistling Sands. If I have reached that milestone by then, I GUARANTEE to write a sequel, bringing siblings Jack, David, Emily and their friend Lou back to Abersoch for another exciting adventure! I am currently 14 short of that target and must sell an average of one book a day to achieve it. Fingers crossed! (If I don't reach that figure, I intend to start work on a wholly different book aimed primarily at adults rather than children.)
# Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #9,811 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
* #83 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Action & Adventure
Really chuffed about this, since being on this list is an important part of getting one's book known about and acquiring more readers. Again, it is evidence that you don't have to virtually give your novel away just to get readers.
Well the sun is not far off setting on another weekend and I wish I could say that I have been furthering my writing ambitions these last two days. Unfortunately, the demands of being a dad to two young children and hosting a friend of my wife's who visited for the weekend have conspired against me.
Mind you, right now I have no excuse. My wife has given me a couple of hours' grace to disappear to the top floor where I have my office to do book-related stuff. And what I have been doing - reading rather than writing or promoting. I've been tucking into the No.1 bestseller in the Kindle store: The Alchemist's Secret by Scott Mariani.
The ebook version costs the not-very-princely sum of 49p, which rather disproves my theory that selling too cheap will discourage sales. Ok, but I will say this: Mariani is an excellent writer and this is by all accounts an excellent book. I would have been happier to pay a good pound or two more for it and for him to have been rewarded accordingly. Mind you, he has several books for sale on Amazon and most are for £1.99 and a couple for £2.99. If giving one or two away at 49p apiece helps win more readers for his other novels, good luck to him. Certainly, I am happy to plug The Alchemist's Secret - really gripped by it (not that Mariani is in any need of being plugged of course!).
* I've just tweeted to say that I have set a deadline of Sunday, October 9th, 2011 to notch up my 50th sale of Smugglers at Whistling Sands. If I have reached that milestone by then, I GUARANTEE to write a sequel, bringing siblings Jack, David, Emily and their friend Lou back to Abersoch for another exciting adventure! I am currently 14 short of that target and must sell an average of one book a day to achieve it. Fingers crossed! (If I don't reach that figure, I intend to start work on a wholly different book aimed primarily at adults rather than children.)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
An annoying setback - but what can you do?
To my disappointment, someone has been on my Amazon listing and given the two excellent reviews I have received so far for Smugglers at Whistling Sands the thumbs down. Now, the first one is rated three people out of four find the review helpful, and the other that two out of three find it helpful.
I just find it annoying that someone, under the cloak of anonymity, should do that to me. Have they taken the trouble to leave their own review, explaining what they liked and presumbly what they did not? No, of course they haven't.
Have they commented on the two reviews I have received to date, explaining why they don't agree with them? No, of course they haven't. Instead they have just quietly, effortlessly used the thumbs down sign.
Have they even read the book? Who knows! It has crossed my mind whether it is from a rival author / publisher out there. Perhaps I shouldn't read too much into it, I just think when you go to the trouble of seeking to knock a fledgling novelist like me and imply that my book isn't even worth the 86p I'm asking for it - whoever it is might at least explain why.
Whether it will knock future sales I don't know - I've just got to hope others continue to buy it, and hopefully I will pick up some more reviews - not necessarily five star as my current two are - but honest crits, which hopefully will be more positive than negative.
My sales have now reached 33 - they definitely don't appear to be exactly taking off, but it is still early days yet and I am, frankly, doing next to nothing to promote my book - I really need to find the time to do so.
I just find it annoying that someone, under the cloak of anonymity, should do that to me. Have they taken the trouble to leave their own review, explaining what they liked and presumbly what they did not? No, of course they haven't.
Have they commented on the two reviews I have received to date, explaining why they don't agree with them? No, of course they haven't. Instead they have just quietly, effortlessly used the thumbs down sign.
Have they even read the book? Who knows! It has crossed my mind whether it is from a rival author / publisher out there. Perhaps I shouldn't read too much into it, I just think when you go to the trouble of seeking to knock a fledgling novelist like me and imply that my book isn't even worth the 86p I'm asking for it - whoever it is might at least explain why.
Whether it will knock future sales I don't know - I've just got to hope others continue to buy it, and hopefully I will pick up some more reviews - not necessarily five star as my current two are - but honest crits, which hopefully will be more positive than negative.
