# September blues - declining sales?



## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

My Amazon sales are in a downward spiral I don't seem to be able to do anything about. Not sure what is happening - football, September school expenses, competition lowering their prices? No way to be certain. Sure hope this is temporary. I even have a new book out and that's not helping.

Hope I'm the only one seeing this.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Taking away for new releases, my lines are mostly pointing down. I hear some people saying this is a typical seasonal slowdown, but I've only been actually selling books for less than a year, so I don't know.


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## ecg52 (Apr 29, 2013)

You are not the only one. My books have been on a decline all summer and September is showing an even greater decline. I will have another book ready near the end of October and can only hope that there will be an end of year/Xmas up trend.


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## mariehallwrites (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm seeing a significant slow down on my books apart from my new release which has gone way up. I think part of the problem is there are a lot of anticipated new releases right now (at least in the NA world which is a big part of the buying market at the moment), but this is my first year publishing so I have no history to back it up. Just my gut feeling.


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

Mimi said:


> Taking away for new releases, my lines are mostly pointing down. I hear some people saying this is a typical seasonal slowdown, but I've only been actually selling books for less than a year, so I don't know.


I just looked at mine from last year and I was down about 82 books in all of September from all of August. However, I have unpublished old ones and published new ones. So far this month, I'm already down over a hundred books on the 18th. So maybe this is just a standard down month. I feel better now...sort of.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

I was lucky enough recently to have a book on the Top 100, and while I'm not meaning to sound ungrateful (lo, for I am grateful), the actual volume of sales was not exactly in line with what I expected for the rank, you know?


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## GWakeling (Mar 23, 2012)

As others have said, you're not the only one. Last month was pretty good for me and I thought sales were taking a nice steady nice. Seems I was wrong. This month they've flatlined and are abysmal. Nothing I do seems to correct it. :\

Just going to keep writing and try to ride the wave out!


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## Alex Jace (May 6, 2013)

My sales are down slightly on last month despite releasing every weekend. But it's a long game and I can bide my time.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

My sales dropped to nothing, but in August I took the plunge and put all my 22 titles on KDP Select and started FREE Promos. Of course, circulation increased immediately, but to my surprise, my sales tripled for August and in September have quadrupled. Now we're not talking quite your job type money. But I've made enough this month to pay the electric bill and the Americn Express (one of them)   It's work with 110 FREE promotion days a quarter, but since I'm in this enterprise for readership, the program is working for me . . . now. I'm not so naive to believe it will continue, but it sure beats a run of seven poor months with few readers. Since I started in 2007 with Kindle, I inherited the balmy days of 2010 and 2011 before Amazon shifted their mattrix to favor other sectors. I now realize, when you're on KDP Select, the algorithm shifts back.

Edward C. Patterson


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## David Thayer (Sep 7, 2012)

This month I've gotten sales from a Book basset promo, otherwise not much. I put Black Forest back into Select after a week of being in the cold cruel world.
Edward, whatever did you mean the algo returns? most intriguing.


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## MegHarris (Mar 4, 2010)

My sales have been collapsing for the past three months on Amazon and B&N, and this month is so pitiful as to not be worth talking about. Partly my own fault, as I haven't had a new release in a while. I'm going to try to put out a few new titles and see if it helps.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

DDark said:


> Clearly I need to start writing porn.


Ditto. Will throwing a Vampire into the mix still work or are we on to something new? Could be an emo vampire with wings. And tentacles.

Man, I am ONE review away from advertising Rebel Alliances with BookBub and then they upped the requirements!


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

My sales are continuing in the generally slow but steady upward trend that I've seen since I started publishing. Overall sales volume seems to be a bit lower (hitting higher ranks with fewer sales), but I'm meeting my projections, so I don't see anything suppressing my sales.

* I also have a stupidly large backlist at this point and experience fewer fluctuations in sales from month to month than I used to. Take my observations for what you will.


