What possible hope do debut authors like myself have when Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing go and lose our ebook listings?
I have been getting steady sales over the last few days of 1 or 2 sales a day, sometimes three or four. I had hoped I might slowly be building up a momentum, and then this happens. My ebook listing has simply disappeared from Amazon and I have no idea when it will go back up.
I had a nice email from KDP Support this afternoon apologising and saying they were aware of the problem and would get it fixed as soon as possible, but I have no idea when that will be.
But it is hugely frustrating - to anyone searching for the book it simply looks unprofessional that it should suddenly disappear. If you click the links to my book on the right hand side of this blog you'll find they won't work (as of 6pm Weds). From a couple of tweets I have seen on Twitter, it sounds like other people have suffered the same problem.
I mustn't be too hard on Amazon / KDP - it's still the best indie publishing platform around - I suppose it's when things like this happen that you realise how much one's novel-writing dreams rest on their technology. So please, Amazon, get this problem fixed soon!!
* UPDATE 7.40PM - And they have, the listing for my ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands is now working again. I would guess, however, having lost most of the day, that I am set for zero sales. Let's hope this sort of glitch doesn't happen too often.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
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.)
Monday, March 05, 2012
Smugglers must move aside a bit as I turn my thoughts to book two
No-one hopes more than me that my children's mystery / adventure novel Smugglers at Whistling Sands will make it big one day. But I'm going to have to cut it loose a bit now to make space for turning my attention to a second novel.
Smugglers is out there, it is on Amazon, it is available for anyone who wants it and for only 77p, or the Dollar or Euro equivalents. I've had a fair bash at direct marketing and I've run three free promotion days on Amazon now, including the weekend just gone. I would like to spend more time pushing it but if I do, then I will leave myself very little time to write anything new.
I've spent countless hours on a major rewrite during the winter, particularly of its closing chapters and made it a much better book in the process. But psychologically, I've got to "put the book down" in my mind, to free myself up for the next one.
Readers will make their own minds up about Smugglers. I am strongly of the belief that a good book will ultimately sell itself and generate its own momentum, through customer reviews and word of mouth.
I am delighted that in the last few days alone, I've had two really positive reviews, one on Amazon.com and the other on Amazon.co.uk, this latest one as follows:
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent characterisation, 3 Mar 2012
By septempopuli (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Smugglers at Whistling Sands (Kindle Edition)
A really well-written book, fast paced with excellent characterisation. It has echoes of Enid Blyton's holiday adventures, certainly, but is still wholly original. And just as Blyton was famous for her sequels, so please let's have a follow-up!
It is reviews like that, from complete strangers who owe me nothing, that can really help to launch unknown authors. That's why I would ask all of you out there who have downloaded a book you have really enjoyed - whether it be mine or someone else's - to take the trouble to leave a few words to tell others what you thought of it.
You don't have to write reams, or re-tell the plot in great detail (in fact, it's best not to!) - simply give your honest view and why you liked it. Very few people bother to do that but it is hugely appreciated by any author, particularly those seeking to establish their name.
So my hope for Smugglers at Whistling Sands is that it will get more reviews over time, particularly from another batch of free downloads. On which note, I was rather taken aback and disappointed over the weekend that I did not have anywhere near as many downloads this time during my two-day promotion. (By the way, you have to enroll in KDP Select in order to offer readers up to five days of free promotions over three months. This ties you to Kindle Direct Publishing for those months and you can't sell your book anywhere else in that period).
It was only intended to be a single day - Saturday - but I notched up only around 60 downloads so I let the promotion run on Sunday as well. But in total I managed only some 125 downloads, of which marginally more were on Amazon.com. How different from two weeks ago when I got over 300 on a single day!
Why the slow-down? I don't know. I think I wasn't picked up by the Twitter and website aggregators as happened the first time. On a brighter note, I had some excellent backing from a leading member of the Enid Blyton Society who downloaded my book, recommended it on the society forums and put out a tweet from the society to several thousand followers. So that might bear fruit in some form.
Nonetheless, more than 500 people have downloaded a copy of Smugglers now, if you add together free and paid-for copies. If it is a good book, as I hope, then momentum will start to build.
As I say, I would love to do more to make that happen but I must try to combine novel-writing ambitions with a full-time job and helping bring up our two young children - which is a job and a half in itself! Above all, I must create space in my head to think about my next writing project.
I am burning now to crack on with it so I will wish Lou, Jack, David and Emily well in getting more readers - I think they deserve them and I will write a sequel about them if they do. It was very pleasing that the latest reviewer expressed a hope that I would do so.