My sales have now reached 33 - they definitely don't appear to be exactly taking off, but it is still early days yet and I am, frankly, doing next to nothing to promote my book - I really need to find the time to do so.
Monday, September 12, 2011
A few more sales - just wish I could invest more time in pushing my book
Despite having done very little to promote my book - including failing to keep this blog up to date - I have continued to pick up slow but steady sales. In my last entry I had reached a milestone of 20 sales of Smugglers at Whistling Sands. This tally has now leaped to 31 - well I say leaped, it is after all nearly a fortnight since I wrote that entry!
On Saturday evening I had two sales and this afternoon I had another two, which pushed me up to #35 in the top 100 in children's fiction action & adventure category on Amazon's Kindle bookstore.
I badly need to start pushing the book again to build on this - selective use of Twitter and Facebook spring to mind, but it all takes time and I've been very busy with work and also family matters over the last few days.
My very first buyer, fellow fledgling novelist Martin Jones in Toronto, Canada, has done me an excellent analysis of the first chapter of my book, which I'm very grateful for. The value of having a fresh pair of eyes can be summed up in just one observation alone of his - something no-one else has spotted, including my wife! I was selling my ebook with one of the principal characters, 12-year-old Jack, referred to in the first chapter as "John".
John was his original name, but I changed it to Jack ages ago, and thought I had altered every single reference in the book - but clearly I missed one. As soon as I read this, I changed the hard copy of the novel in Word format on my desktop, converted it to ebook format and uploaded it to Amazon to over-write the original file. I am not happy that a good few people will have bought my book with that mistake contained in it - that said, it will create no more than a momentary confusion and I don't think anyone will be that furious with me. But certainly I feel a little furious with myself!
There are three or four other minor changes I intend to make arising from Martin's analysis. And a number of his suggestions I will reject and leave things as they are, grateful though I am for them. It's a sign of strength to listen to criticism and be willing to change your novel - but it's also a sign of strength to reject certain observations and say, "well, I'm the author, that's how I want it!"
I shall soon be sending Martin a little analysis of my own of his part-written book, and I expect him to do the same - maybe take on board some of what I say, and reject some of it. Talking of which, I think it's time I plugged his book in this blog which I am very much enjoying. I find it's whole basis is highly original and unusual. It's called They Shoot Birds Don't They? - and you can find a long extract from it on the writers' site Authonomy.com run by HarperCollins, under Martin's author name MP Jones. Click here to go directly to it. Martin's book is now ranked very highly by fellow members, up to 117 as I write this out of several thousand other books. So take a look!
Talking of which, the Authonomy website is very interesting, not had time to get my head round it properly yet, but looking forward to delving into it in more detail. And I promise not to leave it another fortnight before updating this blog!
On Saturday evening I had two sales and this afternoon I had another two, which pushed me up to #35 in the top 100 in children's fiction action & adventure category on Amazon's Kindle bookstore.
I badly need to start pushing the book again to build on this - selective use of Twitter and Facebook spring to mind, but it all takes time and I've been very busy with work and also family matters over the last few days.
My very first buyer, fellow fledgling novelist Martin Jones in Toronto, Canada, has done me an excellent analysis of the first chapter of my book, which I'm very grateful for. The value of having a fresh pair of eyes can be summed up in just one observation alone of his - something no-one else has spotted, including my wife! I was selling my ebook with one of the principal characters, 12-year-old Jack, referred to in the first chapter as "John".
John was his original name, but I changed it to Jack ages ago, and thought I had altered every single reference in the book - but clearly I missed one. As soon as I read this, I changed the hard copy of the novel in Word format on my desktop, converted it to ebook format and uploaded it to Amazon to over-write the original file. I am not happy that a good few people will have bought my book with that mistake contained in it - that said, it will create no more than a momentary confusion and I don't think anyone will be that furious with me. But certainly I feel a little furious with myself!
There are three or four other minor changes I intend to make arising from Martin's analysis. And a number of his suggestions I will reject and leave things as they are, grateful though I am for them. It's a sign of strength to listen to criticism and be willing to change your novel - but it's also a sign of strength to reject certain observations and say, "well, I'm the author, that's how I want it!"