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## LG Castillo (Jun 28, 2012)

My sales are way down. The sales from my new release (released on Saturday) are pretty depressing.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

This my fourth fall, and my sales have always declined through the summer and fall. In the past I've had a new release in October or November and my winter has been much better. This year I'm not sure I'll manage a new release yet this year, and if I do, it won't be a romance but another cozy mystery, so I worry the holidays may not be so grand, but I plan to keep trucking and try to put out 3 books in 2014.


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

DDark said:


> Vampire Porn NA with an almost kissing cover and a sequel from the tentacle's perspective.


Every time I get a really new, really cool idea, somebody steals it.  

(Plan B: Slice, dice and pickle tentacles in quart jars and price them at .99.)


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2013)

My Amazon sales have been consistent, even edging up a tad.  Sales on Smashwords have been zero all quarter, but the distributors continue to give me a few sales each week.  It's really so hard to tell with them though.


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## Tim_A (May 25, 2013)

I've gone from my best month ever in August, to my worst in September. I've had just 4 sales for the whole month so far - 2 in UK and 2 in US. And that's despite spending twice as much on promo and advertising.

It'll bankrupt me at this rate!


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

Tim_A said:


> I've gone from my best month ever in August, to my worst in September. I've had just 4 sales for the whole month so far - 2 in UK and 2 in US. And that's despite spending twice as much on promo and advertising.
> 
> It'll bankrupt me at this rate!


Maybe promos this month is not a good idea. I need a plan. I just wish I knew what plan.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm not sure if this September will match last year's, which was my best month ever, but so far things are going well and definitely better than August. My new release has done well right out of the door, Amazon and Kobo sales are normal, ARe is finally showing signs of life again and to my utter amazement I'm actually seeing B&N sales. I think I've sold more at B&N this month than in the previous ten months I've had my books listed there altogether. Of course, I used to sell almost nothing at B&N, but still...


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

August 400 sales, this month 72. My books fell off the 30 day new book wall. "In which hurts a wei bit  "O'well, I will have enough to buy a pack of cigarettes." I guess, I need to write better books if I want sales.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Aside from the returns, my sales are actually steady with August and up from July (my worst month to date).

Rue


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## dotx (Nov 4, 2010)

Tim_A said:


> I've gone from my best month ever in August, to my worst in September. I've had just 4 sales for the whole month so far - 2 in UK and 2 in US. And that's despite spending twice as much on promo and advertising.
> 
> It'll bankrupt me at this rate!


Same here. August was my best month ever. I'm down about 75% in September.


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

Mine are way down this month.


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## Sarah Woodbury (Jan 30, 2011)

This is my third September and the third autumn where my sales start declining after 9/11 ish. If it holds true to form, October will be the worst month of the year. New releases tend to help.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Up for me, but I had third installment in a series (after a very long wait) release and set first in series free. And I hope to finish something over the weekend or Wednesday by latest and get a last goose in for September before she yields to October.


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## SBJones (Jun 13, 2011)

This is my third summer.  So far sales seem to be following the same pattern.  For myself, July is the low, Aug is a little better than July and September is a little better than Aug.  Normal should hit again next month.  December and January I see 50% of my yearly sales.  I have new work coming out next month so I expect the trend to continue as they have.


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## Glenn Wood (May 7, 2013)

I'm in a different category to a lot of you guys - non fiction memoir and humour but I had a really slow start to August - then a book bub ad towards end month - sales rocketed (for a few days) and have now been very solid through first half Sept.  Not sure if it's still residue from book Bub or good word of mouth - whatever - I'll take it.


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## Susan Kaye Quinn (Aug 8, 2011)

smreine said:


> My sales are continuing in the generally slow but steady upward trend that I've seen since I started publishing. Overall sales volume seems to be a bit lower (hitting higher ranks with fewer sales), but I'm meeting my projections, so I don't see anything suppressing my sales.
> 
> * I also have a stupidly large backlist at this point and experience fewer fluctuations in sales from month to month than I used to. Take my observations for what you will.


Where can I get a stupidly large backlist?  I think that would solve all my problems.


