I went on Barnes and Noble forums the other day and was reading a post about sales.
One "gentleman" was freaking out because he'd only made 5 sales that month. He was talking about removing his many titles from B&N because he wasn't making any sells.
Someone had made a comment that if he removed it he wouldn't make any money, and it really started a snowball effect. Since there isn't any cost in having them posted the idea of simply "leaving them to be discovered" is a good one.
I read a post on One Handed Writers that brought up that each book is an investment. You invest time and creativity. I truly agree with that.
Someone else posted that he should remove them to let the rest of us have a better chance, but that is the surest way to never make any money off them.
I have a lot of "hobby" writer friends, and when they ask me how I'm making it I am happy to give them all my feedback, notes on how I am doing it, how much I am expect and hoping for, etc. But they continually say things like "Oh, well, I guess I don't really have the time." or "I don't think I want to hire an editor" or "I need my muse to help me" or "well maybe I will look into it after my big project is finished" or "I don't know how to make a cover". In the end they have given me excuse after excuse and you know what? I'm not breaking any arms. I am only telling them how I did it when they ask! But they aren't willing to put in the investment, they only want to reap the rewards.
I think the idea of success and failure is holding a lot of them back, the dream is only a dream until you start making it a goal.
One of my friends said "what if I only make a few sales?" I said "How many is it making in your closet?" She laughed, but I hope she got my point.
Sales discouragement comes with many faces. The "I haven't made much I'm pulling them." The "I made double last month why can't I get any sales this month?" The "Its been so many months and I'm barely bringing in $500, but others are saying they're bringing in $3,000, what am I doing wrong?" But in the end its just excuses, and fears.
Watch out for this monster in your own life, if you are a writer beware comparing your sales to someone else's. Beware of letting "well sales are down this month" become "I should stop wasting my time writing."
Remember to look at the big picture, each book can have a lifetime online. It can sell forever. My "worst seller" - one that had never made a sell before in fact - has been bought four times this month. True, four times doesn't even compare to my best sellers, but four times is giving me money in my pocket, and it could very easily turn into more sales. It will be up there for the rest of my life (or as long as eBooks last!) and longer.
One "gentleman" was freaking out because he'd only made 5 sales that month. He was talking about removing his many titles from B&N because he wasn't making any sells.
Someone had made a comment that if he removed it he wouldn't make any money, and it really started a snowball effect. Since there isn't any cost in having them posted the idea of simply "leaving them to be discovered" is a good one.
I read a post on One Handed Writers that brought up that each book is an investment. You invest time and creativity. I truly agree with that.
Someone else posted that he should remove them to let the rest of us have a better chance, but that is the surest way to never make any money off them.
I have a lot of "hobby" writer friends, and when they ask me how I'm making it I am happy to give them all my feedback, notes on how I am doing it, how much I am expect and hoping for, etc. But they continually say things like "Oh, well, I guess I don't really have the time." or "I don't think I want to hire an editor" or "I need my muse to help me" or "well maybe I will look into it after my big project is finished" or "I don't know how to make a cover". In the end they have given me excuse after excuse and you know what? I'm not breaking any arms. I am only telling them how I did it when they ask! But they aren't willing to put in the investment, they only want to reap the rewards.
I think the idea of success and failure is holding a lot of them back, the dream is only a dream until you start making it a goal.
One of my friends said "what if I only make a few sales?" I said "How many is it making in your closet?" She laughed, but I hope she got my point.
Sales discouragement comes with many faces. The "I haven't made much I'm pulling them." The "I made double last month why can't I get any sales this month?" The "Its been so many months and I'm barely bringing in $500, but others are saying they're bringing in $3,000, what am I doing wrong?" But in the end its just excuses, and fears.
Watch out for this monster in your own life, if you are a writer beware comparing your sales to someone else's. Beware of letting "well sales are down this month" become "I should stop wasting my time writing."
Remember to look at the big picture, each book can have a lifetime online. It can sell forever. My "worst seller" - one that had never made a sell before in fact - has been bought four times this month. True, four times doesn't even compare to my best sellers, but four times is giving me money in my pocket, and it could very easily turn into more sales. It will be up there for the rest of my life (or as long as eBooks last!) and longer.
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