But my second novel is likely to be quite different. Different how, you ask? I don't know, I don't know what it is about yet. I haven't started it. I haven't even started planning it. I just know I'm really excited about knuckling down to it. Watch this space!
Smugglers is out there, it is on Amazon, it is available for anyone who wants it and for only 77p, or the Dollar or Euro equivalents. I've had a fair bash at direct marketing and I've run three free promotion days on Amazon now, including the weekend just gone. I would like to spend more time pushing it but if I do, then I will leave myself very little time to write anything new.
I've spent countless hours on a major rewrite during the winter, particularly of its closing chapters and made it a much better book in the process. But psychologically, I've got to "put the book down" in my mind, to free myself up for the next one.
Readers will make their own minds up about Smugglers. I am strongly of the belief that a good book will ultimately sell itself and generate its own momentum, through customer reviews and word of mouth.
I am delighted that in the last few days alone, I've had two really positive reviews, one on Amazon.com and the other on Amazon.co.uk, this latest one as follows:
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent characterisation, 3 Mar 2012
By septempopuli (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Smugglers at Whistling Sands (Kindle Edition)
A really well-written book, fast paced with excellent characterisation. It has echoes of Enid Blyton's holiday adventures, certainly, but is still wholly original. And just as Blyton was famous for her sequels, so please let's have a follow-up!
It is reviews like that, from complete strangers who owe me nothing, that can really help to launch unknown authors. That's why I would ask all of you out there who have downloaded a book you have really enjoyed - whether it be mine or someone else's - to take the trouble to leave a few words to tell others what you thought of it.
You don't have to write reams, or re-tell the plot in great detail (in fact, it's best not to!) - simply give your honest view and why you liked it. Very few people bother to do that but it is hugely appreciated by any author, particularly those seeking to establish their name.
So my hope for Smugglers at Whistling Sands is that it will get more reviews over time, particularly from another batch of free downloads. On which note, I was rather taken aback and disappointed over the weekend that I did not have anywhere near as many downloads this time during my two-day promotion. (By the way, you have to enroll in KDP Select in order to offer readers up to five days of free promotions over three months. This ties you to Kindle Direct Publishing for those months and you can't sell your book anywhere else in that period).
It was only intended to be a single day - Saturday - but I notched up only around 60 downloads so I let the promotion run on Sunday as well. But in total I managed only some 125 downloads, of which marginally more were on Amazon.com. How different from two weeks ago when I got over 300 on a single day!
Why the slow-down? I don't know. I think I wasn't picked up by the Twitter and website aggregators as happened the first time. On a brighter note, I had some excellent backing from a leading member of the Enid Blyton Society who downloaded my book, recommended it on the society forums and put out a tweet from the society to several thousand followers. So that might bear fruit in some form.
Nonetheless, more than 500 people have downloaded a copy of Smugglers now, if you add together free and paid-for copies. If it is a good book, as I hope, then momentum will start to build.
As I say, I would love to do more to make that happen but I must try to combine novel-writing ambitions with a full-time job and helping bring up our two young children - which is a job and a half in itself! Above all, I must create space in my head to think about my next writing project.
I am burning now to crack on with it so I will wish Lou, Jack, David and Emily well in getting more readers - I think they deserve them and I will write a sequel about them if they do. It was very pleasing that the latest reviewer expressed a hope that I would do so.
But my second novel is likely to be quite different. Different how, you ask? I don't know, I don't know what it is about yet. I haven't started it. I haven't even started planning it. I just know I'm really excited about knuckling down to it. Watch this space!
Saturday, March 03, 2012
My book is free in Amazon's Kindle store today!
If you haven't already got yourself a copy, now is your chance. My Abersoch-based children's novel Smugglers at Whistling Sands is free for 24 hours in Amazon's Kindle store. The promotion only started about 20 minutes ago (just before 9). So please go ahead and get yourself a copy.
If you like it, all I ask is that you remember the value to unknown authors of reviews and feedback and consider doing me a review on my Amazon listing. But I'll leave that up to you! Alternatively you can always give me feedback via this blog or on email at georgechedzoy@hotmail.co.uk*
Anyway, it's Saturday morning, under a rainy and overcast sky - at least that's the case here in north-east Wales - so I'd call that the perfect excuse for putting your feet up and reading a thrilling children's mystery story on your Kindle! Just click on the links to my book on the right hand side of this screen - Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com and get Smugglers at Whistling Sands for free. It's something of a cross-over book and can be enjoyed by adults as well as children.
