# Motivation: Zero. Ready to Give Up. What Am I Doing Wrong?



## Censored (Oct 31, 2014)

Thanks for all the helpful tips and suggestions, folks. They were much needed at the time.


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## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

Not sure a crime serial is a wise plan if you want to sell a lot of copies, frankly. Crime readers generally want at least 50-60k words, minimum, and for the killer/bad guy to get what is coming to them (even if they sort of escape leading to book 2 or whatever) at the end of each book.

Perhaps consider writing a more novel-length series? Study the crime/thriller genre, look at what is working, and then make a list of everything you love about that genre and perhaps a list of what the books that are selling have in common. Then design a series (same main character, probably different killers/crimes, as this is pretty normal/expected in this genre) around those things and try again? Make sure you get professional covers. Yours aren't terrible, but they look more weird fiction or indie horror than straight up thriller/crime.

So yeah. Don't do the same thing and expect different results. Do something different.


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## bobbic (Apr 4, 2011)

Here are a few thoughts. I read the sample of The Accident, and yes, you can write. I didn't see any typos, bad grammar, or anything that would scream Go Away. The cover looked good to me, too. I have to think that it's the genre--horror--and not anything you're doing. I've heard, and it may be wrong, that horror is hard to sell unless you've built up a following. I'm not sure how to do that, maybe write for some of the numerous 'zines that are out there--build up a following that way. 

If you love writing crime fiction, then do it. But don't do it just because you think it might sell better. I've been there. I can see, though, where you could write that if you want to. You definitely have that "suspense" thing going. I don't think switching is necessarily going to lead to big sales, either. 

Not sure this helped. It's just a few thoughts. There are lots of us here trying to figure out what will lead to more sales.  Good luck!


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## bobbic (Apr 4, 2011)

carinasanfey said:


> I agree with ㅈㅈ about the covers. Personally, I wouldn't click on any of them. The first two make me dizzy and the fly on the third one creeps me out. The pictures on the next two are oddly cartoonish ..>>


But he writes horror, so the fly creeping you out might be a good thing.  I didn't think the covers were cartoonish. I like the cover of The Accident. The only comment I have about the covers is that the first two looked like the same book because the small print was hard to read until I looked at them on Amazon.


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## Ros_Jackson (Jan 11, 2014)

I notice your freebie is #2 in its subcategory at the moment. If you're not getting many sales, I'd suggest you've picked a very unpopular subgenre, and no matter what you do you won't get many downloads. I'm not convinced you've picked the right book to make free either, because it doesn't seem to lead into any series. Consider taking Happiness, Inc off free and making the first part of So Damn Beautiful free instead. What do you have to lose?


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

When my books don't sell, I change the blurb. I looked at The Accident and think you give too much away. See if you can rewrite it and not say what exactly is seeking revenge.

I also think you could change the covers. Look for premade cover art. Sometime you can find a good cover for around $30. I've been at this for five years and I just bought a new round of cover art last month. It's helping my sales, I think. Good luck.


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## lungtastic (May 23, 2011)

I actually really love the covers for Spoiled Lunch, The Accident, and Roller Board. Spoiled Lunch in particular reminds me of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which even though it was for kids is still one of my favorite creepy story books. And I'm a huge reader of horror stories, it's my favorite genre if that helps. But that's only my opinion -- I know for a lot of people they like "fancier" covers, so playing around with the covers and blurbs is a good idea just to see what results you might get out of those changes.


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## smikeo (Dec 1, 2014)

I also love the cover for Spoiled Lunch, I think it's awesome.
I can totally understand the difficulty of writing into the void. I know the constant recommendation for indie authors is "write more", but personally I know that it's hard as hell to write when you see no results. 
So maybe focus all your spare time on pushing one or two of your best books out there? Open a thread here for your blurb, maybe people will have good ideas for changes. Try to locate readers on Amazon and Goodreads who like things that are similar to your books and generate some reviews.

And please don't stand in traffic. Things will improve.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

I know it's no consolation, but at least you're making some sales. If you'd been an old-timer like me, when the only option was trad-pub, you'd have earned nothing. Just as I did during the six years I produced a full-length novel a year for six long, weary, rejection-filled years.

It was only when I switched to crime novels from romance that I found a publisher. But I had to make the switch to a totally different genre. Perhaps you will, too.

That said, I've also read the 'look inside' for your ss The Accident. I enjoyed it and was keen to read more and find out what horrors were awaiting Ivan. And even though crime/horror isn't really my thing, I may just go and d/l it.

But Christmas is coming up. Why don't you ask your family for cash instead of presents? And use that cash to replace your covers with pre-mades. You can get a decent-looking pre-made from $35.

Apart from the above, I really don't know what else to advise. Maybe someone else on this thread will be more familiar than me with this genre of crime.


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## ICRobledo (Dec 4, 2014)

Well, your post motivated me to come out of lurker status to give a few suggestions to consider.

1) Take a break from writing. Maybe a month or so. If this is becoming a disappointment and stressful, it's better to take a break if you can. Get into a hobby, meet new people, get some fresh air, etc.

2) When you get back to it, consider changing direction and approach completely. I haven't read your books, but whether they're good or bad you seem unhappy, which is why I recommend the change. You may change genre. You may even try nonfiction. You may get your groove back by doing something completely different. If you normally outline your books, try writing one off the top of your head. If you write horror, try romance or romantic horror? Mix things up. 

3) If you decide to stick with your current books, some of the best things you can do is improve your blurbs and covers. For blurbs, read the top ones in your genre to get ideas. For covers, either download GIMP (free) and look up tutorials to get better, or find someone on Fiverr who has a subscription to a stock image site who will design a better cover for only $5. Also, your keywords may be bad. Post them here and see if anyone has suggestions for improvement. Actually, come here and ask for feedback after you've tried these things. If you decide to leave your current books behind and move on, then that's fine too.

4) Decide exactly what your goal is. Is it to make money, to write something you're proud of, to write for fun, or a combination? If your goal involves money and having some kind of commercial success, then learn up on it. This stuff isn't known from birth, you have to study up a little. Try books like 'Business for Authors' by Joanna Penn and 'Let's get visible' by Gaughran. Or simply check out Joanna Penn's blog and SteveScottSite and read some of what's there for free. Checking in on KBoards at least weekly is probably a good idea too.

5) No matter how good or bad you are, there will always be a lot of people with more and less skill, with more and less money, etc. I know you know this, we all know this, but sometimes we need a reminder. Don't worry too much about where other people stand. Just look at where you are, where you want to be, and what you have to do to get there. 

6) Try not to take things personally. People aren't personally deciding that your books aren't good enough for them. Through luck or algorithms or a choice of bad covers, or whatever it may be, your books weren't conveniently placed in front of them to choose from. 99.99% or more of the people out there have never seen your book or cover, they didn't choose anything. So try not to take the results personally. You have to separate your emotional artistic writer self from your business self. Your business self sees that something isn't working, looks for possible solutions, applies solutions, checks for feedback, and continues modifications to improve. 

