08-04-2013, 09:59 PM | #1 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,418
Karma: 35207650
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: iPad
|
Almost Three years...
I have been a "independent" or "self-published" author for almost three years now. (only counting my fiction years, non-fiction goes back further but is unrelated to these numbers). In Nov 2010 I released my first book... and tonight I loaded all of my Amazon Data in to Excel to look at...
(NOTE: I have never done ANY promotional spots, paid for advertising/etc.) (NOTE: This is Amazon Data only - I also sell on Smash, B&N, and etc) From Nov 2010->April 2011, the book cost 99 cents. In that time I sold 53 books for a grand total of $18.55 royalty. May 2011 -> Book goes permafree (I did not even know the term at that time, never mind how to make that happen.) I "sell" (give away) 5200 copies that first month. Made it to #5 on the charts, was a fun ride! June 2011 -> Book II is released @ 2.99 - Sells 50 copies that first month alone - $93.91 royalty. Yes, in one month I blow my previous 7 months of royalty out of the water. To date I have given away around 21,000 copies of book one. Putting all my book sales on a graph shows something interesting... The first month of a new release I have a spike in sales, but after that future books sell at about the same rate that prior books do. This leads me to conclude that if book 3 is out when people read book 2, they will buy it. If book 3 comes out 6-9 months after book 2 people are less likely to go find it. So my suggestion for anyone starting out and planning a series... if possible hold your series until several books are ready and release them close together. Maybe one a month? Time appears to be an enemy here. That is of course based completely on the anecdotal evidence of one author. Do others see the same? |
08-05-2013, 12:12 AM | #2 |
kookoo
Posts: 1,461
Karma: 7772454
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Colorado Springs
Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4
|
I published my first November of 2010 too!
I've never paid for advertising, but I do a fair amount of marketing. It's nowhere near as much as most. As far as when to publish, I publish whenever I finish a new one. Each new release does bring about a spike in sales. It's bigger each time. I would wait until a person has at least 2 of a series before making them permafree. |
Advert | |
|
08-05-2013, 03:01 AM | #3 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,305
Karma: 43993832
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Monroe Wisconsin
Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)
|
Congrats VydorScope. I bet it's hard to believe that it's already been that long.
|
08-05-2013, 04:45 AM | #4 |
cacoethes scribendi
Posts: 5,809
Karma: 137770742
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Australia
Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650
|
Thanks for sharing that VydorScope.
It would be interesting to know how many of those 21,000 give-aways have been read. Looking at John Carroll's post, and your own, I find the timing curious. November 2010 is when I finished the first draft of my first book - but it took me two years to decide to try self-publishing. I have deliberately not rushed work on publishing my second book, instead waiting for the third (and concluding) book to be complete. A lot of this was just that I didn't want the distraction, but your post suggests that it may have been a good choice anyway. |
08-05-2013, 07:32 AM | #5 | |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
Quote:
I've been at the ebook self-publishing (Amazon only) a bit over a year now starting with the release of my poetry book. I've probably sold a couple of dozen copies of it over the last year. I've done a variety of fiction and non-fiction shorts that have been released at 99 cents and < $2. My latest release is my book of science essays/articles of which I've sold 8 copies this past month. Overall I've made about enough money for a nice dinner out. I've actually been in a bit of a quandry/lull for the last few weeks. I have more ideas/topics for additional (more speculative) science essays and have actually written three of them but my muse is being schizophrenic again and pushing me towards writing more fiction. Which I am thinking I will actually do. I continue to write poetry as it happens and am gradually acquiring enough that I should be able to release a new book sometime in the coming year. It seems novels are the place to be to make more of a go of it, but I'm more of a short-order-writer (poems, essays, short stories, flash-fiction/non-fiction). One must do what they can. |
|
Advert | |
|
08-05-2013, 11:15 AM | #6 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,305
Karma: 43993832
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Monroe Wisconsin
Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)
|
I've always been given to understand that the writer 1st of all writes for him/herself and I presume anything else after that is gravy. Though of course some have an easier time getting the gravy than others.
|
08-05-2013, 11:31 AM | #7 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
I've heard that but I'm not sure it's always true. I'm sure it is in some cases, but others certainly seem to be in it for the audience, money, fame, etc.
|
08-05-2013, 04:27 PM | #8 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,418
Karma: 35207650
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: iPad
|
Everyone is in for their own reasons. I am in it because I like to tell stories and interact with fans. I do not want fame, but of course I would accept any and all monetary benefits.
|
08-06-2013, 04:20 AM | #9 |
Evangelist
Posts: 438
Karma: 3409790
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Maui
Device: kindle
|
I uploaded my first book in 2009. After I made about $2,000 Amazon realized that people could get it free at Smashwords, and they've price matched ever since. It's been downloaded about 150,000 times now. In 2013 I published a sidequel for 2.99. It sold 56 copies the first month and has climbed each of the following months. I invested in banner ads at two popular ebook sites, and I'm presently running a Google ad. Have I seen any results from the ads? Hard to say. I may back off from all ads for a couple months and see what happens, but I'm getting between 4 and 9 clicks a day on the Google ad.
Last edited by morriss003; 08-06-2013 at 04:22 AM. Reason: Senior moments |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Three years and counting | Kumabjorn | General Discussions | 20 | 06-18-2013 10:22 AM |
The Between Years | Derek Clendening | Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers | 0 | 08-09-2011 05:31 PM |
20 years from now | dsvick | News | 22 | 02-15-2010 07:52 AM |
At Six Years Old ... | RickyMaveety | Lounge | 97 | 01-12-2010 04:02 AM |
Could this be Ebooks, 3 Years from now? | Nate the great | News | 52 | 01-11-2008 03:27 PM |