# Ten things I learned in 2013 about selling ebooks



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

Occasional lurker, rare poster here. I saw Old Ben's 2013 post a few days ago. After mulling it over for a while, I steeled myself against the inevitable stage fright, emerged from under my pile of safety blankets, and decided to write a similar post of my own.

I want to do two things in this post. First, some shameless bragging about my year's milestones, because I'm an author and, damn it, we live for shameless bragging. But mostly, I'd like to share some thoughts on what worked for me in 2013. I'm not an authority, and I'm not a superstar bestseller, but hopefully this might interest (or even help) some of the newer authors here.

* Stage fright kicking in... must resist urge to hide under blankets again... *

Ok... SHAMELESS BRAGGING MODE... ON:

In 2013, I hit some personal milestones. Four of my books hit the overall Amazon Top 100 paid list (one managed to crack the Top 20, hitting #1. I sold 111,000 ebooks in 2013 (compared to 108,000 in 2012), hitting lifetime sales of 260,000. It's been a great year. I'm not a sensation like Hugh and the other giants, but I feel that I've had a solid midlist year. I'm very grateful for it.

SHAMELESS BRAGGING MODE... OFF.

Okay, now that that's out of my system... here are some things that I've learned this year. This is all just what has worked/failed for me personally. Your mileage may vary.

*1) *Write what you love. I'm sometimes tempted to chase trends. Some days, I feel like I should put aside fantasy and switch to a bigger genre, such as thrillers or romance. I'd have access to a wider audience, I tell myself. I often look at the number of readers per genre (listed at BookBub and other places) and want to switch to the big boys. But ultimately, I think that we need to write what we're passionate about, even if it's a smaller genre. I love writing epic fantasy, which is something of a niche (albeit one of the bigger ones), but if you love what you do, I think it's possible to succeed within a niche too.

*2) *I believe that the key to ongoing success is a dependable, loyal group of fans. Many of my readers have followed me from book to book. They're the reason I can keep writing. An active Facebook page, website, and mailing list are musts. I try to do more than just announce releases but also interact with my readers -- answer questions, talk about what I'm working on, and just hang out.

*3) *This might be a no-brainer, but the best place to find NEW readers is on popular newsletters such as BookBub, ENT, BookBlast, and Kindle Books and Tips. Guest blog posts / blog reviews have sold a few copies for me, but I've had far more success finding readers on popular newsletters.

*4) *Convert new readers into fans. With freebies, BookBub promos, and every other method I use to reach new readers, I try to keep these readers around. My books all include links at the end to my Facebook, Twitter, and mailing list. I'm rarely just looking to sell an individual book; I'm primarily looking for long-term readers. When I'm promoting a book, I'm not just thinking, "I want to sell X number of copies." I'm thinking, "I want to find X number of new loyal readers."

*5) *Series are usually easier to sell, at least in my genre. To this day, my standalone novels don't sell much. The bulk of my sales are from my series.

*6) *The long tail. Unless I have a major promo or new release, I don't always have individual books with amazing ranks. On many days, it's just a few books hovering around ranks of 10,000 or so. But I have twenty books in the Kindle store. It adds up. A large backlist helps me.

*7) *This is about long-term thinking. In August this year, I was incredibly fortunate. I was chosen for the Kindle Daily Deal. I'm insanely grateful for this opportunity, which I know is so rare. But a week after my KDD, sales were back to normal. It's fantastic to have a one-hit-wonder. But even better is slowly building a steady career. I try not to focus too much on short-term successes or failures--the "bleeps" on the graph--but rather on cultivating a readership that will, hopefully, stick around for years.

*8 ) *In 2013, I released a new novel every two months on average. For me at least (and YMMV), regularly releasing new books has been key. After about two or three months without a new release, my sales significantly slow down. A new book is a new boost. This is a tough pace--I often write for 70-80 hours a week--but I think it's helped me.

