tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post1253343014702199890..comments2024-03-25T00:19:25.025-07:00Comments on Adventures in ePublishing: My first year as a self-publisher!Derek J. Canyonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08071753685946640237noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-69347290390816250292019-10-14T02:22:07.325-07:002019-10-14T02:22:07.325-07:00Really informative article post.Really thank you! ...Really informative article post.Really thank you! Fantastic.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pokeridnplay.tk/poker-idnplay-apk/" rel="nofollow">idn poker</a>jonethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15911560923291919347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-56796731421556165512011-11-09T21:10:48.743-08:002011-11-09T21:10:48.743-08:00Jack,
I got lucky, I think. I have no idea why De...Jack,<br /><br />I got lucky, I think. I have no idea why Dead Dwarves Don't Dance started selling well. The only possibility is that cyberpunk is a niche audience and there weren't a lot of other choices?<br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't have any good advice on how to get your first book to start selling. Like others, my best advice is to write more books. If you have three books out in a series there are more chances that more people will discover them.Derek J. Canyonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-4061364154443583112011-11-05T14:36:07.600-07:002011-11-05T14:36:07.600-07:00Derek...nice going, but the BIG question is how do...Derek...nice going, but the BIG question is how do you get the FIRST book to sell given your recommendation to write in series...is it the subject, style ( read" quality-can this bozo write?) and paid promos are duds.. I joined Twitter ( where I met you) and Facebook to promote for free..Twitter is mostly hashmarks and Facebook is terrible..my debut is about a guy who becomes a priest although tempted by a gorgeous friend...the sequel is about his first year when he catches a colleague molesting...I can't give the Good Sheep away..free book reviews take a year..any other thoughts?...keep up your good work..Jack...very discouragedJack Brayhttp://www.thegoodsheep.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-57454180867476767552011-11-01T12:25:23.277-07:002011-11-01T12:25:23.277-07:00Michael,
The slope to the mountain top in sales n...Michael,<br /><br />The slope to the mountain top in sales numbers occurred when I dropped the price for Dead Dwarves Don’t Dance to 99 cents. This resulted in a slow increase in sales. When I hit the top in sales numbers, I raised the price to $2.99, which caused the significant spike in royalty $. I lowered the price back down to 99 cents when the book dropped out of the top 20 genre lists. Other factors also came into play, and I’m not sure why sales have not rebounded. I expect to learn a lot more next summer when I release the sequel to Dead Dwarves Don’t Dance.<br /><br />Jay,<br /><br />Thanks! I just handed off the sequel to The Elemental Odyssey to the editor.<br /><br />Eric, wannabuy,<br /><br />I hope to release the Dead Dwarves Don’t Dance sequel next summer. I start writing it in January.Derek J. Canyonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-25499665734237367702011-10-29T18:25:11.543-07:002011-10-29T18:25:11.543-07:00Derek, that's awesome! Congrats on the great y...Derek, that's awesome! Congrats on the great year and hope you do even better for the next.Manley Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10498513533495519605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-30033147069004799002011-10-24T08:21:24.932-07:002011-10-24T08:21:24.932-07:00Good post, Derek. You're also one of the write...Good post, Derek. You're also one of the writers who caught an Amazon algorithm and had it sell for you - a combination of good writing, good blurb, good cover and luck!<br /><br />You are right about the series. I wrote a series of erotica shorts and they all sell together in a batch.<br /><br />Artemis HuntAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-21781123485075173422011-10-19T14:42:13.392-07:002011-10-19T14:42:13.392-07:00Thank you for sharing all this info. I bought bot...Thank you for sharing all this info. I bought both DDDD and TEO, and enjoyed them both equally. Maybe I'm the exception, a reader who just enjoys good storytelling in many genres, but I'd like to think not. <br /><br />I can't say I would have bought either book had they not been .99. But I can also tell you that I'll likely pay more for sequels to both of those books. It seems the key is to keep getting books up. Good luck, and I wish much success to you because I think you're a quality writer...Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12409785011989904117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-25236674660210278862011-10-18T21:40:28.920-07:002011-10-18T21:40:28.920-07:00Thanks once again for your transparency and insigh...Thanks once again for your transparency and insights. I've got to agree with most of the above conclusions. I would add that it seems *some* readers have become spoiled by the $.99 sales this year, and have decided higher prices are not worth it. <br /><br />I experimented for one month with one of my lesser selling titles, raising the price back up to $2.99, and my sales vanished for that month. It's been almost another month, and they still haven't reached the original volume.Jamie Sedgwick - Jeramy Gateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07309163739300635768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-5255192572063935822011-10-18T20:21:56.357-07:002011-10-18T20:21:56.357-07:00Derek,
