the first ship has sailed.

MJWare · Jun 9, 2012

I know it's probably really bad form to offer unsolicited advice, but I looked at your Amazon page and your description is really short--one sentence short. I'd recommend beefing it up. Doesn't have to be long, but should get the reader to at least download the sample.
It's a lot like the opening paragraph of a query letter.

On the plus side, 3 sales on Smashwords is great. I don't know if I've had 3 sales there all year.

Congratulations, you are off to a great start!

robertbevan · Jun 9, 2012

mware01 said:
I know it's probably really bad form to offer unsolicited advice, but I looked at your Amazon page and your description is really short--one sentence short. I'd recommend beefing it up. Doesn't have to be long, but should get the reader to at least download the sample.
It's a lot like the opening paragraph of a query letter.

On the plus side, 3 sales on Smashwords is great. I don't know if I've had 3 sales there all year.

Congratulations, you are off to a great start!

i know. i was just trying to get everything working, so i just typed out a quick sentence, thinking i could always go back and change it later.

after taking a look at your website, i welcome you to offer all the unsolicited advice you like. in fact, i'll go ahead and take that bit out of the equation. i hereby decree that i am, of sound mind and body, soliciting any advice you have to give.

your website looks pretty cool.

robertbevan · Jun 11, 2012

first week update.

been out there a week now. three sales on amazon. three sales on smashwords. thirteen sample downloads on smashwords.

most of those sales were within the first couple of days, and then it all dropped off. i've been getting myself out there on different internet forums, doing my best to make useful contributions, making the links in my sig visible. and i guess that's having some effect. i've been getting about ten to fifteen hits per day on smashwords... so i figure probably more than that on amazon.

things on my to-do list:

1. change my lousy one-sentence description.
2. wait for smashwords to finish reviewing, and get me on b&n.
3. put out book two.

i'm sinking deeper and deeper into the amazon ranking toilet. #258,468

but no worries. i'm in it for the long haul.

Justin_AC · Jun 11, 2012

Good job, Rob!

merrihiatt · Jun 11, 2012

You can also load your e-book directly to B&N through PubIt! It will get your e-book listed much more quickly than through Smashwords and you can track sales easier. Just a thought. It can take anywhere up to a month or more for the e-book to make its way to premium status and then get listed at B&N (and that's assuming there isn't a problem and it gets kicked back for revision).

robertbevan · Jun 11, 2012

merrihiatt said:
You can also load your e-book directly to B&N through PubIt! It will get your e-book listed much more quickly than through Smashwords and you can track sales easier. Just a thought. It can take anywhere up to a month or more for the e-book to make its way to premium status and then get listed at B&N (and that's assuming there isn't a problem and it gets kicked back for revision).

thanks for the tip. i just tried it, but alas, i need an american bank account number. i'm really kicking myself for closing my account last time i was in the states. so it looks like i'm going to have to just wait until smashwords comes through for me, or until i head back this christmas and open an account.

Wesley Kang · Jun 11, 2012

Good luck to you, Robert. I really love these step-by-step threads. I'm a few steps behind you, so it's very helpful for me to see how others are going about it.

Off-topic: How do you like Korea? I spent a year there in 1998-99. Mostly in Seoul.

Rob Lopez · Jun 12, 2012

That's encouraging for the first week. Interesting to hear that you get sample download and hits data from Smashwords. I wish Amazon offered that.

Going with PubIt! sounds intriguing, but alas, if a US bank account is needed then it's out of my reach too.

Wonder if any UK chains offer direct access like B&N? Compared to the States the UK feels like it's still in the dark ages.

Good luck for the long haul Robert.

J. Tanner · Jun 12, 2012

Rob Lopez said:
That's encouraging for the first week. Interesting to hear that you get sample download and hits data from Smashwords.

It's right in your dashboard. The "Downloads" column for your overall number all-time including paid and samples. Click the "details" link next to the number for a more detailed (but also time limited) breakdown.

Rob Lopez · Jun 12, 2012

J. Tanner said:
It's right in your dashboard. The "Downloads" column for your overall number all-time including paid and samples. Click the "details" link next to the number for a more detailed (but also time limited) breakdown.

Are you sure? All I can see is units sold, units borrowed and free units-promo. I don't see a 'details' link.

What I'd like to see, in addition to above, is downloads of the samples, plus browser hits. Just extra info to help shape the marketing.

J. Tanner · Jun 12, 2012

I misread somehow even though what you wrote is quite clear upon rereading. I thought you were looking for that info on Smashwords. You're correct that it's not available on Amazon. Sorry for any confusion.

Rob Lopez · Jun 12, 2012

J. Tanner said:
I misread somehow even though what you wrote is quite clear upon rereading. I thought you were looking for that info on Smashwords. You're correct that it's not available on Amazon. Sorry for any confusion.