I shall soon be sending Martin a little analysis of my own of his part-written book, and I expect him to do the same - maybe take on board some of what I say, and reject some of it. Talking of which, I think it's time I plugged his book in this blog which I am very much enjoying. I find it's whole basis is highly original and unusual. It's called They Shoot Birds Don't They? - and you can find a long extract from it on the writers' site Authonomy.com run by HarperCollins, under Martin's author name MP Jones. Click here to go directly to it. Martin's book is now ranked very highly by fellow members, up to 117 as I write this out of several thousand other books. So take a look!
Talking of which, the Authonomy website is very interesting, not had time to get my head round it properly yet, but looking forward to delving into it in more detail. And I promise not to leave it another fortnight before updating this blog!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Milestone of sorts as I reach 20 sales
Apologies for taking five whole days since I last updated this blog. It isn't a sign that my interest is waning in my book writing project. Quite the contrary in fact, I am raring to get stuck in, both in promoting my current book, and starting to get on with writing another.
I have not been selling well the last few days, there has been a definite slow down, but I think that is probably as much as anything to do with the fact that many people still simply do not know about my book, Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
But tonight I had my 17th sale on Amazon.co.uk and I have now had three sales on Amazon.com making 20 in total. When you consider that those sales have come in little over my first month I should not be too displeased. I am now, temporarily no doubt, back in the top 100 bestsellers in the category children's fiction, action and adventure on Amazon.co.uk - just - at #99.
I think I should mention as well, the power of Twitter - I searched on the key word Abersoch on Twitter at the weekend and a few tweets came up from people who had mentioned Abersoch. I sent a personalised tweet to one of them, the woman in question had already heard of my book, was delighted I had got in touch and promptly bought it, once I had explained how. She also told a friend of hers who has since been in touch via Twitter but who wants to wait until I bring out the hard copy of Smugglers (which I will at some stage).
I mentioned how keen I am to plunge myself into my novel writing ambitions. Unfortunately for me, I have been kept very busy at work recently, not only trying to keep up to speed with my own output of columns, leader columns and features, but having to cover for the farming correspondent who is currently off.
And the more work I have to do, the more I daydream about novel-writing and then take even longer getting stuff done. I need to have more self discipline, dear boy, I tell myself. Unfortunately, I don't always listen, not even to myself!
I have not been selling well the last few days, there has been a definite slow down, but I think that is probably as much as anything to do with the fact that many people still simply do not know about my book, Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
But tonight I had my 17th sale on Amazon.co.uk and I have now had three sales on Amazon.com making 20 in total. When you consider that those sales have come in little over my first month I should not be too displeased. I am now, temporarily no doubt, back in the top 100 bestsellers in the category children's fiction, action and adventure on Amazon.co.uk - just - at #99.
I think I should mention as well, the power of Twitter - I searched on the key word Abersoch on Twitter at the weekend and a few tweets came up from people who had mentioned Abersoch. I sent a personalised tweet to one of them, the woman in question had already heard of my book, was delighted I had got in touch and promptly bought it, once I had explained how. She also told a friend of hers who has since been in touch via Twitter but who wants to wait until I bring out the hard copy of Smugglers (which I will at some stage).
I mentioned how keen I am to plunge myself into my novel writing ambitions. Unfortunately for me, I have been kept very busy at work recently, not only trying to keep up to speed with my own output of columns, leader columns and features, but having to cover for the farming correspondent who is currently off.
And the more work I have to do, the more I daydream about novel-writing and then take even longer getting stuff done. I need to have more self discipline, dear boy, I tell myself. Unfortunately, I don't always listen, not even to myself!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Another 5-star review . . . but sales dried up today (never mind)
Today I was very pleased to receive my second review - another five stars, from "Bart" who is a regular holidaymaker to Abersoch and loved the book, as did his young daughter. "Bart" is the guy who contacted me via Facebook and has now very kindly repeated his positive comments publicly on my Amazon listing.
Also pleasing, is the fact that someone has already marked it a "helpful" review so all this will help me with future sales.
Talking of which, I have now notched up 15 buyers, but I'm feeling a little disappointed today because I've not had any sales in the last 24 hours and have dropped from hovering just outside the top 5,000 best selling on Kindle to 18,000. You soon get punished if you don't sell books, your ranking drops swiftly, by around 500 an hour. But as I've said before, that is good because it shows that people are buying books on Kindle.