Good luck!


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## Allyson J. (Nov 26, 2014)

I love the cover for SPOILED LUNCH. I agree that it reminds me of Scary Stories...

The other covers could use some tweaking, though. 

As for sales--or lack thereof--don't get discouraged. I try to look at my writing as a hobby for now. If I make any money off of it, great! If I dont, oh well. (This way I don't get too disappointed). But we're all pulling for you! Hang in there.


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## Jim Johnson (Jan 4, 2011)

Most of us have been where you are. Most writers hit lows. The ones that want to do this for a living pick ourselves up and keep at it. The ones that give up, well. You never hear from them again. Do you love to write or do you love to have written? If the former, keep writing. If the latter, stop now. You're done. You've accomplished more than a lot of writers by writing and publishing multiple titles. If what you've accomplished isn't enough for you, do more.

Writers write. In this new age, write, publish, repeat. Again and again. For the love of it first. Money, success, whatever--that'll come in time. But you have to put the time (and the work) in. Be your own best fan. No one is going to care about your writing as much as you do. If you don't care about your writing, why should anyone else? No reviews and no sales? So what, keep writing. The number of readers accessing ebooks grows every day. Keep writing, keep learning about the craft by reading and studying other writers, keep at it.



FictionFugitive said:


> Every time I look at this forum there's some new salt in the wound--people getting 40 sales on the first day with their first book, people whining about "only" getting 50 sales in a month, etc.


Why do you care about other authors' success? It's irrelevant to your career and goals. If every thread about other writers' sales is really 'salt in the wound' stop reading them or stop coming to kboards. Someone sells 5, 50, 500, 5,000 copies a day? Great, good for them. In the meantime, what are you doing to meet or exceed your own personal goals?



FictionFugitive said:


> Has anyone else fallen into such a black hole of depression before? How do you move forward when all the motivation is gone?


Grab your bootstraps, pull yourself to your feet, and keep marching. Hie thee to a library or to a bookstore of your choice and grab a copy of Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art." Read it a couple times and see what new insights you pick up about being a professionally-minded writer.

Best of luck, whatever you choose to do.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

Just downloaded The Accident and bought Spoiled Lunch. Though I might have to miss the story about the talking tapeworm. I can't stand worms of any sort. And the thought of tape worms has given me the horrors for years. Shudder.

And they're not pity sales, BTW. Your story The Accident intrigued me. But it was free. So I thought if I'm downloading a freebie, it's only fair to buy something as well. I'm funny like that.

So start arm-twisting your relatives for the funds to get pre-mades. You've got a few weeks yet.


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## shadowfox (Jun 22, 2012)

FictionFugitive said:


> Is there something I'm not seeing here, some other reason(s) for my complete failure to launch?


If you were to take up piano you couldn't even audition at The Juilliard School in less than four or five years of practice with top trainers.

Actually, at this stage, to have got the number of sales you have is really rather extraordinary and shows you have a lot of talent.


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## TheWriter (Oct 1, 2014)

What I suggest you do is write some small works... like 60 or so pages on Kindle and try a few different genres out. See what works and then go with the one that the readers like (start a series). Personally, permafree has helped me with getting visibility which is crucial in the fiction world. Just keep trying!


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## Nick Endi Webb (Mar 25, 2012)

A.E.,

You've brought me out of Kboards retirement, you jerk. 

Looking at your work I see that you can write _and_ edit, and I think you could sell books if you change a few things.

I was in your exact position one year ago. I had two books in a series that wasn't selling and I was starting to question why I'd even thought I could sell books in the first place. I think I had 30 sales in my first 2 years. I started to hate writing. It was a bad place.

But then I made a decision. I decided I was going to write in a genre that sells (that I also enjoy), invest in good book covers, and do everything "right" marketing-wise (get early reviewers, buy as many ads as I could during release month, etc...). I gave myself another year to start selling books, and, well, it worked. I haven't quit my day job yet but I'm on my way.

Self publishing is weird, in the sense that we wear two completely different hats. On the one hand we're artists and craftsmen. On the other we're business people. You can't ignore the business side if you want to sell books, and that includes: deciding which genre and subgenre to write in, investing money in proper book covers and ads, starting a mailing list and pushing readers towards it so that you have your own personal bookbub whenever you launch a book, etc etc. In a business, you need to take a more critical view of things that aren't working than your inner writer/artist is used to. You need to look at what's not working and change it.

What I'd suggest specifically to you:

My sense is that horror is not a very lucrative genre. Are there any other ones that sell better that you'd feel comfortable writing in? Do your research. Spend hours (days and weeks, actually. Never stop doing this.) trolling the bestseller lists at amazon. See which subgenres consistently sell well. Watch what the bestselling authors in those subgenres do. Study their covers. Study their blurbs. Read their reviews (especially the 1 stars). Study the poor sellers in that sub genre and compare them to the best sellers. Seriously, do your research--this the first step in a business. It's all nice and good to throw platitudes around about following your muse and writing what's in your heart, but when it comes to selling books you need to study the market. Study the readers. Study what they're reading and write that. Don't pick a genre you hate, but find the right balance between writing in a high-selling genre and writing what you're interested in.

Next, and I can't stress this enough, you can't expect sales with unattractive self-made covers. I don't mean to knock your covers, but again, I was exactly where you were--I had awful self made covers. I know it's hard to take the leap of faith and make an investment in professional covers when you can't guarantee they'll pay for themselves. Again, selling books is a business and business requires investment and risk. You can publish books with iffy-looking self-made covers, but if you do the likelihood of success goes way down. When I chose my new genre, I purchased a set of pricey covers to go with my new books. Then, when I had studied my subgenre even more, I ditched those pricey covers and paid for entirely new ones from a different designer. Well worth it.

Third, don't just throw the book out there when it's done and expect it to sell. It needs to get in front of eyeballs. Ideally, Amazon does this for us, but they only do it when your book has proved to the amazonian computers that its worth their marketing muscle. So during that first month you need to throw everything you've got at it. Get early reviewers to post reviews. Pay for ads, even if it doesn't look like you'll get an immediate ROI. Throw everything you've got at it that first month and teach those amazon algorithms that your book is worth it.

Fourth, and this is not craft or business related, but get some author friends to talk to/bounce ideas off/cross promote with/goof off and commiserate with. I owe much of my success to a few groups of authors I've become close to--old veterans who've been around the track a few times as well as newer ones like me. Do that and you'll feel less alone in the journey.

Good luck! I don't usually take the time to reply to these threads, but I looked over your writing and think you could have a shot at this.

(ps, in most genres, shorts don't sell very well. Stick to novels in a series  )


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## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

You're not writing fast enough to capitalize on a serial. If you want to DO a serial, take time to write three and be ready to stick to regular release dates.