Damn. You got my hopes up.

I hate being right.

robertbevan · Jun 12, 2012

Wesley Kang said:
Good luck to you, Robert. I really love these step-by-step threads. I'm a few steps behind you, so it's very helpful for me to see how others are going about it.

Off-topic: How do you like Korea? I spent a year there in 1998-99. Mostly in Seoul.

glad you like the thread. i felt the same way when i was gearing up, so i thought everyone might appreciate one more.

been in korea ten years now. i like it well enough. i wouldn't mind heading back to the states before the kids aren't kids anymore though.

robertbevan · Jun 13, 2012

just sold book number four on smashwords! that brings total sales up to seven.

is that really worth a post? after four or five days with no sales, it's worth it to me.

EngineerTiger · Jun 13, 2012

Seems worth it to me, robertbevan, keep the flags flying.

robertbevan · Jun 13, 2012

hey guys. if any of you get a free minute, i'm trying to come up with a replacement for my lousy one-sentence book description. i'm not getting a whole lot of love on syw, and my thread is about to drop off the bottom of the screen and into obscurity.

if you've got any advice, i'll eat it up. but i'd also be satisfied with just a vote of "yeah, this one's better" or "this one blows, stick with the first one until you think of something that doesn't suck so much."

here's a link to the thread...

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247295

robertbevan · Jun 15, 2012

things on my to-do list:

1. change my lousy one-sentence description.
2. wait for smashwords to finish reviewing, and get me on b&n.
3. put out book two.

i'm sinking deeper and deeper into the amazon ranking toilet. #258,468

well i've accomplished #1 on my list, but i won't scratch it off just yet. my blurb is better than it was, but it still needs work. thank you all of you who answered my call for help and gave me your opinions on syw.

i'm still waiting on #2, and hoping it happens sometime before #3.

merrihiatt · Jun 15, 2012

Smashwords can take up to a month before a book filters through to the sales channels. I hope it's sooner for you.

robertbevan · Jun 15, 2012

okay. i've taken another crack at changing my blurb again. it's back up in syw. i went a different direction with it this time. your comments were helpful last time. i'd appreciate more of the same. thanks.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247295

robertbevan · Jun 17, 2012

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247295

alright guys. you've reduced me to begging. i'm about to fall off the first page in query letter hell. it's just a blurb. it will take you less than a minute to say "yeah, that's somewhat better than the crap you had before." or "i want to kill my children so they won't have to grow up in a world where a blurb this bad exists."

merrihiatt · Jun 17, 2012

I sent you a PM.

robertbevan · Jun 17, 2012

merrihiatt said:
I sent you a PM.

got it. thanks a bunch.

merrihiatt · Jun 17, 2012

My pleasure.

PeterD · Jun 18, 2012

Newbie to the forum, and to writing, but not to marketing. Since most of your target market are not writers either my input must have SOME value,

* Forum presence. Great stealth maketing idea. Once you've built up some "respect" there you can even ask for plots tips, technical gameplay hints etc. from the other members. Subtly.

* Amazon page. Not saying I'd be able to do it, but resist that first launch if the other pieces are not lined up. People will only have a first look at your novel summary once. Your current summary on Amazon was great.

* Cover page. Loved it, even on my blackberry I figured some sort of RPG comedy. Did you build that yourself?

Good luck with it. Someday I hope to be launching my own book into the digital world and I hope it looks as good as yours.

robertbevan · Jun 18, 2012

PeterD said:
Newbie to the forum, and to writing, but not to marketing. Since most of your target market are not writers either my input must have SOME value,

* Forum presence. Great stealth maketing idea. Once you've built up some "respect" there you can even ask for plots tips, technical gameplay hints etc. from the other members. Subtly.

* Amazon page. Not saying I'd be able to do it, but resist that first launch if the other pieces are not lined up. People will only have a first look at your novel summary once. Your current summary on Amazon was great.

* Cover page. Loved it, even on my blackberry I figured some sort of RPG comedy. Did you build that yourself?

Good luck with it. Someday I hope to be launching my own book into the digital world and I hope it looks as good as yours.

wow. thanks, peterd.

that was very encouraging.

something else i'm holding off on is to make another facebook post just yet. i'm going to wait until i sell ten books. that way it looks celebratory rather than desperate. hopefully some people who didn't see it last time will see it this time.

i came up with the cover idea myself, but my brother in law did the photography and photoshopping. i've had some criticism that it doesn't fit the comedy tone of the novel, but i think it looks cool, and it's the best i've got going right now for the price i'm willing to pay (nothing, just yet).

the first ship has sailed.

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