Ultimately, my book will keep selling if it's any good and sales will dry up if it isn't and that is the way it should be.
Also pleasing, is the fact that someone has already marked it a "helpful" review so all this will help me with future sales.
Talking of which, I have now notched up 15 buyers, but I'm feeling a little disappointed today because I've not had any sales in the last 24 hours and have dropped from hovering just outside the top 5,000 best selling on Kindle to 18,000. You soon get punished if you don't sell books, your ranking drops swiftly, by around 500 an hour. But as I've said before, that is good because it shows that people are buying books on Kindle.
Ultimately, my book will keep selling if it's any good and sales will dry up if it isn't and that is the way it should be.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
A five-star review for Smugglers on Amazon
My book picked up a fantastic review last night posted on my Amazon listing from Canadian buyer Martin Jones in Toronto - and it may well be no coincidence that I had two sales overnight, taking me to 9, of which 4 were in the last 12 hours. (Click the Amazon link to my book on the right hand side to see Martin's review and info about the book).
I was sort of dreading my first review so I was delighted to receive such a good one and a couple of criticisms made by Martin were delivered gently and constructively. Book reviews are in the hands of the reader and can be as harsh or as flattering as people wish to deliver them and that's the way it should be.
What particularly pleased me is that he clearly enjoyed Smugglers At Whistling Sands and felt that it had pace and was a page-turner - which is what I wanted. I hope other buyers will also find the time to post reviews and I really do hope I can keep getting the book out there and selling. I am not interested in acquiring riches - what I want is readers!
Martin described my book as "fantastic value" at 86p and said that its low price didn't reflect its quality. He felt it must be a marketing strategy on my part to set the price at that level. He is absolutely right - the marketing strategy is to maximise sales - ie. readers. My research tells me that setting the price low is important for unknown and self-published authors like me if we are to have any hope of readers taking a risk on us. At 86p I am hopefully worth a punt - but why should you pay £4.99 when you've never heard of me before?
Longer term, I would love to make money from writing novels for this very simple reason: if it paid the bills then producing creative fiction is where I want to be. The important point though, is to write for the love of it, and if it pays, it can become the day job. Until then, as the saying goes: don't give up the day job!
I was sort of dreading my first review so I was delighted to receive such a good one and a couple of criticisms made by Martin were delivered gently and constructively. Book reviews are in the hands of the reader and can be as harsh or as flattering as people wish to deliver them and that's the way it should be.
What particularly pleased me is that he clearly enjoyed Smugglers At Whistling Sands and felt that it had pace and was a page-turner - which is what I wanted. I hope other buyers will also find the time to post reviews and I really do hope I can keep getting the book out there and selling. I am not interested in acquiring riches - what I want is readers!
Martin described my book as "fantastic value" at 86p and said that its low price didn't reflect its quality. He felt it must be a marketing strategy on my part to set the price at that level. He is absolutely right - the marketing strategy is to maximise sales - ie. readers. My research tells me that setting the price low is important for unknown and self-published authors like me if we are to have any hope of readers taking a risk on us. At 86p I am hopefully worth a punt - but why should you pay £4.99 when you've never heard of me before?
Longer term, I would love to make money from writing novels for this very simple reason: if it paid the bills then producing creative fiction is where I want to be. The important point though, is to write for the love of it, and if it pays, it can become the day job. Until then, as the saying goes: don't give up the day job!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Another sale, and my thoughts are turning to reviews . . .
I had the fourth sale of Smugglers this afternoon and it is a funny feeling to think that, with the exception of my first buyer, who hails from Canada, I have no idea who the other three are.
Could they be the next door neighbour but one, could it be a family member? A work colleague? The fact is, almost nobody knows about my ebook and all members of my family are under instructions not to buy it off Amazon which is currently the only place I have my it for sale. I simply want to feel that any purchase is a genuine one, ie. one made by a stranger or a sworn enemy or something - not my best mate, or a sympathetic neighbour, or a kindly in-law who feels I need a little encouragement.
And the other thing is, will the book get reviewed - I can be pretty sure one of those buyers will review it but not necessarily the others. I do feel a slight feeling of unease that anyone anywhere in the world can download my book and just read it for themselves. My first buyer, who is himself writing a book, expressed that very emotion in an email to me and it made me realise I feel the same way.