Permafree doesn't work for everyone. There is no magic moment where you suddenly get to make money. https://docs.google.com/a/thecheapebook.com/spreadsheets/d/1i9tCrzZctNnucllTkxyRtTRrvN1_yu6Rb2xfmbr_RPY/edit?usp=drive_web

Don't ever spend what you can't afford and dipping a toe is NOT buying $100 in ads. That's gambling, not business.  What have you done to network and reach out to other horror authors on social networks? All of your recent tweets are BUY MY BOOK on your Amazon author profile, that's not engaging readers, that's shouting at them. You get 3 link tweets for every SEVEN tweets with no links. Go forth and schedule, then visit back and chat. tweets with no links do not get to be about your book (no who would you cast in a movie version of my book). Be interesting, people will go check out what you have because you are interesting.

You're writing horror short stories. Problem there is SIX of the top 10 spots belong to Mr. King and I doubt that's changing any time soon. (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-Horror-Short-Stories/zgbs/digital-text/7588837011/ref=zg_bs_nav_kstore_4_157060011) What really sucks is most of those books aren't even short stories. But the good news is to rank on that top 20, you need a sales rank of #23,000 in the overall paid Kindle Store. That's about 20 sales in a 24 hour period.

You need to play the game of mailing list link in the back of all of your books, start reaching readers on Twitter and Facebook by meeting them in places of things they're interested in. I.E. tonight is #PeterPanLive, I bet Christopher Walken will be trending (because he's awesome) and he's been in some great horror stuff. Loved him as the Headless Horseman. You chat about that on Twitter, you'll get a few new followers. You can squeak in maybe ONE book link.

Frequent releases, i .e. at least one a month will let you be on the Hot New Release List (that's this list for horror short stories: http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/digital-text/7588837011/ref=zg_bs_tab_t_bsnr which takes a rank of #860,000 so really, ANY new release you have will be on there if you can sell a copy or two during the FIRST 30 days it's out, see why stacking releases is best? Then when you do share it on social media (the new release) it looks like this : New Book is #88 on Hot New Release List!!! Woohoo, thank you so much for your support! Link to the specific page it's on so readers SEE it as #88 or whatever. This is buzz.

Work off buzz until you build a following. Consider a blog where you do a creepy scary story every week or something. Horror readers are pulp readers, they want to be fed constantly. That's what it takes to be successful with shorts. Sprinkle in novels as you can.


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## Gone To Croatan (Jun 24, 2011)

Endi Webb said:


> My sense is that horror is not a very lucrative genre.


That's my experience, too. I like reading horror, but the horror books I've released haven't really sold much. Of course, that won't stop me writing them, because they're too much fun... I pulled my horror novel a while back for a major rewrite, and I'm re-releasing it this month.

Back on the original topic, I took two years to break a hundred books sold in total, then sold over a hundred the next month, and nearly a thousand the next. Then went back to selling a handful a month. So you never know when a book is suddenly going to sell or stop selling.


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## delly_xo (Oct 29, 2014)

Your post made me sad. I agree with all of the recommendations above. Also, you don't have to spend a lot of $$. Fiverr is great for editing, book covers, and advertising. Best of luck!


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## Douglas Milewski (Jul 4, 2014)

Be honest with yourself. Wrap up or just drop what's not working for you. If a series isn't selling, there's no harm is just abandoning it. Write what interests you the most.


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## lee27 (Mar 3, 2011)

Maybe you need fallow time. Just walk away for awhile and let the well refill. Gather some resources to look at later, when you are feeling less burned out. And treat yourself kindly.


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## Chieftain (Aug 25, 2013)

FictionFugitive said:


> I have two full-length novels in a crime thriller serial


You will need far, far more than that to succeed in the Thriller genre. I have seven thrillers and don't break three figures a month with them despite spending thousands on covers and many editing passes. I'd say you'll need 12-15 (at least 70k words) just to break the visibility barrier and really more like 20 to make a living writing for that genre. It is SUPER competitive but at the same time richly rewarding to write for Thriller fans.

And of course you have the algo changes since Amazon is now like Google. You have to keep up with all those changes and market the hell out of your books to get noticed.


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## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

The serial is novel-length? Then you are writing novels... In that case, I'd just make it clear it is a series, stop calling it part 1, part 2 etc, and call it book 1, book 2, etc. Write the third to tie it up, call it what it is, which is a trilogy, and leave it. Perma-free the first book and see what happens.

Then go write your epic fantasy (under a pen name, is my recommendation).

You can make a living on two or three or five books. It's just unlikely they will be your first two or three or five books, because we all have learning curves. 95% of my five-figure-a-month income comes from just 3 novels in a series. But there was 4 years of struggle and figuring out what I should be writing and how to present it before I managed to do what Endi is talking about and find the thing that worked.  So don't give up. Maybe just pick something new (like the epic fantasy, a very marketable genre) and write that and see how it goes.


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## bobbic (Apr 4, 2011)

Edward M. Grant said:


> That's my experience, too. I like reading horror, but the horror books I've released haven't really sold much. Of course, that won't stop me writing them, because they're too much fun... I pulled my horror novel a while back for a major rewrite, and I'm re-releasing it this month.
> 
> Back on the original topic, I took two years to break a hundred books sold in total, then sold over a hundred the next month, and nearly a thousand the next. Then went back to selling a handful a month. So you never know when a book is suddenly going to sell or stop selling.


I want to know WHY horror is such a tough genre. I've been thinking of moving more in that direction, too since lots of my shorts are "macabre" but I'd hate to move into something that sells even slower.

FictionFugitive, you said you like dark fantasy. Why not try some shorts in that and see what happens? You don't have to finish the crime serial first.

Good luck!


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## PearlEarringLady (Feb 28, 2014)

Firstly, a little perspective. I did a little research on ebooks in my genre (epic fantasy) that were released exactly a year earlier. I found some interesting things:

- 9% had no ranking at all ie they hadn't sold a single copy in a year. Not even the author's mother bought it. Another 13% had disappeared altogether.
- 38% had no reviews in a year. Not one. A full 66% had fewer than 4.

Assuming that translates to other genres, that means that your experience is totally normal: few sales, few reviews. You are in the majority. All those people with loads of sales and reviews instantly? They are anomalous. You hear more of the success stories, not surprisingly, because few people come here and admit that sales are dismal, but honestly, there are a lot of us around. 

Secondly, my advice goes against the grain of Kboards sentiment just now, but have you thought of pulling your books from other distributors and throwing in your lot with KDP Select? If you're not selling anywhere, you might as well take advantage of Select's free days or countdowns. With a little cheap promotion (eg Bknights, who will give Kboarders the $20 package for $5), you could shift a few copies and put a smile on your face. You might get a few KU borrows, too.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck.


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## zoe tate (Dec 18, 2013)

FictionFugitive said:


> I haven't sold 50 copies TOTAL.


How are you *marketing* your books?