Keep up the hard work. Trust me, I know t...Derek,<br /><br />Keep up the hard work. Trust me, I know that work/life/hobby balances are tough to do!<br /><br />I see your heart is in the YA novels and I wish you the best. May I hope for book #2 of DDDD? ;) <br /><br />Good luck,<br />Neilwannabuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04297458705683991405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-8354915715577023712011-10-18T18:35:15.412-07:002011-10-18T18:35:15.412-07:00Not much to add to what the other comments say - w...Not much to add to what the other comments say - write well, and write more. That seems to be the answer. Based on my own likes and dislikes, it's clear that series are more interesting than single works. Wheel of Time may have been too... something (though I loved it till Jordan died) but I look for authors who write connected series, even if like Clive Cussler or John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee books, the connection is merely the main character, versus Harry Potter, where the milieu and the characters carry over from book to book. So the answer becomes write well, write more and write series. That's simple! Thanks.<br /><br />Like the others, I appreciate your willingness to share data with us. If I ever have any, I'll do the same.tonylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15317371592063754371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-84955051823346044092011-10-18T08:48:01.156-07:002011-10-18T08:48:01.156-07:00Derek, thanks for sharing all this information bot...Derek, thanks for sharing all this information both the success and more importantly the things that do not work. <br /><br />I agree with the series idea. I call it the TV syndrome where the audience wants the next episode next week. I personally would like to see book two of "Dead Dwarves Don't Dance" ;-) <br /><br />Based on all the blogs and articles that I have read the bottom line for success and an indie author is to have as many books for sale as possible.<br /><br />I look forward to more blog posts and more books from you.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11882910901554365995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-24710346145748739972011-10-18T04:18:33.651-07:002011-10-18T04:18:33.651-07:00Congrats Derek. You have great results for the fir...Congrats Derek. You have great results for the first year, and I think the main reason is that you have many novels already out for sale. This proves my point that the best thing a writer can do is write some more. Great job!!Sabine A. Reedhttp://www.sabineareed.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-21236300165739279442011-10-18T04:14:56.381-07:002011-10-18T04:14:56.381-07:00Congrats on your success, Derek. You are not the f...Congrats on your success, Derek. You are not the first person that I've heard say that paid advertising is a dud. It seems that guest posting is a much better way to promote yourself, and it doesn't cost a dime.Paul Salvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11818202201018195312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-17978809823033589012011-10-17T20:55:40.060-07:002011-10-17T20:55:40.060-07:00I think your experience is the same as mine, inclu...I think your experience is the same as mine, including the summer slump; in fact, I've already come to the conclusion that a regular series is where the money's at (if you'll pardon the expression). I'm prepping to release a novella a month starting in January 2012 all featuring the adventures of the same character.Brian Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01233187184688491057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-39459326447580539392011-10-17T19:55:08.992-07:002011-10-17T19:55:08.992-07:00Great article and summary, Derek. I enjoy reading ...Great article and summary, Derek. I enjoy reading about your experiments and intend to follow your advice if I can't get a traditional agent/publisher.Graeme Inghttp://www.graemeing.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-15162648275430554612011-10-17T19:44:41.093-07:002011-10-17T19:44:41.093-07:00That's great. It's been a pretty good year...That's great. It's been a pretty good year for you. I'm struggling myself with deciding. I have a publisher interested and I'm meeting with them next month. But I'm still on the fence.<br /><br />I Loved Elemental Odyssey, and my son has just started it. I think very soon, kids his age (10-15) will have eReaders in their hands.Jay Noelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04757777693161610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666546708641580173.post-61044163277409518472011-10-17T19:15:23.802-07:002011-10-17T19:15:23.802-07:00That's a pretty good first year, Derek. Congra...That's a pretty good first year, Derek. Congrats!<br /><br />Looking at your charts, though, I'm struck by that spike and decline. If I recall correctly, that spike corresponded with your initial experiment putting DDDD to $.99. I wonder if, like Cash for Clunkers, all you did with that pricing experiment was to pull future sales into the present without actually expanding your fanbase. If that's the case, you potentially left a lot of $ on the table. Of course, you wouldn't have seen that $ as quickly, and there's something to be said for getting paid sooner rather than later.<br /><br />Of course, I could be completely wrong. What do you think?<br /><br /><a href="http://michaelkingswood.com" rel="nofollow">Michael Kingswood</a>Michael Kingswoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03954783666389319100noreply@blogger.com