I suppose it is easy to be nervous about any possible criticism but it is through critical appraisal that we all learn and all fledgling novelists should remind themselves that the greatest writers in history have their critics and indeed, from Shakespeare through to the likes of Thomas Hardy, have stuff to their name that is, shall we say, not their best.
It's interesting that my favourite author, George Orwell, so disliked his early two novels A Clergyman's Daughter and Keep The Aspidistra Flying that after early print runs, he refused to allow them to be reprinted in his lifetime. I enjoyed reading both, but in particular, Keep The Aspidistra Flying - a harrowing tale of a struggling writer who could barely make ends meet and felt worthless in the process. There is some very powerful, and at times poetic language by Orwell and I only wish he had written more of this type of book.
Anyway, enough of Mr Orwell for one evening, it is already nearly half past midnight here in North Wales and I could go on about him all night, and after another tiring day on the paper (working from home today though, not the office) I probably ought to get to bed.
Could they be the next door neighbour but one, could it be a family member? A work colleague? The fact is, almost nobody knows about my ebook and all members of my family are under instructions not to buy it off Amazon which is currently the only place I have my it for sale. I simply want to feel that any purchase is a genuine one, ie. one made by a stranger or a sworn enemy or something - not my best mate, or a sympathetic neighbour, or a kindly in-law who feels I need a little encouragement.
And the other thing is, will the book get reviewed - I can be pretty sure one of those buyers will review it but not necessarily the others. I do feel a slight feeling of unease that anyone anywhere in the world can download my book and just read it for themselves. My first buyer, who is himself writing a book, expressed that very emotion in an email to me and it made me realise I feel the same way.
I suppose it is easy to be nervous about any possible criticism but it is through critical appraisal that we all learn and all fledgling novelists should remind themselves that the greatest writers in history have their critics and indeed, from Shakespeare through to the likes of Thomas Hardy, have stuff to their name that is, shall we say, not their best.
It's interesting that my favourite author, George Orwell, so disliked his early two novels A Clergyman's Daughter and Keep The Aspidistra Flying that after early print runs, he refused to allow them to be reprinted in his lifetime. I enjoyed reading both, but in particular, Keep The Aspidistra Flying - a harrowing tale of a struggling writer who could barely make ends meet and felt worthless in the process. There is some very powerful, and at times poetic language by Orwell and I only wish he had written more of this type of book.
Anyway, enough of Mr Orwell for one evening, it is already nearly half past midnight here in North Wales and I could go on about him all night, and after another tiring day on the paper (working from home today though, not the office) I probably ought to get to bed.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
The value of building friendships for aspiring and unknown novelists
As I am now finding out, trying to make it as a novelist when no-one knows you or what you've written is a tough battle. But it should be remembered that numerous others are also treading the same path and there is so much we can all learn from each other.
You could be negative about this and see it as unwanted competition but that's not my view. To me, other wannabe novelists are friends, not enemies. I am happy to help others to get their books out there in front of the reading public and happy also to tap into their advice..
As you'll know from my recent posts, I have acquired my first buyer for my Abersoch-based ebook Smugglers At Whistling Sands. He has also given me some excellent advice - namely the importance of making one's book or extracts of it available to online reviewers, many of whom will themselves be aspiring novelists - and receiving constructive advice and criticism from the community. Furthermore, that there are more avenues to explore than just selling one's ebook on Amazon.
Someone who has often been a source of inspiration for me to further my ambitions as a novelist is Keith Robinson, who is British but now lives in America and who has recently completed a trilogy of fantasy novels in his Island of Fog series about apparently normal youngsters who develop special powers and who can transform themselves into mythical creatures.
He is also the brains behind an excellent Enid Blyton tribute website, very much underpinned by his own love of Blyton's tales. Keith also writes a regular blog http://www.unearthlytales.com which tells of the ups and downs along his own road to become a recognised author - at this stage self-published but hopeful of winning a publishing deal one day.
Following on from a reply to one of his recent posts, Keith has invited me to plug my book on his Enid Blyton website http://www.EnidBlyton.net This will undoubtedly be a big help. Keith's site is hugely popular among Enid Blyton fans and as best-selling Kindle author John Locke points out, a key element to marketing your books is to know where that market is and target it. And my book is the sort that fans of Enid Blyton may well like (if I say so myself!).