Publishers sell books by marketing them. In self-publishing your books, you're choosing to run a publishing business (and the sooner you realise it, the better, perhaps?). You need a marketing plan, _of some kind_, surely (even if it's one that doesn't involve any capital outlay at all)?


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

Your books look really good. I actually just bought three of them from the blurbs alone. I also posted that I bought one on Facebook. I don't have too many FB friends (gee, it really is just like real life) but I've a few and I'll encourage them to share the post.

Please don't give up. Just keep writing because eventually people will buy one and like it so much, they will check out your backlist to see what else you've written. Then it should just start building on itself. 

I know exactly where you are right now, as I live on a tiny fixed income and can't afford...well, anything really. It is hard to market a book when you can't afford to promote. Hang in there, and I wish you the best.


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## Nope (Jun 25, 2012)

.


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## Gone To Croatan (Jun 24, 2011)

bobbic said:


> I want to know WHY horror is such a tough genre. I've been thinking of moving more in that direction, too since lots of my shorts are "macabre" but I'd hate to move into something that sells even slower.


I suspect it's partly because horror has spread out of the genre ghetto. Books that might have been tagged as horror in the 70s are now often marketed as pretty mainstream thrillers, and the like. I'd consider putting my horror novel up as a romance, except it has a decidedly unhappy ending.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Do a Fiverr campaign with BKNights. For five bucks, you'll sell more than four he/she gives you your money back. Tell them you heard about them on Kboards. Send some free .pdfs to some reviewers/bloggers of the criminal fiction genre. Include a Q&A of fifteen questions they can pick from to use in a pinch (along with a thank you opening paragraph they can run, with an attached head shot, links, and jpeg of your book covers.)

Okay, that's the practical stuff. I have a compulsion to write. You literally can't stop me from doing it. I have no compulsion to publish, however. That part is WORK. Half the time I upload to Amazon, then it takes me forever to get it up anywhere else. I'm not money motivated, sometimes I wish I were. I want to get it up on other platforms simply because I get reader mail asking me to.

It's okay to step back and take a break. 

Hugh had 7 full length novels written before WOOL hit. He had out 3X as many words as you. 200,000K means you're only about 1/3 to 1/4 the way as most of the outliers. If it took them a million words, it may take you that much. And there are thousands of writers right where you are at right now. Writing is work. Writing consistently is more work. And getting discovered in a sub sub sub sub genre is even more work, and promoting in the correct places. I haven't heard many people recommending KND, it seems their prices are too high for what they deliver.


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## Dom (Mar 15, 2014)

1) Your first book is too short - less than 50-60k is often not considered a full novel. Because of this, I would make it free to introduce the series.
2) If I had a few short stories like you do, I would make them free. Put links in the back of your book to build your tribe, you want to attract story-seekers and latch onto the ones who like your work.
3) Get book 3 out, and consider tying things up there so you could make a clean break from the series.
4) If you really have a good epic fantasy idea, I would write that.
5) Good luck!


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

FictionFugitive said:


> Maybe this was the problem. I don't even think horror is my favorite genre, either. The story that's made me dream of being a writer since I was little is an epic dark fantasy series. It is my intention to get into that genre when I'm done with the crime thriller. Perhaps that'll make all the difference and restore some of the joy to it.


Why wait? Start that epic dark fantasy series now! While you write the first three novels, save up and shop for designers for some AWESOME branded covers for the series.


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## R. M. Webb (Jul 24, 2014)

I'm too new to offer you any better advice than what you've already been given. I'm just here to commiserate, to offer you a virtual hug or shoulder to lean on. 

If it were me, I'd switch gears to that dark fantasy. Your words change when you 'speak' about it. Get that story onto the page and I bet you'll find the rejuvenation you need. If you're enjoying what you write your readers are more likely to enjoy reading what you wrote!


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

"It has been pointed out to me that cliff-hangers might not be appreciated in this genre, though I can't help but assume there are bigger problems, since so few people have read far enough to even reach the cliff-hangers!"

1. I agree with the opinion that book 1 of your crime novel is too short at 45k. I would say you should be aiming for at least 70k to call it a novel in that genre.
2. The covers of So Damn say more horror than crime to me, so I think they need some attention.
3. You have promised that there will be a book 3 in the blurb on Amazon, so if it were me, I would try to complete and then move on. Otherwise you should remove mention of the third book from Amazon asap.
4. I read cliff-hanger into blurb 2, as it seems Meredith has still not found her son. From my own experience with beta readers, cliff-hangers involving the main plot are not appreciated. Best to introduce a new aspect near the end if you want a cliff-hanger.
5. If motivation is a problem, take some time out. Relax. Do something else you enjoy for a while. Then if those stories in your head are still bugging you, you'll get back to them. Good luck!


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## Jennifer R P (Oct 19, 2012)

Oh man, I know exactly how you feel.

I sold 3 copies on release day of Mother, last Friday. Those are the only 3 copies I've sold. I also gave 4 copies away on Facebook and a few to reviewers, one of whom put up a decently positive review for me, but no conversion from that yet.

And then when I hear about people somehow selling 30 copies of a book on the first day. HOWEVER, in my case, the current project is not one I would expect to sell well right away. I'm writing three novellas, releasing them as electronic singles, then compiling them. Only the compilation will be (eventually) available in print. So, I'm already losing the only print people...because it's just not feasible to do 25-30k novellas in print and have a reasonable price.

And right now I feel as if I "obviously haven't done enough" no matter what I tell myself. At least I know it's not my covers - *I* stare at them and go wow and more than one person has already asked for a referral to my cover artist .

Patience, grasshopper.

Finish the series, cap it off with that third book. Then write something else. Right now I'm working on a web serial which is just for fun (but also to build a following, writing and submitting shorts, just pitched a comic book. Hopefully something will break out, mind, or I'm not sure where my convention bills are coming from next year...

But, yeah. Patience. I'm telling myself patience right now, so I'm telling you too . A lot of people have to have 5-10 books out before they get noticed. I do know how you feel. I feel as if people can't *find* my stuff, not as if it sucks. Just as if it's being hidden in all the noise. And now I'm whining too . But that's because I'm stressed about money going out and not coming in. I need to go finish this thing I'm writing for a client that might cover editing for book 2...maybe.


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## jillb (Oct 4, 2014)

*BIG HUG* I agree with the others about perspective - I'd just finished my 1st book when I joined KB in Oct. I read the big threads with the big sales charts showing 20,000 books sold in 1 day and I was in AWE! I wanted some of THAT! Then I read some more and got a better perspective. I had ONE book at that time and it's NON-FICTION HOW TO. Those kinds of sales are not going to happen for the books I currently write!
So, I took KB's advice and kept writing. I sell 0-3 books everyday but every time I see a blip in my chart I think, YAY! Someone actually PAID to read what I wrote! (It sure as heck feels better than trying to make money as a blogger - trust me). 
I know I will never make that kind of big $$ writing what I write but that's OK, even though I'm doing this more to make $$ than for the love of writing, I like what I write and I do write with the hope of imparting knowledge. Not everyone can sell 20K books a day and those who do, well GOOD FOR THEM! They worked hard and smart and earned it! Be inspired, not envious!  
I too would love to make $100K/year from my writing but I know I will have to move into a good fiction genre to do that...I also know I'm not ready for that yet. So, I write what I know and like while I learn the ropes of indie-pub and gain experience. 