*9) *It's all about the readers. As socially awkward as I am (D&D nerd here), I try to network with other authors and industry professionals. I learn a lot from them. But every day, I'm primarily thinking about my readers. I write for them. I'm not trying to impress critics, agents, editors, or other authors (at least I tell myself I'm not). I'm here for my readers first and foremost. Everything else follows.

*10)* The best prices that have worked for me are (not surprisingly) $2.99 and $3.99. It's true that $0.99 might sell more copies. But while $2.99-$3.99 might mean fewer sales short-term, it means MORE sales long-term. First of all, some people (at least with my books) will just grab a $0.99 book and never read it. A reader buying a $2.99 book is more likely to read that book and, if he/she enjoyed it, buy more of my work. Also, the money a $2.99-$3.99 title earns can fund future books--editing costs, hiring cover artists, or just paying the bills while I sit at home writing. Finally, a regular price of $2.99-$3.99 lets me post occasional $0.99 promos for a chance at a BookBub or ENT slot.

*BONUS TIP:* Long walks are great. I try to go for a long walk every day. I walk in the snow. I walk with an umbrella when it rains. I walk when it's hot and curse the heat. When I walk, I don't think about my books. I try to focus on the birds, the trees, and clearing my mind. Taking some time each day AWAY from writing--especially for a full time writer (which I am)--helps me maintain a tiny shred of sanity. (And yes, like Old Ben, I have a treadmill desk!)

These are the main important things I've learned. This is what, I believe, has worked for me. I'm not an expert, and what worked for me might be different for you. Really, most of the above are not big secrets. These are things that have been discussed on Kindleboards many times. I hope that, even if this post isn't saying anything new, it was interesting to read. And if it wasn't interesting either, well, at least I got to slip in my paragraph of shameless bragging. 

Thanks for reading this! * Back to hiding under blankets. *

Daniel


----------



## Gennita Low (Dec 13, 2012)

Thank you for taking the time to write all the points down and sharing your success. I'm always thrilled to find other self-pubs who have successfully implemented some of the stuff we talked about here.

Yay for your 2013 success!

Please do post some of your results on Bookbub in our long-behind Bookbub thread when you do a promo in 2014, so those of us who have been keeping an eye on it can learn and take notes!

Again, congrats!


----------



## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

What a great post, Daniel! Very concise and informative.  I'm going to send this to a bunch of my writer friends.

Congrats on your awesome year!


----------



## 16205 (Jun 8, 2010)

Good to see you around, Daniel, and congratulations on all your success!


----------



## Justawriter (Jul 24, 2012)

This is a wonderful post! Thank you, and congrats on a great two years. I'm going to share this with my writer friends too.


----------



## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

Great post! Thanks so much for sharing! And CONGRATS on the huge numbers.


----------



## blakebooks (Mar 10, 2012)

Congrats. As one happy mid-lister to another, seems like you've got the formula dialed. May 2014 bring you more sales, and most importantly, more readers!


----------



## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

Fantastic success, and great advice! Thanks for posting.


----------



## Sapphire (Apr 24, 2012)

Thanks, Daniel. We need to be reminded of he basics and of all the possibilities. Keep sharing your thoughts with us. It wasn't that scary out from under the blankets, was it?


----------



## Sean L (Oct 30, 2013)

Inspiring post, Daniel. Thanks for kicking off the blankets and sharing.


----------



## Andrew Ashling (Nov 15, 2010)

Very inspiring. Thanks & congratz.


----------



## Ardin (Nov 1, 2012)

Great post.


----------



## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Pants are optional! And so are blankets. 

Thanks for stepping out!


----------



## the quiet one (Aug 13, 2012)

That's fabulous, Daniel! Congratulations on your successes, and thank you for sharing!


----------



## valeriechase (Nov 22, 2013)

This is such a helpful and thoughtful post! Thank you!


----------



## gonedark (May 30, 2013)

Great post, Daniel. Thanks for clear and direct account of your own considerable success. Very encouraging for a newbie trying to plan a solid, long term storytelling business. Bookmarked.


----------



## zoe tate (Dec 18, 2013)

Many thanks, Daniel. Tremendously inspiring and helpful.