So I am feeling very heartened by the response both from Keith and from my first buyer. Making friends and chatting with lke-minded "indie" authors can be hugely helpful and very rewarding.
You could be negative about this and see it as unwanted competition but that's not my view. To me, other wannabe novelists are friends, not enemies. I am happy to help others to get their books out there in front of the reading public and happy also to tap into their advice..
As you'll know from my recent posts, I have acquired my first buyer for my Abersoch-based ebook Smugglers At Whistling Sands. He has also given me some excellent advice - namely the importance of making one's book or extracts of it available to online reviewers, many of whom will themselves be aspiring novelists - and receiving constructive advice and criticism from the community. Furthermore, that there are more avenues to explore than just selling one's ebook on Amazon.
Someone who has often been a source of inspiration for me to further my ambitions as a novelist is Keith Robinson, who is British but now lives in America and who has recently completed a trilogy of fantasy novels in his Island of Fog series about apparently normal youngsters who develop special powers and who can transform themselves into mythical creatures.
He is also the brains behind an excellent Enid Blyton tribute website, very much underpinned by his own love of Blyton's tales. Keith also writes a regular blog http://www.unearthlytales.com which tells of the ups and downs along his own road to become a recognised author - at this stage self-published but hopeful of winning a publishing deal one day.
Following on from a reply to one of his recent posts, Keith has invited me to plug my book on his Enid Blyton website http://www.EnidBlyton.net This will undoubtedly be a big help. Keith's site is hugely popular among Enid Blyton fans and as best-selling Kindle author John Locke points out, a key element to marketing your books is to know where that market is and target it. And my book is the sort that fans of Enid Blyton may well like (if I say so myself!).
So I am feeling very heartened by the response both from Keith and from my first buyer. Making friends and chatting with lke-minded "indie" authors can be hugely helpful and very rewarding.
Friday, August 12, 2011
I got it! My first sale
Yes! It's official, I've found out this morning that I have had my first sale! It's to a chap in Canada who is also writing his own children's novel and who's given me a couple of interesting ideas for getting the book read by people and reviewed. I enclose the evidence below from Amazon.co.uk:
Of course, you may be reading this and thinking, that it's pretty bad having only sold one book three weeks after publishing it. To that I would point out that the likes of John Locke had pretty poor sales at the start too. The first thing any unknown author needs to know loud and clear about succeeding, is that it is incredibly hard. The trick is not to give up - at least to give it a good go.
As I said in an early post, I am not that bothered whether I make it as a novelist, but I will be very bothered if I go through life feeling that I never tried. Now, I have a question for you: who is going to be my SECOND customer?
- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 722 KB
- Publisher: Overton Press (21 July 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Language English
- ASIN: B005E0AK2O
- Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #10,985 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
Of course, you may be reading this and thinking, that it's pretty bad having only sold one book three weeks after publishing it. To that I would point out that the likes of John Locke had pretty poor sales at the start too. The first thing any unknown author needs to know loud and clear about succeeding, is that it is incredibly hard. The trick is not to give up - at least to give it a good go.
As I said in an early post, I am not that bothered whether I make it as a novelist, but I will be very bothered if I go through life feeling that I never tried. Now, I have a question for you: who is going to be my SECOND customer?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
I think I'm poised to get my first sale . . .!
Yes folks, you read it here first! I think I might be about to get my first ever sale of my Abersoch-based ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands on Amazon.
Quite a while ago, I sold a few chapters of the book while still unfinished, on eBay, actually printing them out in mini magazine format and selling them in parts, each containing two chapters each. It was not the most efficient or effective way to do it and ran aground in large part because I realised I wanted to re-edit the book as I was writing it.
However, a chap who bought a few of those opening chapters never entirely gave up on me and has rediscovered my book now that I have launched it on Amazon's Kindle in electronic format. It's pleasing to think that here was somebody who liked the thing enough to still remember my book and look out for it on the web, hoping one day it would get finished. And on that note, my book, although recently published, was started a good while ago in 2006 but then dropped before getting sorted out some two years later.
As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I got it to one traditional publisher, only for it to be rejected, albeit politely, and I then put it on the back burner, until Kindle Direct Publishing and ebooks came along.