Maybe you should consider taking a break from the genre's that not working for you. Who knows? You might like writing something else!


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## Sam Kates (Aug 28, 2012)

I have no advice. Just wanted to say that you're definitely not alone in feeling this way. I have moments... 

My way to deal with those feelings is to roll up my sleeves and try harder. That sense of despondency makes me more determined to succeed. Best of luck in finding what works for you.


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

oakwood said:


> Another thing I thought of is viewpoint.
> Spoiled Lunch starts with The Rollerboard which has a very unusual viewpoint... third, subjective? This is the first bit of preview that a potential buyer gets which might tick them off. Have you tried moving the stories around in the collection?


How is third subjective a very unusual viewpoint?


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## meh (Apr 18, 2013)

I guess you're seeing now that there are a lot more writers who don't post about what they sell because they well crappy numbers. It's generally the successful ones who shout out what they're making, and they're in the minority of writers. I created an Excel spreadsheet to track my numbers sold because I needed to see if I'd hit any milestones. I published my first short story in May of 2012, and my first novel in January of 2013. 

Here's how my numbers looked. Keep in mind that previous to self-publishing, I was selling short stories to small press magazines. So the first things I put up were those short stories that I'd already gotten rights back on. 

2012: (5 short stories published from May to December)  copies sold: 17 total across all 5, across all vendors. 
2013: (4 additional short stories published, and 1 epic fantasy novel, 2 pen names)  copies sold: 116 across all titles, all vendors. 
2014, through October only: 3 additional short stories published, 1 additional epic fantasy novel)  copies sold: 341 across all titles, all vendors. 

I have another novella coming out next week and I haven't counted November sales yet. But you can see what the trend looks like. And I have two pen names--one is for my fantasy and science fiction, and the other is for romance and erotica. Admittedly the romance/erotica has been selling better, but my first novel has now sold a total of 175 copies, so that's not horrible. It just takes time and product. You're a publisher. The more books you have out, the better. I'm just finishing up a romance novel (TODAY!) and I have several projects in the works, including a novella I just sold to a more traditional small publisher. I'm halfway through the next fantasy novel to get my series underway. 

If you're able to work on more than one thing at a time, I suggest doing so. Whenever I struggle with one project, I have two or three other ones I can work on. 

It just takes time, and as everyone keeps saying, keep writing. 

Oh, one last thing. I highly recommend Googling book review bloggers in whatever genre you write in, and emailing them to get reviews for your books. It does help get the word out, and it makes your books more eligible for cheap promotions like ENT.  I never spend more than $15 at a time for promotion. My old stuff has terrible covers, but I plan on changing some of them out soon. My newer stuff I'm using premade covers.


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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

I like the cover of The Accident. Typography, especially, looks good to me. (For what that's worth--I'm not an expert, just know what I like.) The book with the fly, while a cool looking cover, looks like a book for middle-graders. Is that your target audience? And I read the sample of The Rollover and it's written in second-person. That is a really hard sell. I had a very short story like that in Sidelines. I wrote it for a challenge originally, and liked it, eventually getting it in an online literary magazine. However, when I decided to publish it a few months back, I changed it to first person. I actually like it better now, which surprised me. Have you thought about changing pov?


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Everyone who's a writer rides the emotional roller-coaster from time to time, my friend. Welcome to the club.

But as Joe Konrath often says, the only thing that can get in the way of your success, long-term, is you.

Translation: Just don't give up. Giving up is the only barrier anymore.

Sure, there are ways to up your game...

Better editing. Better feedback before releasing something, to help you improve your story-telling. Better covers and packaging.

And there are solutions to all those challenges.

Better editing/feedback? Try running your ms. past fellow writers in a critique group. That's what Write On by Amazon does well at.

(But, for heaven's sake, be open to constructive critique. Some writers are so resistant to feedback that says their work isn't already perfect as-is, they really hamper their own success.)

Not happy with your current editor after that? There are many to choose from. Buy the services of the best one available at the rate you can afford to pay.

Better packaging/covers? The KBoards Yellow Pages is full of talented folks who excel at that and are generally priced within reach of indie budgets.

But the biggest hurdle is understanding that the only person in the current market who can fire you, is you.

So write a little harder, read great writing a bit more and learn from it, keep going.

There are no shortcuts... and no one magic button to push to change your outcome other than sticking with it and striving to get better each time out.

In the age of genre pulp magazines, that's how writers got started.

Long before he wrote STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and became one of the most celebrated SF authors of the 1960s, Robert Heinlein was writing for pulps like WEIRD TALES and SHOCKING CRIME STORIES and... he was not as well-compensated, nor as good a writer, as he eventually became.

He became who he became because he kept at it.


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## SunshineOnMe (Jan 11, 2014)

There's a ton of great advice here so far. I'm just here with a virtual hug. Cookies? Wine? 

I have a good feeling things are going to turn around for you. It's surprising what a few tweaks can do. Try the bknights $5 promo. Check into your key words. You can use more than 7 because they count the commas, not the words.  

You got a lot of compliments here about your writing ability. You've got the skills!!


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Group hug.


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## Crystal_ (Aug 13, 2014)

First of all, remember that you are a whole person. You are more than the books you've written, and you are more than just a writer! You have value in the world no matter how many or few books you sell.

I had a similar moment a few months ago after I launched my first book to crickets and mediocre reviews. I modeled my plan after an author who made over $10k in her first month wheres I just broke $100 (and some of that was me buying copies for reviewers).

It was totally brutal. So take some time and do whatever you need to do to get moping out of your system. Cry, scream, hit a punching bag, whatever.

Then, decide what your priority is: do you want to make art? do you want to make a living? will you only be happy writing one specific genre, even if you'll never make decent scratch that way? do you just want a lot of people do read your books?

I decided I was to turn writing into a full-time job, so I made an aggressive plan to write and release commercially viable books in a series in a popular genre (romance).

With my first book, I did a lot of things readers hate. My protagonist is a cheater and a whiny cheater at that. I love the book and what I did, but I have to admit that I wrote it for myself and not to appeal to specific readers.

You may give up on part of your original goal. I know I have. But that's okay. Life changes and your priorities change.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I picked up Happiness.    Thanks for the enjoyable,  unique read.    Loved the ending.