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

Susan Kaye Quinn said:


> Where can I get a stupidly large backlist?  I think that would solve all my problems.


I found mine behind the couch cushions.


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## Writerly Writer (Jul 19, 2012)

smreine said:


> I found mine behind the couch cushions.


You write quicker than you can publish, don't you? That's your secret. I know it. Okay, I actually don't know anything.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Sales of my first book are down compared to last month, but I've had a new release which is ticking along pretty nicely so I can't complain.


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## Lyndawrites (Aug 7, 2011)

July was good - with a new release late in the month - and August was better. September started OK, then slowed down, and stopped completely on the 17th. Not a thing, not a sausage, zilch for 3 whole days.

Have a new release scheduled for November but thinking I really need to pull it forward. Must write faster.


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## The 13th Doctor (May 31, 2012)

I'm doing okay, bearing in mind my average is about 4 paid sales a month on Amazon. Sold 10 on .com and 2 on .uk. That's with two new 'naughty shorts' and actually doing some promoting.

I'm releasing a novella next week so hopefully that will give me some sales in October.


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## RinG (Mar 12, 2013)

The first half of the month was abysmal, 4 sales in two weeks! Then 2 days ago I put out my new release, and started a free promo for book 1, so things are looking quite nice right now. Getting some lovely comments from people, as they read through book 2, so I'm pretty happy right now.


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

July was my best month ever with 9 sales of main book. Then August was my worst month since December, with just two sales of my main book. This month...no sales AT ALL for my main book, just one sale for my short story. 

But I'm still feeling quite hopeful for next month. I've got some short stories that I'm going to start releasing at the end of this month, then I've got a promotion and new release (my second full length novel) scheduled for the end of October.


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

My sales have been in a free fall since 2011. It's kind of a weird feeling watching your sales build up for over a year and a half and then reach an all time high, just to watch them drop over the next couple of years to almost nothing. Mid 2011 I was selling around 5,000 books a month. This month I'll be lucky to sell 20 books in America. Personally I haven't a clue what caused the free fall. But it has changed my perspective on things. I'm just glad I ever got to such high numbers at one time.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Sharlow said:


> My sales have been in a free fall since 2011. It's kind of a weird feeling watching your sales build up for over a year and a half and then reach an all time high, just to watch them drop over the next couple of years to almost nothing. Mid 2011 I was selling around 5,000 books a month. This month I'll be lucky to sell 20 books in America. Personally I haven't a clue what caused the free fall. But it has changed my perspective on things. I'm just glad I ever got to such high numbers at one time.


Are you still adding new books?


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## dotx (Nov 4, 2010)

Sharlow said:


> My sales have been in a free fall since 2011. It's kind of a weird feeling watching your sales build up for over a year and a half and then reach an all time high, just to watch them drop over the next couple of years to almost nothing. Mid 2011 I was selling around 5,000 books a month. This month I'll be lucky to sell 20 books in America. Personally I haven't a clue what caused the free fall. But it has changed my perspective on things. I'm just glad I ever got to such high numbers at one time.


Yes, what happened. Are you still publishing new books? Have you switched genres? Did you stop promoting? It's a big change.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

Sharlow said:


> Personally I haven't a clue what caused the free fall. But it has changed my perspective on things. I'm just glad I ever got to such high numbers at one time.


I'd blame the Twilight hysteria and a glut of vampire books on the market. Looks like you were there are the right time.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Quiss said:


> I'd blame the Twilight hysteria and a glut of vampire books on the market. Looks like you were there are the right time.


I had a vamp title under another name in 2010 that did super well for the time and then 2011 the floor seemed to drop out of the genre, so I agree. Shifters are a much better game now  (and kinky, non-paranormal billionaires are even better game).


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## MegHarris (Mar 4, 2010)

> Mid 2011 I was selling around 5,000 books a month. This month I'll be lucky to sell 20 books in America.