*And on that note, I have just discovered I've got a third review on Amazon.co.uk - five stars and a very nice write-up. That's the second really good review in two days and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits! Such a nice surprise.
If you like it, all I ask is that you remember the value to unknown authors of reviews and feedback and consider doing me a review on my Amazon listing. But I'll leave that up to you! Alternatively you can always give me feedback via this blog or on email at georgechedzoy@hotmail.co.uk*
Anyway, it's Saturday morning, under a rainy and overcast sky - at least that's the case here in north-east Wales - so I'd call that the perfect excuse for putting your feet up and reading a thrilling children's mystery story on your Kindle! Just click on the links to my book on the right hand side of this screen - Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com and get Smugglers at Whistling Sands for free. It's something of a cross-over book and can be enjoyed by adults as well as children.
*And on that note, I have just discovered I've got a third review on Amazon.co.uk - five stars and a very nice write-up. That's the second really good review in two days and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits! Such a nice surprise.
Friday, March 02, 2012
Not brilliant sales but a brilliant new review for my book!
Well, sales have continued to bump along not very fast in this second week since my first free promotion on Amazon. But this is how it can pay off - I've just had my first book review on Amazon.com (I've got two on Amazon.co.uk) - and it's very positive. Four stars out of five from somebody who lives in Illinois, and a nice write-up, which I include as follows:
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book to read, March 1, 2012
By Happylakedreamer (Illinois) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Smugglers at Whistling Sands (Kindle Edition)
This was a great book to read. I enjoyed the characters and the story very much. It is great to read on a rainy Saturday or while on vacation, especially at the beach. Everyone loves hidden treasure and this book delivers a bit of both that and the mystery of the smugglers. It is a quick read with modern characters and present day life situations that will entertain young as well as old readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good story to keep them entertained.
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Good reviews are vital to have any chance of making it in Amazon's Kindle book store and to have my first ever one on Amazon.com is fantastic.
And here's a bit of exclusive info for you readers of my blog out there - I'm running another free promotion tomorrow Saturday March 3rd 2012, so if you haven't already got a copy of my ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands, tomorrow would be a great opportunity to do so. Mind you, it's only 77p in any case of course!
Sales-wise, not a great week: Monday: 1; Tuesday: 0; Wednesday: 2: Thursday: 1; Friday (so far): 0.
Tomorrow freebie day, so hoping lots of people will download the book and maybe it will help create a buzz and help to kick sales off. I remain convinced, as I said in a previous post, that it is important for unknown authors to swallow their pride and sell cheap with free promotions.
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book to read, March 1, 2012
By Happylakedreamer (Illinois) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Smugglers at Whistling Sands (Kindle Edition)
This was a great book to read. I enjoyed the characters and the story very much. It is great to read on a rainy Saturday or while on vacation, especially at the beach. Everyone loves hidden treasure and this book delivers a bit of both that and the mystery of the smugglers. It is a quick read with modern characters and present day life situations that will entertain young as well as old readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good story to keep them entertained.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Report abuse | Permalink
Comment Comment
Good reviews are vital to have any chance of making it in Amazon's Kindle book store and to have my first ever one on Amazon.com is fantastic.
And here's a bit of exclusive info for you readers of my blog out there - I'm running another free promotion tomorrow Saturday March 3rd 2012, so if you haven't already got a copy of my ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands, tomorrow would be a great opportunity to do so. Mind you, it's only 77p in any case of course!
Sales-wise, not a great week: Monday: 1; Tuesday: 0; Wednesday: 2: Thursday: 1; Friday (so far): 0.
Tomorrow freebie day, so hoping lots of people will download the book and maybe it will help create a buzz and help to kick sales off. I remain convinced, as I said in a previous post, that it is important for unknown authors to swallow their pride and sell cheap with free promotions.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Unknown, wannabe author? Keep your ebook prices low!
I often go on about how I'm faring as a wannabe novelist and some days I'm fed up and other days I brim with self confidence. But rather than become too self absorbed, I feel I ought to offer more tips and advice to other writers who feel, like me, that the world hasn't discovered them yet.
The best advice I can give based on my own experiences to all you unknown authors out there struggling to get sales (and I am certainly one of you) is firstly: don't give up and secondly be realistic.
By realistic I mean CHEAP! Offer your books at the minimum price! Don't charge a penny, or a cent more than you possibly can. Yes of course you want 70% royalty (on Amazon) and so do I. Not because we're money-mad but because we might even be able to give up the day job if we can secure a £1 a time royalty every time our book sells and we write enough of them.