----------



## sarracannon (Apr 19, 2011)

Daniel Arenson said:


> *1) *Write what you love. I'm sometimes tempted to chase trends. Some days, I feel like I should put aside fantasy and switch to a bigger genre, such as thrillers or romance. I'd have access to a wider audience, I tell myself. I often look at the number of readers per genre (listed at BookBub and other places) and want to switch to the big boys. But ultimately, I think that we need to write what we're passionate about, even if it's a smaller genre. I love writing epic fantasy, which is something of a niche (albeit one of the bigger ones), but if you love what you do, I think it's possible to succeed within a niche too.


YES x 1,000. Great post, Daniel. Thank you for sharing your tips and success story. Very inspirational. Huge congrats on your success so far. (And I was reading this out loud to my husband who reads epic fantasy. He immediately went to Amazon to download one of your books. So add one more reader to the pile .)


----------



## wildwitchof (Sep 2, 2010)

I enjoyed reading your story, Daniel. Thanks for posting.

ps: totally get it about the blankets.


----------



## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Wonderful post!  Like everyone said, thanks for kicking off the blankets!  I actually have several of your books on my Kindle and really enjoyed them.


----------



## PhoenixS (Apr 5, 2011)

Having those awesomely branded covers doesn't hurt either 

Here's to a grand chaser of a year in 2014!


----------



## Irisdeorre (Jul 26, 2011)

Congratulations on your success. Thanks for sharing your tips. It good to see how different things work for different people. All the best for 2014.


----------



## pwtucker (Feb 12, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, Daniel! Your success is very inspiring, and I love your emphasis on building a loyal fanbase that will stick with you through thick and thin. Mind sharing what 2011 and 2010 were like? Have you seen steady growth from the get-go? Also, who created your fantastic covers?

Cheers!


----------



## S.R. Booth (Oct 6, 2013)

Thanks for taking the time to post and share your experiences!


----------



## David Adams (Jan 2, 2012)

Daniel Arenson said:


> (D&D nerd here)


Just take ten on your craft (writing) roll and be done with it. Then again, that really only makes you a midlister; to _really_ start making money, you need to take the Craft Wonderous Novel feat and use that to create novels at half price. Having five ranks in craft (photoshop) and knowledge (marketing) give you a +2 bonus on your roll, so make sure you pick those up. Obviously, for maximum power, you want either CoDZilla or a full caster (IMO wizard is just the best, look at Hugh Howey).

Me, I went sorcerer and that works well but I haven't got Craft Wonderous Novel yet so my build is broken. WTB retraining rules imo.

This is what happens when you have novels about kobolds in your signature.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

Good job, I've often looked at your books enviously as they've soared up the fantasy charts.


----------



## burke_KB (Jan 28, 2013)

As another D&D nerd, I have to say you are one of the reasons I started self publishing. I love the covers and have read a few of your books. It's great to see your hard work paying off. I hope to one day have an equally impressive backlist.

I only wish I could spend as much time writing. I'm stuck in cubicle land cranking out ruby code


----------



## maggie2 (Feb 26, 2012)

Thank you so much for sharing. Some excellent points. And congrats on your success as well!
Marg


----------



## Joe_Nobody (Oct 23, 2012)

Well said!

You and I sell about at the same volume, and from your post, experience some of the same trends/results.

Best of luck in 2014!


----------



## ChrisWard (Mar 10, 2012)

Daniel, your covers rock. Well done on your success!


----------



## Bob Mayer (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks-- all great points.


----------



## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks for the inspiring post.


----------



## jenminkman (Mar 2, 2013)

Thanks for posting this, you really know how to motivate fellow writers  and congrats on your steady & good sales!


----------



## aaronhubble (Apr 18, 2013)

I love reading this kind of story because I am just getting started myself.  Extremely inspiring.  Would you be willing to share what your earlier years writing were like?  Was it a slow build up or did you make a big jump in sales from one year to the next?  Thanks so much Daniel.


----------



## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

Great post, Daniel! Congratulations on your success, and wishing you even more ahead.


