Apologies for not blogging for a while, I have been pulled in quite a few different directions of late. I am also making progress working out a plot for a sequel to Smugglers at Whistling Sands and two other books - psychological thrillers aimed more at adults.
My sales are running at around and about five a week at the moment at a price of £1.95 on Amazon.co.uk and a broadly equivalent price of $3.15 on Amazon.com. I got my first sale for May on Amazon.com the other day and I really hope it won't be the last!
What is bucking me up perhaps more than sales is positive feedback at the moment. I have had two more 5-star reviews on Amazon.co.uk and, lo and behold, a second review, also 5-star on Amazon.com - possibly arising from my firee promotion day which I held on Sunday. I've also had a couple more nice comments on a forum thread about me and my book on the Enid Blyton Society website. And, not to be ignored, is the fact that other people have ticked the box to say these new reviews were "helpful".
It's all good and I am beginning to think there might be a chance of slowly building momentum for my book, and a definite market for a sequel. I thnk, despite my interest in other genres and aiming books more towards adults, children's novels of a Blytonesque type are more where my heart is - especially if there is any groundswell of encouragement from readers.
My free day went ok - 182 downloads, 93 from UK, 88 from US and, "uno" from Spain (of all places). I think that adds up to 182. I'm hoping that will give me a sales boost in the days ahead.
It ain't all about selling though, I really am finding that writing novels is proving an enjoyable hobby - although I'm not sure my wife and kids always agree!
Showing posts with label writing novels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing novels. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Variable sales since price rise, and a fantastic email
If I'd written this blog entry three nights ago, it would have been to report cheerfully that my price increase from 99p to £1.99 had gone swimmingly and had, if anything, helped increase sales.
But pride, as always, comes before a fall. I had four UK sales over the weekend at £1.99 and a sale on Monday evening, but nothing since. I also haven't had a buyer on Amazon.com in over a week. But for now at least, I am going to hold firm at £1.99.
I do think it is a reasonable price - a fair mid-point between the prices that established publishing houses charge and the bargain basement indie brigade who flog their wares for 77p or less. As I suggested in my last post, if authors such as myself insist on selling books that cheap then ultimately writing novels will be reduced to being merely an amusing hobby, never a career, and that would be a shame.
Anyway, cheering me up somewhat is the following fantastic email I received from a reader who clearly shares my love for the Lleyn Peninsula - she's a "northerner" where the peninsula is concerned (Nefyn) while I'm a southerner - Abersoch. This is what she had to say about Smugglers at Whistling Sands:
Hello George, I have just bought a kindle touch and yours is the first book that I have read. It was recommended by my friend as we both have a caravan on the Llyn peninsular mine is at Morfa Nrfyn at Dinas and my favourite beach is Whistling sands!! I have loved your novel what an enchanting story I have read it in two days and being a busy mum with three young children that is a mean feat!! My ten year old is going to start reading it tonight I am so excited to go to Porth Ysgo on my next visit to my caravan I also love pith Dinllaen where the ty Coch pub is on the beach Thank you
When people take the time and trouble to write to you with comments like that, it really does make it all worthwhile. And that's why I want to make it as a novelist - the sheer satisfaction of producing something creative that others will enjoy.
But pride, as always, comes before a fall. I had four UK sales over the weekend at £1.99 and a sale on Monday evening, but nothing since. I also haven't had a buyer on Amazon.com in over a week. But for now at least, I am going to hold firm at £1.99.
I do think it is a reasonable price - a fair mid-point between the prices that established publishing houses charge and the bargain basement indie brigade who flog their wares for 77p or less. As I suggested in my last post, if authors such as myself insist on selling books that cheap then ultimately writing novels will be reduced to being merely an amusing hobby, never a career, and that would be a shame.
Anyway, cheering me up somewhat is the following fantastic email I received from a reader who clearly shares my love for the Lleyn Peninsula - she's a "northerner" where the peninsula is concerned (Nefyn) while I'm a southerner - Abersoch. This is what she had to say about Smugglers at Whistling Sands:
Hello George, I have just bought a kindle touch and yours is the first book that I have read. It was recommended by my friend as we both have a caravan on the Llyn peninsular mine is at Morfa Nrfyn at Dinas and my favourite beach is Whistling sands!! I have loved your novel what an enchanting story I have read it in two days and being a busy mum with three young children that is a mean feat!! My ten year old is going to start reading it tonight I am so excited to go to Porth Ysgo on my next visit to my caravan I also love pith Dinllaen where the ty Coch pub is on the beach Thank you
When people take the time and trouble to write to you with comments like that, it really does make it all worthwhile. And that's why I want to make it as a novelist - the sheer satisfaction of producing something creative that others will enjoy.
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.)
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