Well, dream on. If you're unknown, people are unlikely to bother to download your ebook from Amazon or Smashwords or whatever site you use if they have to pay much for it. You have to incentivise (horrible word) your potential customers by saying: look, my little masterpiece is only 77p, you'd be a fool not to snap it up, what have you got to lose?
Furthermore, now that Amazon very kindly offer authors five promotional days in a three-month period when they can offer their book for free, for goodness' sake - use them. I am very pleased with the result of my free 24-hour promotion last weekend. I had more than 300 downloads and have since sold at least 17 more paid-for books, getting on to best-seller lists (in relevant categories).
Yesterday alone I had 10 sales - not bad for a book that only went on sale last Friday (after being withdrawn for three months while I rewrote parts of it). Today, not so good, I've so far had only three sales but I might get more this evening and even if I don't that is still another three customers, who might like it, review it, and recommend it.
I'll look at other possible strategies in future posts but for this one, I can't stress enough if your debut novel is not selling very well on Amazon and you are charging more than the minimum price - swallow your pride and charge that minimum! You can always put the price up when you're famous and ask a higher sum for your sequel.
The best advice I can give based on my own experiences to all you unknown authors out there struggling to get sales (and I am certainly one of you) is firstly: don't give up and secondly be realistic.
By realistic I mean CHEAP! Offer your books at the minimum price! Don't charge a penny, or a cent more than you possibly can. Yes of course you want 70% royalty (on Amazon) and so do I. Not because we're money-mad but because we might even be able to give up the day job if we can secure a £1 a time royalty every time our book sells and we write enough of them.
Well, dream on. If you're unknown, people are unlikely to bother to download your ebook from Amazon or Smashwords or whatever site you use if they have to pay much for it. You have to incentivise (horrible word) your potential customers by saying: look, my little masterpiece is only 77p, you'd be a fool not to snap it up, what have you got to lose?
Furthermore, now that Amazon very kindly offer authors five promotional days in a three-month period when they can offer their book for free, for goodness' sake - use them. I am very pleased with the result of my free 24-hour promotion last weekend. I had more than 300 downloads and have since sold at least 17 more paid-for books, getting on to best-seller lists (in relevant categories).
Yesterday alone I had 10 sales - not bad for a book that only went on sale last Friday (after being withdrawn for three months while I rewrote parts of it). Today, not so good, I've so far had only three sales but I might get more this evening and even if I don't that is still another three customers, who might like it, review it, and recommend it.
I'll look at other possible strategies in future posts but for this one, I can't stress enough if your debut novel is not selling very well on Amazon and you are charging more than the minimum price - swallow your pride and charge that minimum! You can always put the price up when you're famous and ask a higher sum for your sequel.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Free promotion on Kindle has helped - seven sales so far today
I was too ready to feel disappointed about my free 24-hour promotion at the weekend. I have had seven sales today, six on Amazon.co.uk and one on Amazon.com. I feel pretty certain that they may well have been sparked from my promotion.
If so, that is a very good sign, because it is an indication of a sales increase caused by word of mouth from satisfied customers - the same basis on which a good restaurant will thrive. So I have just a nugget of hope that my book might start to take off. The six UK sales all came this afternoon, and have pushed me into three bestseller lists on the paid-for side: (correct as of 8.56pm on Weds Feb 22):
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #3,307 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#34 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Action & Adventure
#50 in Books > Children's Books > Fiction > Crime & Thrillers
#78 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
I am really pleased about this, coming two days short of a week since my new, improved book went back on sale. I was reading it myself on the train to work today and, maddeningly, came across about half a dozen errors that need putting right. But these are minor ones which readers might not even spot (although they may spot ones that I don't see!) - what I am so pleased about is that I had the sense to withdraw the book from sale last October when I realised the plot construction was flawed and needed improving.
I do feel now I've got a book to be proud of - just need more buyers!
If so, that is a very good sign, because it is an indication of a sales increase caused by word of mouth from satisfied customers - the same basis on which a good restaurant will thrive. So I have just a nugget of hope that my book might start to take off. The six UK sales all came this afternoon, and have pushed me into three bestseller lists on the paid-for side: (correct as of 8.56pm on Weds Feb 22):
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #3,307 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#34 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Action & Adventure
#50 in Books > Children's Books > Fiction > Crime & Thrillers
#78 in Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
I am really pleased about this, coming two days short of a week since my new, improved book went back on sale. I was reading it myself on the train to work today and, maddeningly, came across about half a dozen errors that need putting right. But these are minor ones which readers might not even spot (although they may spot ones that I don't see!) - what I am so pleased about is that I had the sense to withdraw the book from sale last October when I realised the plot construction was flawed and needed improving.