----------



## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks for the great post.


----------



## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice post, Daniel. Thanks for peeking out from under those blankets.


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Many congrats on your success and thanks for your post!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thank you for reading this and for your replies, everyone. 

To answer those who asked about my sales in 2010 and 2011, they were:
2010: ~1,500
2011: ~40,000
Things started to pick up in the summer of 2011.



sarracannon said:


> (And I was reading this out loud to my husband who reads epic fantasy. He immediately went to Amazon to download one of your books. So add one more reader to the pile .)


Thank you, Sarra. I hope he enjoys the book!



burke_KB said:


> As another D&D nerd, I have to say you are one of the reasons I started self publishing. I love the covers and have read a few of your books.


Thank you, Burke. 



KateDanley said:


> Wonderful post! Like everyone said, thanks for kicking off the blankets! I actually have several of your books on my Kindle and really enjoyed them.


Thank you for reading them, Kate!


----------



## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

BTW, does this thread make anyone think the authors of KB should play an online game of D&D together? Anyone? Bueller??


----------



## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Thanks Daniel for sharing your success.  Â Your brandng and covers are awesome. I'm sure the bed covers you hide under, are too. If not, treat yourself to a new set for the new year. Â


----------



## lovewriting (Jun 19, 2012)

Hey Daniel,

Thanks for this post - it was both encouraging and helpful.  PamelaKelley shared it within a group we're part of and that's what led me here.

I needed to hear much of what you shared, so thanks for peeking out from under those covers.


----------



## pwtucker (Feb 12, 2011)

Old Ben said:


> BTW, does this thread make anyone think the authors of KB should play an online game of D&D together? Anyone? Bueller??


Have you heard of Roll20.net? It's what I use when I game with my old highschool buddies. So, like, totally doable


----------



## BlankPage (Sep 23, 2012)

_Comment removed due to VS TOS 24/9/2018_


----------



## Zoe York (May 12, 2013)

Great post! These kinds of updates keep me focused on the marathon, particularly the piece about not chasing trends. And as a romance author, I can tell you that the temptation to try my hand at NA is HUGE, but I know in my head that it wouldn't be a smart move for the long-term plan. It's not where my heart is, and it's not where my plot bunnies live.


----------



## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

pwtucker said:


> Have you heard of Roll20.net? It's what I use when I game with my old highschool buddies. So, like, totally doable


I am so game for this, you have no idea.


----------



## Joel Ansel (Oct 17, 2013)

Daniel,
        From yet another D&D nerd I wish you continued success. I'm going to have to start reading fantasy again due to your excellent covers alone. You might as well count me in as a future fan


----------



## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Thank you for sharing, Daniel!


----------



## Blerch (Oct 17, 2013)

As an aspiring fantasy and science fiction writer, great post. Gives me hope, and something to strive for.

P.S. I'm totally down for that D&D game. I'll provide the Jolt Cola. I'm sure that's available somewhere, still.


----------



## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

Congrats on all your success, Daniel, and best of luck for 2014. Thanks for sharing your numbers and advice.


----------



## Pauline Creeden (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for the inspiration and kick in the pants - I really need to up my game!


----------



## Lee Mellott (Aug 4, 2013)

Super inspiring to start the new year with. Cheers!


----------



## SusanKL (Sep 14, 2011)

Great post, Daniel. Thanks for sharing--and good on you for the desk treadmill!


----------



## P.A. Woodburn (May 22, 2010)

Hi Daniel, nice to hear from you. Glad to see you're doing so well. Wondered why I hadn't seen you around for a long time. Don't hide under those blankets again.


----------



## KevinH (Jun 29, 2013)

Congrats on your success and thanks for sharing with this inspiring post. I hope to get where you are some day.


----------



## GearPress Steve (Feb 4, 2012)

Daniel Arenson said:


> *4) *Convert new readers into fans. With freebies, BookBub promos, and every other method I use to reach new readers, I try to keep these readers around. My books all include links at the end to my Facebook, Twitter, and mailing list. I'm rarely just looking to sell an individual book; I'm primarily looking for long-term readers. When I'm promoting a book, I'm not just thinking, "I want to sell X number of copies." I'm thinking, "I want to find X number of new loyal readers."