Sometimes you just hit it big for a while. I sold 11,500 books on Barnes and Noble in a single month in early 2011. Every novella I put up for sale did great there and started selling hundreds of copies a day just a few days after I put it up for sale. Then they hit me and a lot of other erotic authors with the famous extra 1000 ranking points, and after that my sales slid a long way down. Now I'm hardly selling anything on B&N at all (283 in total last month). What goes up must come down, I suppose *shrugs*. The market changes, and it's not always possible to stay on top.


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

Sharlow said:


> My sales have been in a free fall since 2011. It's kind of a weird feeling watching your sales build up for over a year and a half and then reach an all time high, just to watch them drop over the next couple of years to almost nothing. Mid 2011 I was selling around 5,000 books a month. This month I'll be lucky to sell 20 books in America. Personally I haven't a clue what caused the free fall. But it has changed my perspective on things. I'm just glad I ever got to such high numbers at one time.


Do you think this is an indication of the vampire book demise? Maybe it's not just your books, but all the vampire books? Just asking.


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

MegHarris said:


> Sometimes you just hit it big for a while. I sold 11,500 books on Barnes and Noble in a single month in early 2011. Every novella I put up for sale did great there and started selling hundreds of copies a day just a few days after I put it up for sale. Then they hit me and a lot of other erotic authors with the famous extra 1000 ranking points, and after that my sales slid a long way down. Now I'm hardly selling anything on B&N at all (283 in total last month). What goes up must come down, I suppose *shrugs*. The market changes, and it's not always possible to stay on top.


I am seeing the same thing on B&N and I write clean romance. If it weren't for Kobo, I'd really be hurting.


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## Brian Olsen (Jan 13, 2013)

I'm still new at this, one book published in June and one short story earlier this month, but September has seen a clear drop for me even so. I've got three days left on my KDP Select for the book, so I decided to use up my three remaining free promotion days. Not doing a thing for my pocketbook, but it's fun to see my book in the top free lists again!


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## AnitaDobs (Sep 18, 2012)

smreine said:


> My sales are continuing in the generally slow but steady upward trend that I've seen since I started publishing. Overall sales volume seems to be a bit lower (hitting higher ranks with fewer sales), but I'm meeting my projections, so I don't see anything suppressing my sales.


Me too.

It's quite obviously because we have a tentacle buffer to weather these stormy seas.


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## donnajherren (Mar 7, 2013)

Ours are up for the month, but that's entirely because we released the 3rd book in the series after a six-month gap.


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

AnitaDobs said:


> Me too.
> 
> It's quite obviously because we have a tentacle buffer to weather these stormy seas.


Tentacles are the new vampire!


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## AnitaDobs (Sep 18, 2012)

smreine said:


> Tentacles are the new vampire!


I can only agree. Let's give a big push on that and make it happen.

I think we need a young and handsome tentacled lead in a film first though. Just to get the ball rolling. Hollywood is missing a trick really. Way behind the curve on this one.


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## Brian Olsen (Jan 13, 2013)

smreine said:


> Tentacles are the new vampire!


"I know what you are."
"Say it...out loud. Say it."
"Octopus."


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

Brian Olsen said:


> "I know what you are."
> "Say it...out loud. Say it."
> "Octopus."


I snorted scrambled eggs up my nose.


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## RaeC (Aug 20, 2013)

Brian Olsen said:


> "I know what you are."
> "Say it...out loud. Say it."
> "Octopus."


I sense a series waiting to be cranked out.

*gets to work*


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

Patty Jansen said:


> Are you still adding new books?


Yes, I've added several new books. I did go for about 6 months without adding any books during the beginning of the free fall. I had been hospitalized and just couldn't write for awhile. So I thought maybe that was just the source of my troubles. But the new books didn't recapture their former glory, ha-ha.


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)




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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

dotx said:


> Yes, what happened. Are you still publishing new books? Have you switched genres? Did you stop promoting? It's a big change.


I actually did very little promotion to begin with. I did a couple of virtual book tours, and I use to promote on the now defunct Amazon forums. Beyond that I only had my web site and Face book. I was pretty happy when I was just selling a 100 a month. So jumping into the thousands was insane at the time.