I do feel now I've got a book to be proud of - just need more buyers!
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 . . . !
Monday, February 20, 2012
And now for the reality check . . .
What a difference 77p makes! I had a total of around 312 downloads of Smugglers at Whistling Sands during its 24-hour free promotion. After this I had three I think paid-for sales fairly soon afterwards. I can't be totally sure of exactly what came after the end of the promotion.
I can be clear, however, on the fact that from 10.30am today all sales have completely dried up. On the face of it, it is very disappointing. But it has to be borne in mind that offering something for free is inevitably going to be easier than charging money.
Insofar as more than 300 people have now got a copy of my book, I think it was a successful exercise. If some of them bother to read it, like it and tell others, then it may help what is an unknown book gather momentum. I suppose it was inevitable that once it went back into the paid-for category sales would revert more or less to what they were previously. I should remember that I've only had it back on sale from Friday - ie. four days ago!
I think it is great that Amazon allows authors five days of free promotion during a three-month period. I just wish it was more than that.
My hope is that some of yesterday's downloaders will read it, review it and get the word out - and that slowly but surely, the paid-for book will get bought. I know how much better it is than the version I published last year, I really think I've got it how I want it now.
I can be clear, however, on the fact that from 10.30am today all sales have completely dried up. On the face of it, it is very disappointing. But it has to be borne in mind that offering something for free is inevitably going to be easier than charging money.
Insofar as more than 300 people have now got a copy of my book, I think it was a successful exercise. If some of them bother to read it, like it and tell others, then it may help what is an unknown book gather momentum. I suppose it was inevitable that once it went back into the paid-for category sales would revert more or less to what they were previously. I should remember that I've only had it back on sale from Friday - ie. four days ago!
I think it is great that Amazon allows authors five days of free promotion during a three-month period. I just wish it was more than that.
My hope is that some of yesterday's downloaders will read it, review it and get the word out - and that slowly but surely, the paid-for book will get bought. I know how much better it is than the version I published last year, I really think I've got it how I want it now.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Free promotion going really well - 245 downloads of Smugglers
I am over the moon at having had so many downloads of my ebook Smugglers at Whistling Sands. By 10.15pm, there had been 245 downloads, of which 125 were from Amazon.com and 120 from Amazon.co.uk
Actually, two of the American purchases were before the free promotion started, which is maybe a good omen.
Very surprised that more downloads should be from the American site than the British one. For a couple of hours this afternoon, someone somewhere was downloading the book every two minutes. Demand has tailed off somewhat since, but still a regular trickle of orders.
Of course, I realise one shouldn't read too much into this since giving something away for free is asking far less of people than a paid-for novel. But nonetheless, there are plenty of other free books out there, it is still great news I feel to have had this number in little over 12 hours.
Will it bear fruit in terms of reviews and further orders once it has a price tag back on it from tomorrow? I am hoping so. For an unknown author, the important thing is to get my book onto people's Kindles, (or other electronic devices) and read and hopefully appreciated.
That is what a free promotion is all about and I feel sure that it will help towards that end.
Actually, two of the American purchases were before the free promotion started, which is maybe a good omen.
Very surprised that more downloads should be from the American site than the British one. For a couple of hours this afternoon, someone somewhere was downloading the book every two minutes. Demand has tailed off somewhat since, but still a regular trickle of orders.
Of course, I realise one shouldn't read too much into this since giving something away for free is asking far less of people than a paid-for novel. But nonetheless, there are plenty of other free books out there, it is still great news I feel to have had this number in little over 12 hours.
Will it bear fruit in terms of reviews and further orders once it has a price tag back on it from tomorrow? I am hoping so. For an unknown author, the important thing is to get my book onto people's Kindles, (or other electronic devices) and read and hopefully appreciated.
That is what a free promotion is all about and I feel sure that it will help towards that end.
Buy my children's adventure book free today Sunday February 19, 2012!
And a number of people already have! Quite astonished that since the free price promotion began about an hour ago, I have had about 25 sales. Ok, not sales as such because the book is currently free but I am delighted at that interest and really hope it continues today and word gets out about Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
I really do feel it is 10 times better than the version I was selling in 2011. When I realised what I saw as a major plot flaw, I took it off sale in October and it has only just gone back on sale. Those of you who miss the free promotion today, bear in mind that it will only cost you 77p again from tomorrow anyway (or the dollar/euro equivalent on the other sites.