Secret sauce stuff right there, Daniel. I've been preaching it. Get a list, keep it from going stale, and *build relationships* with your fans. They're not just readers, not just customers, they're FANS.


----------



## John Brown (Jan 3, 2014)

Daniel,

Quick question. Some folks have suggested that epic fantasies must be monsters. But it seems you're disproving that. What's the average word count on your books?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

John Brown said:


> Daniel,
> 
> Quick question. Some folks have suggested that epic fantasies must be monsters. But it seems you're disproving that. What's the average word count on your books?


Hi John,

My novels tend to be around 85-100k words long. However, I also let readers buy each of my trilogies as a 250-300k omnibus, in case they prefer to read a "monster."


----------



## giftedrhonda (Jan 3, 2014)

Thanks so much for sharing this.


----------



## 41352 (Apr 4, 2011)

removed


----------



## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

Nice to see you here, Daniel. Awesome post--thanks for sharing the wisdom. Here's to continued success in 2014!


----------



## JL Bryan (Aug 10, 2010)

Congratulations, Daniel!  Good advice here


----------



## Guest (Jan 19, 2014)

Daniel Arenson said:


> *8 ) *In 2013, I released a new novel every two months on average. For me at least (and YMMV), regularly releasing new books has been key. After about two or three months without a new release, my sales significantly slow down. A new book is a new boost. This is a tough pace--I often write for 70-80 hours a week--but I think it's helped me.


Thanks for your tips, Daniel. This one is particularly important to me. My first indie novel comes out June 2014. Then there will be a new novel every two months. I can do this because I'll start writing my second indie novel in March 2014 for August 2014 release. I'll start writing the third novel in May for October release, and so on. So even though I'm giving each novel six months from start to finish, including editing and formatting, I've started the initial process early enough to get the ball rolling with a new novel every two months. I won't feel rushed at all.


----------



## lazarusInfinity (Oct 2, 2012)

Thanks for all the valuable info.  I appreciate it!


----------



## Alexis Adaire (Mar 20, 2014)

Awesome thread! I appreciate you taking the time to write all this down for us newbies.


----------



## Deke (May 18, 2013)

Thanks for sharing.  What is the average word-count of your series?  Nice covers BTW.


----------



## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

Great post and congrats on the success


----------



## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, Daniel. Good post. Made me look at a lot of things I'm not really doing or thinking of changing. The passion is one of them.


----------



## D.L. Shutter (Jul 9, 2011)

Daniel

Fantastic info! No need to be shy at all. Thanks for sharing and congrats on breaking a quarter mill sold!


----------



## Abalone (Jan 31, 2014)

Great tips. Posting so I can have this thread in my post history as my browser keeps losing my bookmarks.


----------



## Silly Writer (Jul 15, 2013)

Hats off to you! And I love your covers. Thanks for this post...much needed and appreciated!


----------



## RinG (Mar 12, 2013)

Great tips, thanks!


----------



## Claudine Gueh (Jan 9, 2012)

Excellent post, Daniel! (Taking walks on rainy days is one of the best things in the world.)


----------



## Craig Andrews (Apr 14, 2013)

Daniel Arenson said:


> *7) *This is about long-term thinking. In August this year, I was incredibly fortunate. I was chosen for the Kindle Daily Deal. I'm insanely grateful for this opportunity, which I know is so rare. But a week after my KDD, sales were back to normal. It's fantastic to have a one-hit-wonder. But even better is slowly building a steady career. I try not to focus too much on short-term successes or failures--the "bleeps" on the graph--but rather on cultivating a readership that will, hopefully, stick around for years.


