My 3 Reasons for Self-Pubbing & Sales Updates on Print & Ebooks

Thanks to everyone that read my update and to Merri, Celeste, LBlankenship, cw, and PJanes for your comments. All of it serves to encourage. Hope March is going well for you!

March 2014 Sales (9) Update:

Heart Song (print pubbed Oct. 2012; e-book Dec. 2012)
Print - 1 (149 total)
E-book - 1 (24 total)

Sand Dollar (print pubbed Nov. 2013; e-book Dec. 2013)
Print - 4 (88 total)
E-book - 2 (63 total)

God's Ornaments (11,000 word short story pubbed December 2013)
E-book (only) - 1 (total 22)

Total of all sales of my 3 titles since I published about 17 months ago is 346 books, with the break-down as follows:

Print: 237
E-books: 109

All e-book sales are for Amazon, and all print sales were in Maui again.

March anecdote: I heard a small dog barking out on the sidewalk in front of the house, so I looked out the window and chatted with the dog a bit. The dog's owner asked me if I lived here. I told her no, I just stayed a couple of months and mostly wrote while I was here; that I was an author. She asked what I wrote; I told her, and said I had copies of both if she was interested. She said yes she was, she wanted both of them and the next day she walked over and bought one signed copy of each. Sold a couple of books and met a new friend, too!

grayworld said:

Congratulations, Ann, and I love your anecdote. You met a nice person, a nice dog, and gained a fan!

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Thank you, gray. I continue to share anecdotes because our Sarah Dalton once told me she loved them. I always hope there are others that want to hear about different ways to let people know you're an author and introduce them to your books. Perhaps my humble anecdotes will inspire a fellow writer to give one of the ideas a try.

Thanks, Celeste.

cwbrowning said:

Great work!

I also love your anecdotes! They are very inspiring, especially to someone who has such a hard time talking about her writing, like me! LOL I can talk to anyone about anything, except my books. I feel like such a tool. I know that is something I have to overcome, and right quick! So keep the anecdotes coming!

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Thanks, Clare. As long as there's one or two people that still enjoy the anecdotes, I'll continue to share them.

Thanks much, RL and napow!

profen4 said:

Hi Ann, thanks for the update, I didn't read through all 15 pages of this thread, but I skimmed and didn't see if you mentioned where your print book is sold. I see your kindle on Amazon, but not your print. Is there a reason for that? Or am I just missing it?

Congrats on your sales.

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Actually, all my print sales have been hand to hand sales, profen. I don't print books anywhere on line. I use a printing house and have been very happy with them. I did a 300 print run on my first novel and 200 on the second one.

I have a book-signing open house at my home after I publish a book and so far, that has served me well. I invite neighbors, friends and relatives, and serve appetizers and beverages. I've had good turn-outs both times and every one that comes seems to enjoy it and wants me to continue doing it.

Then, I carry a box of books, bags and my postcards in my trunk and I sell that way. I now have repeat customers in 2 Walmarts, Hallmark, the Dollar Store, Target, Perkins, Costco, my dentist's office and the post office, to mention some of the places I've sold books. I just strike up conversations wherever I go and the fact that I'm an author seems to crop up naturally. I'm mindful of being personable without being pushy. For sure, there's a balance.

Additionally, I have a PO Box and get orders from word of mouth and from postcards I have printed at GotPrint. The front of the postcard is full color, designed to coordinate with the book. The back is black and white with ordering info for both print and e-books on it. I always carry a few in my purse to give to people that show interest. I also tuck one or two into every book sold.

I've tried to give many examples in this thread of different ways I've sold books hoping to give fellow authors some helpful ideas that have worked for me. For sure, I haven't turned the world upside-down with my numbers, but at this point I'm content with what I have done as I work to build my brand.

Thanks for the congrats!

Ah, April, fickle April. Sales (3) Update:

Heart Song (print pubbed Oct. 2012; e-book Dec. 2012)
Print - 0 (149 total)
E-book - 0 (24 total)

Sand Dollar (print pubbed Nov. 2013; e-book Dec. 2013)
Print - 2 (90 total)
E-book - 1 (64 total)

God's Ornaments (11,000 word short story pubbed December 2013)
E-book (only) - 0 (total 22)

Total of all sales of my 3 titles since I published about 18 months ago is 349 books, with the break-down as follows:

Print: 239
E-books: 110

As you can see, April sales were downright grim. Most of the month I was still in Maui and one week I was in California. My print sales in Maui did total 25 when all was said and done though, so I was happy with that.