So PLEASE give it a try and if you like it - or even if you don't - I'd be grateful if you had the time to write a review and post it on Amazon.
I'll update the "sales" figures later in the day!
I really do feel it is 10 times better than the version I was selling in 2011. When I realised what I saw as a major plot flaw, I took it off sale in October and it has only just gone back on sale. Those of you who miss the free promotion today, bear in mind that it will only cost you 77p again from tomorrow anyway (or the dollar/euro equivalent on the other sites.
So PLEASE give it a try and if you like it - or even if you don't - I'd be grateful if you had the time to write a review and post it on Amazon.
I'll update the "sales" figures later in the day!
Friday, February 17, 2012
At last - Smugglers at Whistling Sands is back on sale!
Hello again, have you forgotten me? I wouldn't blame you if you had! Anyway I have finally come out of hibernation to reveal that I have now got my children's novel back on sale in Amazon's Kindle store - the new, improved Smugglers at Whistling Sands is now back on sale!
If you click on the product link on the side of this page it will take you straight to it. I've listed it for an introductory price of just 77p - the minimal possible. Thanks to the VAT reduction, that is the cheapest it has ever been and there is now about 3,500 words more to read. It was originally 22 chapters long and I've had to create two new chapters to accommodate the extra length.
The important thing, however, isn't that it is longer, but that it is better. It is simply a much better read than before. I had the making of a good book before (if I may say so) but I committed a fundamental error by allowing the mystery involving the smugglers to be effectively solved by the forces of law and order. In short, the kids, and in particular Lou the lead character in the novel, simply did not do enough.
I believe I have now got a far more satisfying, rounded, exciting novel than before - fun where it should be fun - and nail-biting where it should be nail-biting.
It isn't for me to say that it's a good book, that's for readers to judge, but I can hand on heart say that it is in a different league to the earlier version. I had 46 buyers before I removed it from sale at the end of October - if you are one of them, you may find that the version you have already bought is over-written with the new file, it depends on your Kindle preferences. If not I hope you will not be too annoyed with me if I suggest that you might like to purchase the new version. I will keep it priced at 77p for the foreseeable future, and maybe indefinitely, if I can pick up reasonable sales at this price.
Please try it - and if you like it, please consider taking time out to post a review on Amazon, for unknown authors it can help enormously to picking up a wider following.
Bye for now, and sorry for leaving it so long . . .
If you click on the product link on the side of this page it will take you straight to it. I've listed it for an introductory price of just 77p - the minimal possible. Thanks to the VAT reduction, that is the cheapest it has ever been and there is now about 3,500 words more to read. It was originally 22 chapters long and I've had to create two new chapters to accommodate the extra length.
The important thing, however, isn't that it is longer, but that it is better. It is simply a much better read than before. I had the making of a good book before (if I may say so) but I committed a fundamental error by allowing the mystery involving the smugglers to be effectively solved by the forces of law and order. In short, the kids, and in particular Lou the lead character in the novel, simply did not do enough.
I believe I have now got a far more satisfying, rounded, exciting novel than before - fun where it should be fun - and nail-biting where it should be nail-biting.
It isn't for me to say that it's a good book, that's for readers to judge, but I can hand on heart say that it is in a different league to the earlier version. I had 46 buyers before I removed it from sale at the end of October - if you are one of them, you may find that the version you have already bought is over-written with the new file, it depends on your Kindle preferences. If not I hope you will not be too annoyed with me if I suggest that you might like to purchase the new version. I will keep it priced at 77p for the foreseeable future, and maybe indefinitely, if I can pick up reasonable sales at this price.
Please try it - and if you like it, please consider taking time out to post a review on Amazon, for unknown authors it can help enormously to picking up a wider following.
Bye for now, and sorry for leaving it so long . . .
Saturday, November 12, 2011
One week on - and I'm back at my book again
Apologies for not updating before now. Can't believe a whole week has flown past since my last blog as I prepared to tackle the rewrite of the ending to Smugglers. I didn't get as much done as I wanted, partly because I didn't actually get until the middle of the afternoon before the front door opened and wife and kids returned!
Not that I resented them coming home earlier than I had anticipated but well, I felt a bit rueful that I didn't get as much time on the book as I had planned. That said, I got quite a bit done, and I will now continue apace this morning - again with the house to myself for an hour or two.
'Nuff said - here goes! Hope to be able to report at the end of this weekend that the book isn't too far from going back on sale.
Not that I resented them coming home earlier than I had anticipated but well, I felt a bit rueful that I didn't get as much time on the book as I had planned. That said, I got quite a bit done, and I will now continue apace this morning - again with the house to myself for an hour or two.