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## RaeC (Aug 20, 2013)

The handsome octopus hero reveals himself to her by shimmering in the dark depths of the sea...


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

You could have picked a better-looking octopus. That one's not doing it for me at all.


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## L.C. Candar (Sep 25, 2012)

Brian Olsen said:


> "I know what you are."
> "Say it...out loud. Say it."
> "Octopus."


Ha! I have an octopus in my WIP, so I'm sure it's going to be a bestseller! 
Behold!!!

_A cold snake of fear writhed on Jun's back and hissed into his ear. He stared into the woman's eyes. There was something in them. There was something wrong about her. Something. He just couldn't grasp it. "We are the same, Jun. You and me. We are more than anybody, we are..."
"Octopi! Tasty octopi are the best! Who ordered one lovely juicy octopus?!" Hikaru maneuvered into the room, ballancing a huge plate, and landed the huge dish in the middle of the table. A huge raw octopus resting on a pile of salad gaped its plate-like eyes with a silent reproach. A cold, dead tentacle slipped onto the tablecloth and drooled a wet puddle._

(Uhm, unedited, sorry, I'm not native to English and my editor is still working on the first chapter -___-)


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

Martitalbott said:


> Do you think this is an indication of the vampire book demise? Maybe it's not just your books, but all the vampire books? Just asking.


I'm not entirely sure about this. My vampire books are the only thing selling these days. =) But it is possible I suppose. I've just changed my expectations and learned to adjust to it. I still have people writing me and asking when the next book in a series will be coming out, so there is still interest.


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## Thisiswhywecan&#039;thavenicethings (May 3, 2013)

> Tentacles are the new vampire!


There's got to be a good hybrid character in there:

Dractopussy
Octula
Dracticle

Some sort of tentapire or octopire or maybe a vampacle or vampapus?

ETA:


> I am SOOO having calamari for dinner!


 Baahaa


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## Brian Olsen (Jan 13, 2013)

smreine said:


>


Yes yes yes. Main character - Edward Cuttlefish.


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## Dan Fiorella (Oct 14, 2012)

smreine said:


> Tentacles are the new vampire!


A little song, a little dance, a little squid ink down my pants.


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## jnfr (Mar 26, 2011)

Thanks for sharing your experience, Sharlow. I hope you're well recovered now. What you've gone through reminds us all that living by random sales is a tricky business.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

whine whine gripe whine #&%^#!! September

(just had to whine but couldn't come up with anything creative - just imagine something very eloquent)


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

September has been my best month in 2 years. It's almost laike the old day (2007-200. Pushed out 4,500 so far (a bit down from last months 6,500). but sales are up and royalties have crested $250.00, which cover my doctor bill when they both collide in November.   KDP Select rocks.

Edward C. Patterson


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm already having my best month ever with a couple of days yet to go.


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## SLFleming (Sep 25, 2013)

I'm newly published (July), but August was great, with sales rising into September. The last five days have seen a slump of about 30% per day. I've heard fall can be pretty quiet.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

It seems most of us are suffering. My sales are about fifty percent of what they usually are. Admittedly, I won't be putting out a new (to digital) full-length work until October. I've published a few short pieces, one collection of short stories and three non-fiction (two under pen names).

Just hoping my new release will improve matters.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

This Author rank screen grab of Sept so far just makes me say "wth?"


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

My sales are abysmal this month, but I'm also not doing anything to counter it, so I have to keep that in mind. I decided to skip marketing for to get this novel out and prepare for the Christmas season.


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## Vera Nazarian (Jul 1, 2011)

Brian Olsen said:


> "I know what you are."
> "Say it...out loud. Say it."
> "Octopus."


HAHAHAHA!!!

Okay, I needed that laugh! Good one!!!


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

My September is much better than July/August--but that isn't saying much. I'm definitely going to have to hold off buying my 5th home on the French Riviera. D*mn!

I think the sales are better only because I did a couple of promotions, one with Bookblast and another with ENT. Interesting though, how you get the sales on the day of the promo followed by a black hole. Near enough to a yawning abyss to give me the shakes.  I'm taking it to mean zero promo = few/zero sales. 