I am now debating whether or not my not-the-greatest-on-the-planet sales warrant a monthly update anymore. Frankly, it seems like the interest has waned considerably since we first started these type of threads, and I've noticed most no longer do it. While I'm thinking about that, I'll leave you with a small April anecdote:

I had a single copy of Sand Dollar left with me in California, and my grandson, his wife, my hubby and I went to Chili's for dinner, which my daughter-in-law manages. During dinner, a server came over and said to me, "I hear you're an author. What do you write?" I told her about my two novels, and said I had one copy of Sand Dollar with me back at the house, and that I'd be happy to sign it for her if she was interested. That evening, Linda (D-I-L) brought home a check for the book.

This illustrates the principle of telling a potential customer what you have to offer and also using words that will possibly close the sale for you, without being overbearing. It's a good example of what I mean when I say, "If the door opens a crack, you should view that as an opportunity." I have sold many books hand-to-hand this way.

Here's to April showers bringing May flowers to all of us!

RLMcKeown said:

I love your anecdotes! Congratulations on your sales (and new fans/friends)!

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Sorry I missed this earlier, RL. I really appreciate your encouragement.

mrsmig said:

Ann, I usually lurk on this subforum, reading others' experiences as I weigh whether self-publishing would be a viable option for me. I wanted you to know that your thread, and others like it, have been and continue to be hugely helpful. While you may be disappointed in sagging sales at the moment, I greatly appreciate both your enthusiasm and your honesty about your self-publishing journey.

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Thank you so much for your kind comments, mrsmig. Knowing the things we share in our SP threads helps someone makes it worthwhile to do it. Otherwise, we're just spinning our wheels when we could be working on our books. LOL It was nice of you to take the time to let me know my updates aren't in vain.

cwbrowning said:

I know, from my personal habits, that I lurk more than I post most of the time, and I gain such encouragement from reading the journey of others here. Even when sales are slow, I find that reading that others are struggling as well is an encouragement to me to keep going. Just knowing that we're all in the same boat helps. I hope you continue to keep us updated. I look forward to reading everyone's updates every month, even if my own are not so stellar.

As for your hand-selling skills, I've said it many times before and I'll say it again. It's such a great example to the rest of us! You open your mouth and grab opportunities as they come by, where I clam up and watch those opportunities fly right on by. LOL But you make it happen, and that is a great thing! Keep it up!

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You have always been a great encourager and support, Clare. Thank you again, my friend!

I appreciate every one of you that stop by to have a look and if I've said anything to help or encourage any of you, that's what it's all about. It is very humbling to report poor sales - who wouldn't rather be posting humongous numbers? The bottom line is: that's not very realistic for most of us when we're just starting out. I continue to hope, as I publish more books and gain more exposure, that people who enjoy my style of writing and the stories I have to tell, will find me. I wish the same thing for all of you. Write on!

Norman D Gutter said:

Ann:

I'm a bit confused by your report. You say you sold 25 print copies in Maui, yet you show only 3 sales in April. Are you not counting direct sales of paperbacks in your totals? If not, why not?

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Sorry for the confusion, Norman. I was actually in Maui for 2 months. Ten of the sales to Maui were pre-ordered and sent ahead; the other 15 were sold while I was there, almost all prior to April. I only meant to tie up Maui sales as a total, and to say I am pretty happy with the sales for that state.

May Sales (17) Update:

Heart Song (print pubbed Oct. 2012; e-book Dec. 2012)
Print - 1 (150 total)
E-book - 3 (27 total)

Sand Dollar (print pubbed Nov. 2013; e-book Dec. 2013)
Print - 1 (91 total)
E-book - 12 (76 total)

God's Ornaments (11,000 word short story pubbed December 2013)
E-book (only) - 0 (total 22)

Total of all sales of my 3 titles since I published about 19 months ago is 366 books, with the break-down as follows:

Print: 241
E-books: 125

May was definitely better than March or April. I did do a Kindle Countdown for the second time on Sand Dollar, but it wasn't that successful, only giving me 1/4 the sales of my first go-around. Still, it was better than them just sitting there doing nothing (1 sale was after the countdown).

May Anecdote: I was out at my favorite garden center and had a whole cart-load of flowers when I was done shopping, so the gal who waited on me was nice enough to help me out to the car with my very large purchase. When I opened the trunk, I happened to comment that I should have had my husband take the box of books out of there (to make more room for flowers). I told her I was an author and hand-sold them myself, which is why they were there. When she asked me what I wrote, I opened the box and showed her the books while I told her about them. Long story short, she bought one of each and I made a very nice friend and gained a new reader.

Here's to an over-the-moon June. Write on!