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## FMH (May 18, 2013)

Read this aloud:
I am enjoying commercial success for my serial
I am so grateful for all the people who are buying and enjoying my stories
I am selling fifty books a day
I am pouring this love into my books, my characters, my promotions... and as my book publish, they are being bought by hundreds of thousands of people.
Kindle boards is full of writers willing to help me
I am listening to the positive comments and suggestions and am pointing by the inner voice inside me toward which I will enjoy using
I only listen to the positive comments and suggestions, and am grateful for all the help
I am grateful I have been gifted with the dream of being a writer, and I am willing to let go and live that dream today.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Adding to the last post.

I will not turn into Bob Savage.


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## CesarAnthony (Jul 10, 2014)

Just my 2 cents. Take them or leave them.

First.
I would change the covers to something.

Second, have you considered writing in another genre that you enjoy and also sells? 

Keep at it!!!!


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## sela (Nov 2, 2014)

There is some really great advice in this thread. I haven't read your books either but I did read the excerpt and I bought the first book in your series. Your writing looks solid to me and your premise has potential.

Without having read the book, my personal opinion as someone casually looking at your book's product page, for what it's worth:

You might consider a new cover that fits in more with the top selling books in your subcategories. Top selling mysteries, thriller and suspense all have a certain feel that your cover lacks. Something simpler and starker, darker, ominous. I know it's hard to afford to pay for a good cover if you are barely scraping by but you can buy great pre-mades for $35 and for me, that is what would make the difference between checking it out and passing it by. Some of the books in your same genre tend to have lonely looking covers, like Gone Girl or Grey Mountain or Deadline. Go to Fiver and ask someone to design you a cover more like them.

I'd also suggest you think about revising your blurb to make it more suspenseful. Does she know right away that Christian is guilty? If not, don't give it away -- make it more suggestive so that the reader wants to know if he is guilty. If she knows right away, then that's different. Play up the fact that she's been used by a skilled psychopath and now is fighting to find her son before it's too late.

Seriously? Unless you are getting most of your sales on non-Amazon retailers, I'd put the series in KU to get some exposure and some free days.

Finally, how does your title relate to your novel? I didn't get an immediate connection. If this is a book about a woman trying to save her son against a cold blooded killer involved in a human trafficking ring, unless the title is relevant, I'd consider a different title. It's confusing to me as to what genre it is in. It could be a romance novel instead of a thriller/suspense/crime book.

Don't give up! It sounds as if you want to be successful. There's nothing wrong with that. Just because you haven't sold 10,000 copies doesn't mean that your book is bad, but that perhaps the packaging isn't what will work to get your book visible. Visibility is everything after quality. And by quality, I mean telling a great story.

This story premise has potential to be great but perhaps a bit of tweaking of the overall appearance and blurb so you can get the reader to open up your book and give it a chance. I'd work on the metadata, cover, title, blurb and get it in KU, and then I'd write book three. If you are still unsatisfied, then I would move on to your next series or book. Most writers languish with their first books no matter how good they might be because there is a steep learning curve around marketing, promotion and visibility.

ETA: I wanted to add some observations from Russell Blake, which is on his blog that you can read here: http://russellblake.com/amazing/

His blog post is about what an amazing time it is for authors. In the post, he speaks about the successful indies he knows -- people who are making serious bank but who are still largely unknowns. We're talking half a mill - $2 million a year.

Here's an excerpt:

"What do all of these authors have in common, though? All these indies who are making serious, and in some cases, insane, bank? First, they publish regularly. As in once every few months, and in some cases, once every month. Second, they work in genres that will support them. While most of the top earners are in romance or one of its offshoots, others are in science fiction, which voraciously consumes indie work; some are in my genre (action thrillers), some in mystery, some in fantasy. Third, they all work long hours and take this extremely seriously. Fourth, they operate their publishing businesses like businesses, not like hobbies. They have production schedules they stick to. They market and promote. They invest in professional help when necessary and grasp that you have to spend money to make it. Fifth, they write books readers enjoy reading, as opposed to books their muse dictates they write. That's an important distinction, because what we as authors often want to write might not be all that marketable. So we compromise based on our understanding of the market. And sixth, they're constantly adjusting their sails to best negotiate treacherous water and ever-shifting winds. They're pragmatic. And most have great senses of humor, as well as a keen appreciation of irony. That goes with the gig, I suppose. As does pragmatism.

Some of them write magnificently original novels that push the envelope. But most don't. They write genre fiction that supplies what their consumers want to buy. Some do it with remarkable prose, some with workmanlike sentences, but the point is that it doesn't matter to their fans -- they write the prose their audience wants."

So there is some of Blake's insights into the habits of highly successful indie authors, to coopt a phrase. Write in a well-selling genre, write and publish a lot, treat it like a business, take yourself and your business seriously, give readers what they want and remain flexible, adjusting to the new realities. Anyway, I think the key is that you have to be publishing material that people want to read, but you also have to find a way to get it in front of your potential readers. If they don't know your book exists, it doesn't matter how good it is. Visibility is everything for indies. As always, I highly recommend _Let's Get Visible_ by David Gaughran, _Write, Publish Repeat_ by Platt and Truant, and _How To Market A Book_ by Joanna Penn. My bibles for indie publishing. Not coincidentally you can buy all three together in one volume.  http://www.amazon.com/Indie-Author-Power-Pack-Publish-ebook/dp/B00OS96EYU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417755653&sr=1-1&keywords=the+indie+author+power+pack

Good luck!


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

bobbic said:


> Here are a few thoughts. I read the sample of The Accident, and yes, you can write. I didn't see any typos, bad grammar, or anything that would scream Go Away. The cover looked good to me, too. I have to think that it's the genre--horror--and not anything you're doing. I've heard, and it may be wrong, that horror is hard to sell unless you've built up a following. I'm not sure how to do that, maybe write for some of the numerous 'zines that are out there--build up a following that way.
> 
> If you love writing crime fiction, then do it. But don't do it just because you think it might sell better. I've been there. I can see, though, where you could write that if you want to. You definitely have that "suspense" thing going. I don't think switching is necessarily going to lead to big sales, either.
> 
> Not sure this helped. It's just a few thoughts. There are lots of us here trying to figure out what will lead to more sales. Good luck!


Depends on what sub-genre of horror you're talking about. My first book was post apocalyptic horror and I was in the top 100 paid books on Amazon within a week and sold a couple thousand in my first month...that was my very first book, no following. I also had a publisher,and they marketed me, but I have to believe if horror was hard to sell that my results would have been less than stellar. I don't think horror as a whole is a hard sell.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

bobbic said:


> I want to know WHY horror is such a tough genre. I've been thinking of moving more in that direction, too since lots of my shorts are "macabre" but I'd hate to move into something that sells even slower.
> 
> FictionFugitive, you said you like dark fantasy. Why not try some shorts in that and see what happens? You don't have to finish the crime serial first.
> 
> Good luck!


Frankly, it's not. Horror is not any worse than any other genre of you're good at it.

But expecting to make a few hundred a month of of two books is not a modest expectation. I know of romance writers who don't make that and romance is supposedly hot.