All of this is somewhat depressing as I'd planned to be resting on my laurels by now.   

Did hear from some nice happy readers though. Priceless!


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## rjspears (Sep 25, 2011)

My sales started dropping on every thing but latest release in August.  September is looking pretty bleak.  Thankfully, I have a novella coming out soon and a novel coming out in late October or early November.  I only hope things pick up.

--
R.J. Spears


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

My sales are so bad, they started to return the perma free


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## GWakeling (Mar 23, 2012)

I'll be glad when this month is over. I've sold, wait for it, 11 books. I don't sell huge amounts, but the summer months saw increasing sales so I was seeing at least a couple every day. I ran a Book Discovery yesterday and didn't even sell anything via that. Very depressing.

Geoff


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

GWakeling said:


> I'll be glad when this month is over. I've sold, wait for it, 11 books. I don't sell huge amounts, but the summer months saw increasing sales so I was seeing at least a couple every day. I ran a Book Discovery yesterday and didn't even sell anything via that. Very depressing.
> 
> Geoff


Let's hope for better days, when you're at the bottom of the bestseller list... The direction from there is up, maybe to the top.


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## GWakeling (Mar 23, 2012)

Michael Buckley said:


> Let's hope for better days, when you're at the bottom of the bestseller list... The direction from there is up, maybe to the top.


Michael, I like your thinking!


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

My September is running about even with August as of now, which was one of my best months this year. Also, this is the best month I've had in 2013 for Nook and CreateSpace sales.


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## Michael Buckley (Jun 24, 2013)

Ty Johnston said:


> My September is running about even with August as of now, which was one of my best months this year. Also, this is the best month I've had in 2013 for Nook and CreateSpace sales.


You have a blacklist the size of Chicago, it might be helping you a little bit. 52 books? I need to start writing more


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## ChrisWard (Mar 10, 2012)

Jul/Aug were dire but things are picking up. I won't break 100 this month but I should be quite close.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

I don't actually mind the "summer slump". 
But what makes me anxious is not knowing if things will swing upward again. With the changes in the industry and Amazon's tinkering, who's to know? This could be the new reality, with mid-listers sinking away for some reason. The pattern I'm seeing (or imagining) is that those with a big backlist are doing well. The rest of us, not so much.

However, I'm pulling out all the stops for my October promo. Bookblast, Freebooksy, whoever I can beg to post my new title (which will go perma free in December). I've had some good response from some who only take tons of good ratings, because of the strength of my other titles. So that helps. (That didn't work with Bookbub though, dang.)

Does anyone know when Amazon is going ahead with BookMatch? I'm all ready to go with a mail list update!


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## KMatthew (Mar 21, 2012)

This month has been pretty harsh. I'm not looking forward to totaling up sales at the end of the month.


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

Quiss said:


> I don't actually mind the "summer slump".
> But what makes me anxious is not knowing if things will swing upward again. With the changes in the industry and Amazon's tinkering, who's to know? This could be the new reality, with mid-listers sinking away for some reason. The pattern I'm seeing (or imagining) is that those with a big backlist are doing well. The rest of us, not so much.
> 
> However, I'm pulling out all the stops for my October promo. Bookblast, Freebooksy, whoever I can beg to post my new title (which will go perma free in December). I've had some good response from some who only take tons of good ratings, because of the strength of my other titles. So that helps. (That didn't work with Bookbub though, dang.)
> ...


I put my new book in BookMatch and sent customer service a question -- Will a reader who has already bought the ebook be able to gift it? I got back a standard reply that had nothing to do with my question. I don't think they know when or what they are doing yet either.

As for sales this month, my new book didn't take off at all. Oh well, just keep writing. I hope to have another one out before Christmas.


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## Joseph Turkot (Nov 9, 2012)

I'm looking to have my highest grossing month, but sales still won't break 400 I don't think.