'Nuff said - here goes! Hope to be able to report at the end of this weekend that the book isn't too far from going back on sale.
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Right, roll up sleeves - time to get to work on new ending for my book!
It's 9.45 Saturday morning, I've got the house to myself until at least the middle of the afternoon, at last a window of opportunity to make the changes I want to make to my novel, Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
I've been wanting to crack on with it all week, but have had a very busy few days and it's so valuable to have a few hours free and without interruptions. Phone do not ring! (If you do, I may not answer!)
Right, on which note, I'm not going to sit here extending this blog entry any further. I need to be getting on with it. Tonight, the family are going round to some friends in the village who are holding a bonfire party as we remember, remember the Fifth of November. Fingers crossed the weather stays dry.
I will report back on how I got on either tonight or tomorrow, and I hope to be able to report that I have made some real progress. Here goes!
I've been wanting to crack on with it all week, but have had a very busy few days and it's so valuable to have a few hours free and without interruptions. Phone do not ring! (If you do, I may not answer!)
Right, on which note, I'm not going to sit here extending this blog entry any further. I need to be getting on with it. Tonight, the family are going round to some friends in the village who are holding a bonfire party as we remember, remember the Fifth of November. Fingers crossed the weather stays dry.
I will report back on how I got on either tonight or tomorrow, and I hope to be able to report that I have made some real progress. Here goes!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Smugglers at Whistling Sands to get a new ending
I've spent a few hours today, including the extra one from the clocks going back an hour overnight, mapping out a new structure for the closing chapters of Smugglers at Whistling Sands.
As I explained in my previous post, because this is major surgery and not just minor tweaks, I no longer wish to be selling a version I am not happy with and am poised to replace and for that reason the book can't be bought any more.
Such is the flexibility of publishing a novel as an ebook, one can make these changes without having to wait for the end of a print run. I absolutely guarantee to allow those who have bought my book so far to have a copy of the revised ending.
I am very pleased at the progress I have made today in mapping out what I believe to be a better, more satisfying, more exciting ending for Smugglers at Whistling Sands and one which does proper justice to the confident, capable, strong-willed lead character, Lou (Louise) Elliott.
That now leaves me with the small matter of a complete re-write of the last 4,000 words. If the book becomes longer, and it might, then this will be possibly a writing job of some 6,000 words, some of which will ultimately be cut away in editing.
I do feel that I have grown as a writer since I penned this book. I can see flaws in it now that I could not see when writing it. By putting those flaws right, I will then have a novel which I feel I can be proud of and be confident in offering for sale.
How long will it take before I am in a position to sell it again? I'm not sure, but I've set myself a month to get it sorted and back on sale from December 1, 2011. It's frustrating in a way, because I want to be getting on with writing a second book, not fiddling with my debut one. But by getting this one right, I've got more chance of getting my next one right as well.
As I explained in my previous post, because this is major surgery and not just minor tweaks, I no longer wish to be selling a version I am not happy with and am poised to replace and for that reason the book can't be bought any more.
Such is the flexibility of publishing a novel as an ebook, one can make these changes without having to wait for the end of a print run. I absolutely guarantee to allow those who have bought my book so far to have a copy of the revised ending.
I am very pleased at the progress I have made today in mapping out what I believe to be a better, more satisfying, more exciting ending for Smugglers at Whistling Sands and one which does proper justice to the confident, capable, strong-willed lead character, Lou (Louise) Elliott.
That now leaves me with the small matter of a complete re-write of the last 4,000 words. If the book becomes longer, and it might, then this will be possibly a writing job of some 6,000 words, some of which will ultimately be cut away in editing.
I do feel that I have grown as a writer since I penned this book. I can see flaws in it now that I could not see when writing it. By putting those flaws right, I will then have a novel which I feel I can be proud of and be confident in offering for sale.
How long will it take before I am in a position to sell it again? I'm not sure, but I've set myself a month to get it sorted and back on sale from December 1, 2011. It's frustrating in a way, because I want to be getting on with writing a second book, not fiddling with my debut one. But by getting this one right, I've got more chance of getting my next one right as well.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
I've stopped selling Smugglers while I make a few adjustments
At the risk of annoying some people, not least those who have already bought my children's adventure novel Smugglers at Whistling Sands, I have decided to withdraw it from sale in Amazon's Kindle store. This is only a temporary measure to allow me breathing space while I make changes which I believe are necessary.