Oh and I've also had a very nice reply from a lady via Facebook who responded to my Facebook campaign targeting a number of individuals in Abersoch to let them know about the novel. No-one has moaned at me for "spamming" them so I think I may send out a few more Facebook messages. After all, isn't that really what social networking is all about - to allow people to contact those that they don't know but with whom they have something in common?
Anyway, here's looking forward to My First Sale - I'll let you know when it happens!
Quite a while ago, I sold a few chapters of the book while still unfinished, on eBay, actually printing them out in mini magazine format and selling them in parts, each containing two chapters each. It was not the most efficient or effective way to do it and ran aground in large part because I realised I wanted to re-edit the book as I was writing it.
However, a chap who bought a few of those opening chapters never entirely gave up on me and has rediscovered my book now that I have launched it on Amazon's Kindle in electronic format. It's pleasing to think that here was somebody who liked the thing enough to still remember my book and look out for it on the web, hoping one day it would get finished. And on that note, my book, although recently published, was started a good while ago in 2006 but then dropped before getting sorted out some two years later.
As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I got it to one traditional publisher, only for it to be rejected, albeit politely, and I then put it on the back burner, until Kindle Direct Publishing and ebooks came along.
Oh and I've also had a very nice reply from a lady via Facebook who responded to my Facebook campaign targeting a number of individuals in Abersoch to let them know about the novel. No-one has moaned at me for "spamming" them so I think I may send out a few more Facebook messages. After all, isn't that really what social networking is all about - to allow people to contact those that they don't know but with whom they have something in common?
Anyway, here's looking forward to My First Sale - I'll let you know when it happens!
Thursday, August 04, 2011
New lower price for my Kindle ebook set at Abersoch!
Tempting though it is to go for Amazon's 70% royalty from sales, I have decided instead to accept the lower commission rate of 35%, allowing me to drop the price of my ebook Smugglers At Whistling Sands from £1.71 to just 86 pence. Yes it's a shame that I will only pick up a royalty of some 26p from that from any sales on Kindle, compared to £1 but right at this moment, making money from my book is a secondary consideration. What I really want is sales.
And so far, I have not sold a single book of my children's adventure novel set at Abersoch on the Llyn peninsula of North Wales. Is my price drop a sign that I don't think it's worth £1.71? No of coures not. If anything I believe it is worth far more than this, but unknown authors like me need to take a reality check.
Why should you, reading this, risk shelling out £1.71 on someone you've never heard of before? It seems more reasonable to ask you to part with 86p on the basis that, in the event that you hate my book, it is not a huge amount to lose. When you consider how John Locke and Amanda Hocking started out - they offered their books at very cheap prices. Now that they are well known and have got tens of thousands of sales, they can charge more because they have a following.
And the other thing to bear in mind, of course, is that writing novels has got to be about more than making, or trying to make, money. It has got to be about the love of books. If somebody reads my book free of charge, right to the end, they have paid me the huge compliment of investing their time into bothering with my efforts when there are so many other writers out there.
And so far, I have not sold a single book of my children's adventure novel set at Abersoch on the Llyn peninsula of North Wales. Is my price drop a sign that I don't think it's worth £1.71? No of coures not. If anything I believe it is worth far more than this, but unknown authors like me need to take a reality check.
Why should you, reading this, risk shelling out £1.71 on someone you've never heard of before? It seems more reasonable to ask you to part with 86p on the basis that, in the event that you hate my book, it is not a huge amount to lose. When you consider how John Locke and Amanda Hocking started out - they offered their books at very cheap prices. Now that they are well known and have got tens of thousands of sales, they can charge more because they have a following.
And the other thing to bear in mind, of course, is that writing novels has got to be about more than making, or trying to make, money. It has got to be about the love of books. If somebody reads my book free of charge, right to the end, they have paid me the huge compliment of investing their time into bothering with my efforts when there are so many other writers out there.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
The Start of a Journey
The journey, to be precise, is towards the promised land of being a published novelist. I already have made it into print as a journalist, writing features and personal columns in the UK regional press.