Writing is hard work and while eBooks have made some aspects easier, there is no get rich quick to it for most of us. There is only writing what we love as much as we can for as long as we can and building our audience one reader at a time.

Blaming the genre is lazy thinking. The top selling writer of the last 40 years is a horror writer : Stephen King.

The top cable show is The Walking Dead.

Horror is doing fine. Writers can do well in it. But it's not easy. It never is.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

FictionFugitive said:


> I've been at this for a year and a half. I have two full-length novels in a crime thriller serial, three short stories (one permafree, working on getting another one there), and a short story collection. And I haven't sold 50 copies TOTAL.


I'd make the first novel and all the short stories free, leaving just novel #2 and the story collection paid. If they're not selling at all and never have, there's not much to lose, and getting nice reviews and other kinds of positive feedback from readers is quite motivating.


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## William M Dean-Author (Nov 11, 2014)

Looks like lots of support for your work here. I read the first few pages of So Damn Beautiful and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was very smoothly written. If the rest of the story is as well constructed as the opening, it will be a great read. Not my normal genre, but reading-wise I'm all over the place, these days so I bought a copy for my kindle. This was not a sympathy sale. I truly liked the opening scene. Also, lately I've been a little depressed at the state of writing from other indie authors I'm following on various social media. A great lack of proper editing is killing otherwise good stories. 

I think the main problem with your writing is that it has not been seen. Now that there are so many venues for self-publishing, there's a lot of mud in the water... I think I recall reading that there were 450,000 titles published last year!

Anyway, same problem for all of us indie writers. Some will be lucky enough to find a vein of writers, others will go unread. The marketing is real work and there can't be a single answer or everyone would be a successful author.

Good luck.


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## AlbertB (Nov 11, 2014)

Got Happiness, Inc. and Spoiled Lunch; nothing else really grabbed me, but that's just me, not you. Dude, seriously, you've written and published _six books! Lots of people here-myself included-are struggling to finish one; you've already won. You just need to follow the great advice you've been given here (even though, personally, I will say I dug the majority of your covers. Again, just me). Best of luck!_


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Hutchinson said:


> You got people to buy your stuff just from this thread posting, very impressive work!


This. And people here don't buy from sympathy; it's because they were attracted by your writing skills. Hopefully, validation by your peers means something. You've got the writing chops, now it's follow through, finding your joy, and coming up with a marketing plan.

Writers are angst filled creatures, so *hugs* Have short five minute pity parties then back to work.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

William M Dean-Author said:


> Now that there are so many venues for self-publishing, there's a lot of mud in the water... I think I recall reading that there were 450,000 titles published last year!


Unless one is willing to admit THEIR books are part of the problem, can we dispense with casting aspersions on other unnamed authors?

It's pretty arrogant of anyone to throw out a blanket statement like that, implying that a bunch of folks' work is ebook pollution, in effect, clouding the skies to block people from seeing your own unique genius.

One would think that a person should become at least a mid-lister before thinking their own work is so much better than everyone else's.

Are there books out there I wouldn't read? Plenty.

But unless I've read them, I can't tell you they're bad.

One person's "junk" might be a really handy book for someone else.

Let's not build each other up by tearing other writers down.

I think Lisa Grace, at least, has read the work of a certain unnamed author I've read as well, who had more than a little to say about the fruits of "foolish pride."


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

I'm sympathetic to most of the writers here who are struggling...most of all, me. But I can't afford to buy out of sympathy. I bought because the stories looked pretty cool. So please don't think they were pity sales...they weren't.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

I think my net income on Amazon after my first full year of publishing was like $18.


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## Mark Dawson (Mar 24, 2012)

1. Chin up. I remember what it felt like to sell not very much at all.

2. Write more. Get past worrying about sales, and do it because you love it. If you don't love it, stop and do something else.

3. Write more. More books means more discoverability on Amazon. I think it was Ghosts, my seventh book, that marked a step change for me.

4. I'm afraid I don't agree with those who like the covers. They're not bad at all, but not bad is not good enough. Pony up enough to get one designer to design covers for all of the books, together with - very important - a brand for you as a writer. If you are interested, I could see if my designer would be interested in that. Let me know.

5. Metadata. Check out the blog of my friend Nick Stephenson. He has a useful book, too: Supercharge Yoru Kindle Sales. It's worth a read.

Keep going. This will look like a bump on the road in a year's time, because you can certainly write.

And good luck.


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## chele (Jun 5, 2013)

You have some wonderful advice in this topic to move forward. Do not give up.

I am in the same situation as you. I have 2 books on sale and am struggling. It's all well and good for people to say keep writing, keep releasing, but when you have to pay for editing, cover design, marketing, etc, and you're not making enough money to cover those elements, it's difficult. Whenever I see a single sale, I get a boost of excitement that is bigger than it probably should be, but still, it's a sale. 

It sucks. That is the long and short of it. When you're at this stage it can suck. But don't give up. Write things you're passionate about and enjoy the ride. That passion will shine through and slowly but surely, it will pull readers to you. 

My only suggestion here on how to move forward from here is to change your levels of success. If you go into this with the goal of earning 1,000 a month or something like that, you'll feel unsuccessful for a long time. That can still be a goal, but put some others before it. 

Sell a book to someone you have never met.
Sell 10 copies in a single week.
Receive a review from someone you didn't ask to review the book via a website, etc.
Sell 50 copies in a month.
Have ten reviews on all of your books.
Start making a profit. 

So, instead of feeling unsuccessful for not hitting that massive goal, you'll start feeling your success in small and achievable steps, each one taking you closer to that bigger goal. 

Do not feel bad. You are not alone.


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## PearlEarringLady (Feb 28, 2014)

judygoodwin said:


> 2012: (5 short stories published from May to December) copies sold: 17 total across all 5, across all vendors.
> 2013: (4 additional short stories published, and 1 epic fantasy novel, 2 pen names) copies sold: 116 across all titles, all vendors.
> 2014, through October only: 3 additional short stories published, 1 additional epic fantasy novel) copies sold: 341 across all titles, all vendors.


This kind of information is absolutely golden. So few authors post this kind of real-world outcome. It's so reassuring.

The trouble with selling books (or any digital product, I suppose) is that the range of possible outcomes is huge, from zero to big, big numbers. If you sell, say, cup-cakes, then the limit is the number you can make, given the time and money available. With books, there is no upper limit, other than the total book-reading population.

So while every wet-behind-the-ears first-time author knows, rationally, that sales are likely to be low, it takes time, patience, write more books, yada yada, there is always that miniscule chance of hitting the big time. Every book could, in theory, be THE ONE. So you hope. You tell yourself it won't sell many, but a part of your brain is whispering: but it totally could!

And then it doesn't. And you knew it wouldn't. So you shouldn't be disappointed, but you are anyway. It's illogical, but it's human nature.

And that's why we need plenty of prawny threads to balance all the inspiring success stories.