If these were just purely cosmetic I would keep the book on sale and just upload a revised version to over-write the existing file. But I have grown dissatisfied with a few aspects of the book, in particular, the ending.
I cannot explain why and what I intend to change without introducing a spoiler but I will say this: Lou is the lead character in the novel and I feel I let her down towards the end, cutting short her important role. If I am not happy with the book as things stand, then it is not fair of me to continue to sell it until I am.
For those who have already bought the book, I am more than willing to email you the revised ending when it is ready, just drop me a line.
Writing my first-ever novel has proved a big learning curve for me but it is the act of publishing it, the feedback I've got and the greater awareness I feel I now have about writing a good children's book that has persuaded me to go back into Smugglers and give it a few tweaks.
I can do that best by withdrawing it until the changes are in place.
If these were just purely cosmetic I would keep the book on sale and just upload a revised version to over-write the existing file. But I have grown dissatisfied with a few aspects of the book, in particular, the ending.
I cannot explain why and what I intend to change without introducing a spoiler but I will say this: Lou is the lead character in the novel and I feel I let her down towards the end, cutting short her important role. If I am not happy with the book as things stand, then it is not fair of me to continue to sell it until I am.
For those who have already bought the book, I am more than willing to email you the revised ending when it is ready, just drop me a line.
Writing my first-ever novel has proved a big learning curve for me but it is the act of publishing it, the feedback I've got and the greater awareness I feel I now have about writing a good children's book that has persuaded me to go back into Smugglers and give it a few tweaks.
I can do that best by withdrawing it until the changes are in place.
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.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Planning out my second book - but the ideas are slow to come
I've been turning my thoughts to what my next book should be, now that Smugglers at Whistling Sands is selling as an ebook on Amazon. Should I write a sequel to it, or branch off in a completely different direction? Or maybe I should do both.
I feel a desire to write a sequel and bring back my characters, Jack aged 12, brother David, 11, sister Emily, 10, and their 12-year-old headstrong friend Lou to Abersoch for another adventure of some kind. But I'm also yearning to write a book aimed more directly at the adult market - in fact two for adults. One about a guy who is fed up with his life in increasingly insufferable modern Britain and another, a thriller of some sort or even one with a paranormal theme or something.
So I'm feeling torn in different directions, and they all seem to be sort of cancelling each other out, since until I settle on one or two clear themes, it is very difficult to map out a clear plot.
On that note, some people of course just get writing and allow the action to unfold on the screen in front of them. Its great to allow inspiration to just carry you along and we are all different, but I believe strongly in knowing where you are going with a story first - who is in it, what you think will happen to them and what sort of ending you envisage there will be.
That was my approach with Smugglers at Whistling Sands. I knew that meeting adventurous Lou would be the catalyst for the other rather boring kids to escape from beneath the wing of mum and dad and be dragged along on an adventure. I was aware of the subplot involving Lou's less than happy home life - the soft underbelly to an otherwise tough female character.
There is more I want to say about all of them and more that I think they could do together, and they do rather live in my head now. So as I'm typing this I am rather thinking out loud and feeling that it would be good to get them back together again for a sequel. And it would be nice to give all my readers so far the opportunity to get to know them all better and share another adventure with them.
I feel a desire to write a sequel and bring back my characters, Jack aged 12, brother David, 11, sister Emily, 10, and their 12-year-old headstrong friend Lou to Abersoch for another adventure of some kind. But I'm also yearning to write a book aimed more directly at the adult market - in fact two for adults. One about a guy who is fed up with his life in increasingly insufferable modern Britain and another, a thriller of some sort or even one with a paranormal theme or something.
So I'm feeling torn in different directions, and they all seem to be sort of cancelling each other out, since until I settle on one or two clear themes, it is very difficult to map out a clear plot.
On that note, some people of course just get writing and allow the action to unfold on the screen in front of them. Its great to allow inspiration to just carry you along and we are all different, but I believe strongly in knowing where you are going with a story first - who is in it, what you think will happen to them and what sort of ending you envisage there will be.
That was my approach with Smugglers at Whistling Sands. I knew that meeting adventurous Lou would be the catalyst for the other rather boring kids to escape from beneath the wing of mum and dad and be dragged along on an adventure. I was aware of the subplot involving Lou's less than happy home life - the soft underbelly to an otherwise tough female character.
There is more I want to say about all of them and more that I think they could do together, and they do rather live in my head now. So as I'm typing this I am rather thinking out loud and feeling that it would be good to get them back together again for a sequel. And it would be nice to give all my readers so far the opportunity to get to know them all better and share another adventure with them.
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