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## Joe_Nobody (Oct 23, 2012)

Sept, despite being my birthday month, has been nasssssssy. I had high hopes with the release of my new novel, and it has sold reasonably well, but all of the other books have sucked.

What's so odd about this is that Apple and B&N are up, Amazon and KOBO down. I'm scratching my head over this.


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

Joe_Nobody said:


> Sept, despite being my birthday month, has been nasssssssy. I had high hopes with the release of my new novel, and it has sold reasonably well, but all of the other books have sucked.
> 
> What's so odd about this is that Apple and B&N are up, Amazon and KOBO down. I'm scratching my head over this.


That is odd. My Nook sales are way down and Apple so-so, but climbing a little. Kobo sales are shockingly high these last two months while Amazon has dropped. Do you offer a book free on Kobo? That seems to be what's working for me. Of course, Amazon will price match it. I think Kobo is Amazon's up and coming biggest competitor for the future. Happy birthday.


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## Donna White Glaser (Jan 12, 2011)

My first book went permafree at the beginning of the month and it's boosted my other sales, so I'm doing better this month than in years. Finally. I'm hoping to be able to afford a Bookbub promo if it keeps up.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I know I am buying less books now. I went loco on some of the sales early in the year, I bought more books this year I think than the 2 years before. So I am about out of book money. Certain bills tend to come in at the end of the year. 
So I am totally dialing back on book buying. I started that at the end of August. I had to wean myself off the one click button.


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## M.W.W. Michael Wilkerson U.S. Vet (Sep 16, 2013)

I really don't know what sales are like? lol


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## Marti talbott (Apr 19, 2011)

M.W.W. Michael Wilkerson said:


> I really don't know what sales are like? lol


Don't worry, before long you'll be a fanatic like the rest of us.


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## Cheryl Douglas (Dec 7, 2011)

I've been experiencing the same thing, but I blame myself as I have done zero promo, with the exception of a few Bookbub ads throughout the year. Clearly, I was putting all my eggs in one basket with BB, counting on the 2-3 month post-ad bump to sustain me until the next one. Now that BB changed the rules and pushed it out to 2X year, I have to come up with a new strategy. I know the general consensus is that paid ads don't work, but I've decided to pick six genre specific sites, run the ads for three months and see what happens. What else can we do? When they change the rules of the game, we have to adapt, right?


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

September officially just became my best selling month. The new release really sparked things. Now onward to October.


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

Wansit said:


> September officially just became my best selling month. The new release really sparked things. Now onward to October.


Congrats, that's great to hear!


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

smreine said:


> Congrats, that's great to hear!


 Thanks! I was worried at the beginning of the month bcs I lowered the price on my first book but it's been a nice loss-leader so far.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I had a KB discovery day ad going yesterday and it's brought in some sales. Nothing spectacular, but it's enough to take me from no ranking to 25K. I'll probably sell a few more in the next couple of days. After that, I'll go back to struggling.

September has been okay. At least it's up from August.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Wansit said:


> September officially just became my best selling month. The new release really sparked things. Now onward to October.


Congrats! September 2013 was my best ever month, too, and for much the same reason.


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2013)

I've been snooping out other titles in certain genres today and it seems most have had about half the sales of August.  Ha, and many of the books I've been looking at are the "how to sell ebook" types!


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## Tim_A (May 25, 2013)

September was abysmal - just 4 sales in the first week and nothing after. But no marketing either - what little $ (or £) I have is being held back for a push nearer christmas, when I hope to have 1 or 2 new titles.


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## sarahdalton (Mar 15, 2011)

I'm down, too. I had a release at the end of July which kept me ticking along through August. 

I think Christmas needs to be a big push. Just a shame that I'm feeling particularly lazy at the moment!!


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## Taking my troll a$$ outta here (Apr 8, 2013)

Ah, September has been my best month of sales by double since I started. I think the new release helped but I have no clue what else made a difference. If I did, I'd prolly write an ebook on "how to sell kindle books." It's just luck of the draw I guess. 
I think now that kids are back in school parents can settle down and relax again. Maybe it will pick back up now.


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