But like many hacks, I yearn to make it as an author. I want this blog to chart that journey from the very beginning. The first big step towards being a novelist is to write a novel and I have done that. I have written a full-length 45,000 word children's adventure story called Smugglers At Whistling Sands set in Abersoch, North Wales. The next enormous step is to get it published and so far I have sent the opening chapters to one publisher and been rejected, albeit politely.
My next move should have been to push it towards other publishers and agents but a few weeks ago I discovered Amazon's e-book self-publishing service Kindle Direct Publishing. And I thought: what a potentially amazing idea. And then I learned of the success of people like John Locke and Amanda Hocking who have sold more than a million copies each exclusively through Kindle.
Personally, I never thought e-books would take off but they clearly have and that opens up great possibilities for unknown, self published writers. And so I have for now made the decision to publish my book via Amazon's Kindle. That's not to say that I won't try to get it out there as paper and ink, but for now I am happy to try and promote it as an e-book.
The research I have done into self publishing via Kindle throws up a mixed bag of some authors enjoying regular sales and others not doing half so well. One thing we must all bear in mind is that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. In other words, if our books are, frankly, not very good then ultimately, they will not meet with much success.
But what a service like Amazon's Kindle does, via the magic of the internet, is to give people the chance to read your book almost instantly if they should wish - and, one would have thought, cheaply if you are an unknown.
On that note, an unknown is very much what I am. The world does not know George Chedzoy, nor Smugglers At Whistling Sands. Nobody seems to know that it is now available on Amazon for the reasonable sum of £1.71. Not a single person has bought a copy of it since I uploaded it about 10 days ago. I am not aware of anyone in the Abersoch / Llyn peninsula area of North Wales where the book is set knowing a thing about it.
To date, my book has only been read by my wife, my mum, my dad, and my best friend. My goal is to get at least a few people out there, in the world beyond the fields which surround my house in North Wales to take an interest in it, purchase it and hopefully, to enjoy it. My other goal is to get on with the task of writing more books, the next one possibly aimed at the adult market.
So you join me right at the very start of a difficult journey. You may be in the same position yourself, hoping to launch your first-ever book. If you are like me, you won't care if you never make it, you'll only care that you never tried. Here's to having a go!
But like many hacks, I yearn to make it as an author. I want this blog to chart that journey from the very beginning. The first big step towards being a novelist is to write a novel and I have done that. I have written a full-length 45,000 word children's adventure story called Smugglers At Whistling Sands set in Abersoch, North Wales. The next enormous step is to get it published and so far I have sent the opening chapters to one publisher and been rejected, albeit politely.
My next move should have been to push it towards other publishers and agents but a few weeks ago I discovered Amazon's e-book self-publishing service Kindle Direct Publishing. And I thought: what a potentially amazing idea. And then I learned of the success of people like John Locke and Amanda Hocking who have sold more than a million copies each exclusively through Kindle.
Personally, I never thought e-books would take off but they clearly have and that opens up great possibilities for unknown, self published writers. And so I have for now made the decision to publish my book via Amazon's Kindle. That's not to say that I won't try to get it out there as paper and ink, but for now I am happy to try and promote it as an e-book.
The research I have done into self publishing via Kindle throws up a mixed bag of some authors enjoying regular sales and others not doing half so well. One thing we must all bear in mind is that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. In other words, if our books are, frankly, not very good then ultimately, they will not meet with much success.
But what a service like Amazon's Kindle does, via the magic of the internet, is to give people the chance to read your book almost instantly if they should wish - and, one would have thought, cheaply if you are an unknown.
On that note, an unknown is very much what I am. The world does not know George Chedzoy, nor Smugglers At Whistling Sands. Nobody seems to know that it is now available on Amazon for the reasonable sum of £1.71. Not a single person has bought a copy of it since I uploaded it about 10 days ago. I am not aware of anyone in the Abersoch / Llyn peninsula area of North Wales where the book is set knowing a thing about it.
To date, my book has only been read by my wife, my mum, my dad, and my best friend. My goal is to get at least a few people out there, in the world beyond the fields which surround my house in North Wales to take an interest in it, purchase it and hopefully, to enjoy it. My other goal is to get on with the task of writing more books, the next one possibly aimed at the adult market.
So you join me right at the very start of a difficult journey. You may be in the same position yourself, hoping to launch your first-ever book. If you are like me, you won't care if you never make it, you'll only care that you never tried. Here's to having a go!
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