Thanks for dropping by, Daniel. As someone who follows you on Facebook and has several of your books on their Kindle, it's great to hear you're doing so well. I can't agree with #7 enough. I watch so many discussions about the worth of marketing, but all most of these people are looking at are short term sales. This is a long term game, plain and simple. If each promotion garnered you a handful of lifetime readers, it was worth more than you will ever know. *This* among everything else, is why I think you're a success. You're passionate, dedicated, and understand the complexities of the game. Good luck!

-Craig


----------



## Hanson (Jan 12, 2014)

Excellent post Daniel!

May 2014 prove to be an even better year for you! Your hard work has certainly paid off.


----------



## C. Gockel (Jan 28, 2014)

Thank you for this. I work part-time, and I think I'm about six years away from having twenty books--but this reminds me that it is something to work for.


----------



## nico (Jan 17, 2013)

From one fellow D&D nerd to another: Thanks for sharing the story of your amazing success. Best of luck in the future.


----------



## redacted (Dec 16, 2013)

Can't stress enough what a great thread this is. New writers, pay attention!


----------



## SunshineOnMe (Jan 11, 2014)

Thank you for writing that out and sharing. Congrats on your success. Your covers are amazing!


----------



## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Great post, Daniel, and many congratulations on your success and consistency with it!


----------



## jimkukral (Oct 31, 2011)

Congrats on your success! Hard work pays off!


----------



## LBrent (Jul 1, 2013)

Excellent post, Daniel.

Thank you!


----------



## sarahdalton (Mar 15, 2011)

Congratulations on the book sales and thank you for sharing what's worked for you. 

Those book covers are blummin' gorgeous.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks!


----------



## bellaandre (Dec 10, 2010)

Great post, Daniel! And CONGRATULATIONS!
 Bella


----------



## C Ryan Bymaster (Oct 4, 2013)

Great post, Daniel! I think it's great when an author I love reading reaches out and reminds us all that behind each book there's a real person who puts his all into his books and never forgets the readers.

Kudos!


----------



## RichardWolanski (Jan 20, 2014)

Congrats Daniel, 

Inspiring post also because you write in the epic fantasy genre!


----------



## michaelwlayne (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks for the post, Daniel. Words of wisdom. I've bookmarked this post so I can easily come back to it when I go astray. A novel every two months is an insane pace, IMHO, but in an impressive way. I'm trying to average something every three months at best. lol Keep it up and thanks for the inspiration as well.


----------



## Usedtoposthere (Nov 19, 2013)

Great post. Totally with you on the long walks! And agree on everything else, too. Congratulations!


----------



## Robena (Jan 19, 2013)

Thank you for sharing, Daniel. Appreciated.


----------



## ronnierayjenkins (Mar 30, 2014)

Great job, Daniel. Thanks for sharing it.


----------



## Anthea Sharp (Feb 4, 2014)

Inspiring! Thanks for sharing, Daniel. I need to start kicking my own butt a bit harder to get more work out. Working two pen names/genres is a PITA, (but I have my reasons).

And I'd *totally* be up for gaming.


----------



## sstroble (Dec 16, 2013)

Excellent advice, Daniel. Hope to see more of it in later posts by you.


----------



## Ryan Sullivan (Jul 9, 2011)

So good to actually hear from someone who's doing well in MY genre. I like your point about the $2.99 price, as well as the other points you made, of course.


----------



## Nic Saint (Mar 31, 2014)

Thanks for the post, Daniel. Very inspirational.


----------



## KFB (Apr 22, 2014)

What I liked hearing most within this post was the determination to keep writing what you love regardless of the pull toward larger markets. There is so much allure to write things that consumers seem to eat up at that moment. I think my fans would know I was selling out, though. And I would be, really. This post helps keep that knowledge grounded  

And yes, sometimes we just have to unabashedly brag! Haha!


----------



## J. Nardizzi (Apr 21, 2014)

Awesome post.  You wrote "In 2013, I released a new novel every two months on average."  Lordy, I thought I worked hard...where do you find the time!


----------



## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

As an ex-D&D nerd, congrats on your success!! Love it that epic fantasy can do so well.
Now, I just need to find me 80 hours a week to write  (*plots to send the family on a long cruise )


----------