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

I think maybe your expectations are wrong. When I first started to write, it was just therapy for me. My life was just so crappy. For me it helped me to relax. I never intended on selling any. When I stumbled on KDP, I was ecstatic that someone actually bought one of my books.

Maybe that's what your having trouble with. You obviously have as your goal to make $$. But I think a lot of that is luck. If you want to write, I don't think $$ should even come into consideration. You should write for more simpler reasons and goals.  If you get lucky and make a bunch of $$ then great. But no one should come into this business or hobby and expect to make money.

It's just too competitive, and every year someone else joins the party in the hundreds if not thousands. That's just my two cents. Take it or leave it, but I have a lot more peace when I'm not hoping on a lot of sales for money.


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## NoCat (Aug 5, 2010)

Sharlow said:


> I think maybe your expectations are wrong. When I first started to write, it was just therapy for me. My life was just so crappy. For me it helped me to relax. I never intended on selling any. When I stumbled on KDP, I was ecstatic that someone actually bought one of my books.
> 
> Maybe that's what your having trouble with. You obviously have as your goal to make $$. But I think a lot of that is luck. If you want to write, I don't think $$ should even come into consideration. You should write for more simpler reasons and goals. If you get lucky and make a bunch of $$ then great. But no one should come into this business or hobby and expect to make money.
> 
> It's just too competitive, and every year someone else joins the party in the hundreds if not thousands. That's just my two cents. Take it or leave it, but I have a lot more peace when I'm not hoping on a lot of sales for money.


Publishing a business. Sure, you can do it as a hobby, and that's great. But it's ridiculous to say "don't go into business to make money"... I mean, would you tell someone opening a restaurant or a boutique shop that they should just sell food or clothes or whatever because they love clothes and not have a plan on how to make money? Publishing isn't any different. It is totally reasonable to expect that if you are running your business, which this is, correctly, you will make money. How much and how soon depend on a lot of factors, only some of which are in your control. But there is plenty the OP could do differently that would have a much higher rate of success if his goal, as stated, is to make money at this business. Lots of people in this thread have already pointed out what he could be doing differently.


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## C. Gockel (Jan 28, 2014)

> Maybe that's what your having trouble with. You obviously have as your goal to make $$. But I think a lot of that is luck. If you want to write, I don't think $$ should even come into consideration. You should write for more simpler reasons and goals. If you get lucky and make a bunch of $$ then great. But no one should come into this business or hobby and expect to make money.


This. If your goal is to make money, writing isn't the best option. Yes, there are a lot of great, business savvy writers on this board, who write excellent books to market. But the thing is, nothing is certain, even some of the big names have seen their incomes topple in the past few months--and what is to market today, may not be to market tomorrow.

There are career options that are more financially stable: all sorts of health technician jobs, electrical repair type jobs, and more. You can have a job and still write.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

ㅈㅈ said:


> Publishing a business. Sure, you can do it as a hobby, and that's great. But it's ridiculous to say "don't go into business to make money"... I mean, would you tell someone opening a restaurant or a boutique shop that they should just sell food or clothes or whatever because they love clothes and not have a plan on how to make money? Publishing isn't any different. It is totally reasonable to expect that if you are running your business, which this is, correctly, you will make money. How much and how soon depend on a lot of factors, only some of which are in your control. But there is plenty the OP could do differently that would have a much higher rate of success if his goal, as stated, is to make money at this business. Lots of people in this thread have already pointed out what he could be doing differently.


I've never looked at writing as a business. I'm not self published, so maybe there is a different pressure there. Either way, I've always considered it an artistic outlet. I've always considered myself an artist. I happen to be very good at what I do. I have always believed that success follows talent and resilience (I believe you need both). I'm doing this full time, so I have to believe I'm on to something. To each their own.

My advice to the OP, just focus on being the best you can be. If you've got the talent and the resilience then I believe you've got a shot at making it, the money will follow, so stop focusing on it. Don't give up. If this is your passion then you won't.


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## William M Dean-Author (Nov 11, 2014)

Ok - so I had a few minutes and decided to sit down and read a few pages of So Damn Beautiful -- then suddenly realized I was 1/2 the way through. It's a fun, easy read which totally drew me in. I don't usually like stories written in 1st person, but this is an exception. I really like the character -- she's strong but human and the story tests her. I find her very easy to relate to. I also notice a depth in many of your smallest comments that help to quickly set scenes or establish secondary characters. Very smooth. 

This will sell. People just have to see it. 

As long as the rest of the book holds up as well, then once I'm done, I'll put up a good review on Amazon. 
(wmdean.com)


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

ㅈㅈ said:


> Publishing a business. Sure, you can do it as a hobby, and that's great. But it's ridiculous to say "don't go into business to make money"... I mean, would you tell someone opening a restaurant or a boutique shop that they should just sell food or clothes or whatever because they love clothes and not have a plan on how to make money? Publishing isn't any different. It is totally reasonable to expect that if you are running your business, which this is, correctly, you will make money. How much and how soon depend on a lot of factors, only some of which are in your control. But there is plenty the OP could do differently that would have a much higher rate of success if his goal, as stated, is to make money at this business. Lots of people in this thread have already pointed out what he could be doing differently.


I see your point, but writing isn't like most other business. For one thing the ones you pointed out require start up capital. A lot of start up. You can start writing with little or no money. Also your not going to find thousands of people starting the same business and fighting for the same exposure in your city and town that you do in Amazon. Plus if you have ever tried opening a restaurant or other physical business then you know that the failure rate is high.

Comparing the two are totally different. Writing maybe a business, but it's like no physical one that I know of. It seems closer to an acting career. Some are big hits, others make a decent living at it, some eek out a little money, but the vast majority make little or nothing. People get discouraged and give up on their dreams in that industry. Just like writing.

That's why I was suggesting that being a writer is a labor of love. Artistic in nature. Sure it's easy to call it a business when your making thousands or more a month, but not so for the guy who's making $20 or so a month. I've been in both places. At the moment I'm in the $20 department. It can be a real roller coaster at times and I think for most people doing it for love is a lot better on our mental health then counting the money.


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## hermione47 (Nov 5, 2014)

JV said:


> I've never looked at writing as a business. I'm not self published, so maybe there is a different pressure there. Either way, *I've always considered it an artistic outlet. I've always considered myself an artist*. I happen to be very good at what I do. I have always believed that success follows talent and resilience (I believe you need both). I'm doing this full time, so I have to believe I'm on to something. To each their own.
> 
> My advice to the OP, just focus on being the best you can be. If you've got the talent and the resilience then I believe you've got a shot at making it, the money will follow, so stop focusing on it. Don't give up. If this is your passion then you won't.


Thank God (or whoever is out there) for people like you!


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## HappyToHelp (Sep 27, 2014)

I just finished "Happiness, Inc." and loved it. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. I love your voice, and your overall writing style. You have talent. Lots of it. You just need exposure. I'm excited to see what will happen for you once you take some of the advice offered here. Keep writing.


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