tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post4433853467759303247..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: The Difference Between Sales and FansJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80263852360921082802010-07-08T06:33:52.720-05:002010-07-08T06:33:52.720-05:00How long do you think it will take to get enough f...<i>How long do you think it will take to get enough fans so that I can increase the price to $2.99, and still get a high enough sale?</i><br /><br />It depends on many factors, some within your control, some not.<br /><br />If the stories are terrific, the cover is great, and you have a good description, the book could catch on. Or not. <br /><br />Luck still plays a factor. No one knows why some books sell and some don't. All you can do is maximize your changes for success.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-82563252092878038772010-07-08T04:13:27.248-05:002010-07-08T04:13:27.248-05:00I just wanted to thank you for this post and to te...I just wanted to thank you for this post and to tell you that I've linked it in my blog today. I think that you and Randy have excellent views of e-publishing. If I e-publish, I won't be the $0.99 writer.Tessa Quinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12619129838476851241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63069684574110977582010-07-07T22:51:16.569-05:002010-07-07T22:51:16.569-05:00Dear Joe,
If you're reading this, can I ask a...Dear Joe,<br /><br />If you're reading this, can I ask a question. I'm going to publish a book on Amazon in one month. It's not a novel. It's actually a collection of short stories that is about 100 pages long. I'm going to put a starting price at $.99 . How long do you think it will take to get enough fans so that I can increase the price to $2.99, and still get a high enough sale?John Smithhttp://johnsmithbooks.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-39469271152440541862010-07-07T22:23:28.736-05:002010-07-07T22:23:28.736-05:00My Newbie's review on Amazon: "3 of 4 peo...My Newbie's review on Amazon: "3 of 4 people found the following review helpful"<br /> <br />Everyone else who reviewed this book got 100% "helpful rating". I'm only batting 75%. I'm the one that needs the thick skin, it appears.Coolkayaker1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16480679419271233314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-56767408386712140952010-07-07T12:20:41.712-05:002010-07-07T12:20:41.712-05:00My skin is Teflon.
Thanks for the review. :)My skin is Teflon.<br /><br />Thanks for the review. :)JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51361536833112519512010-07-07T12:04:03.699-05:002010-07-07T12:04:03.699-05:00@Coolkayaker I think most successful artists have ...@Coolkayaker I think most successful artists have thick skins. You wont survive long if you don't; riding the emotional rollercoaster of praise and scorn will only drive the insecure artist nuts. Better to be even keeled and understand that there will be both good and bad reviews.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10143863885564667642010-07-06T23:11:59.562-05:002010-07-06T23:11:59.562-05:00I'm on page 500 of Newbie's Guide and thou...I'm on page 500 of Newbie's Guide and thought it deserves a review--I've now posted it on Amazon.com 7/6/10. Hope you have a thick skin, Joe. coolkayaker1Coolkayaker1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16480679419271233314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-85413665802063401842010-07-06T20:35:13.247-05:002010-07-06T20:35:13.247-05:00Stacey:
I'd be happy to add a link for Claws ...Stacey:<br /><br />I'd be happy to add a link for Claws 2 if you'll agree to do an interview about your book on my new blog. I just started a <a href="http://kindle-author.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Kindle author blog</a> and I'm looking to interview some successful kindle authors.<br /><br />Shoot me an email: David_Wisehart@hotmail.com<br /><br />Same goes for other Kindle authors wanting another site for their blog tours.<br /><br />Thanks.David Wiseharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01438917127132239969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-68073721609790625862010-07-06T20:20:33.125-05:002010-07-06T20:20:33.125-05:00Hey, Joe, largely because of your endorsement and ...Hey, Joe, largely because of your endorsement and with the help of Kindle Nation, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU20HE" rel="nofollow">CLAWS 2</a> has officially cracked the Top 1,000. Currently at #702 overall.<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />Folks, I really need y'all's help to get this into the Top 100. If you can post a link on your website, blog, Twitter, or FaceBook and tell folks to buy the book, that would be huge.<br /><br />Thanks so much, Joe, and everybody else.Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31557201969194066132010-07-06T16:55:27.462-05:002010-07-06T16:55:27.462-05:00Joe Konrath said... Just bought CLAWS 2. Hope it d...<b>Joe Konrath said... Just bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CLAWS-2-ebook/dp/B003TU20HE" rel="nofollow">CLAWS 2</a>. Hope it does great.</b><br /><br />Thanks, Joe. And I meant what I said. As I continue to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poem-Owen-Daly/dp/B003KK5AUW" rel="nofollow">make in-roads into the film and TV industry</a> I am realizing all it would take is a little financial push to get something made into a feature.<br /><br />All I need is a fat Simon & Schuster or Harper-Collins advance, and I'd be making films. And, folks, guess who's work would be high on my adaptation list?<br /><br />Not the douche bags who argue with me and needle me about what poor decisions I'm making as an author, that's for sure.<br /><br />On the other hand, I know exactly how to market and shoot a Konrath picture. I can see it in my mind.<br /><br />Lots of blood. Lots of screaming. I would fucking love it.Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33206757179211802952010-07-06T15:10:21.237-05:002010-07-06T15:10:21.237-05:00Right on Joe...StoneHouse just put out my newest t...Right on Joe...StoneHouse just put out my newest thriller on E-Book at 9 bucks and it hung in there at around the 10,000 mark for a few days. Then they dropped the price to $2.95 and it's been in the top 100 for Kindles in the Hard Boiled genre, everyday since. I don't think they would ever go below that price if only for a day long push. But even though I've published traditionally with both commercial NY houses and other small indy presses, I can definitely see where fair pricing and a very good product will create fans and not just one-time buyers. Check out more of my feelings on the new publishing model here: http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/2010/07/overnight-success-story.html?spref=gr#close=1Vincent Zandrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00034793324551937995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71355024866344822122010-07-06T15:01:11.065-05:002010-07-06T15:01:11.065-05:00But these big corporations change very slowly.
YE...<i>But these big corporations change very slowly.</i><br /><br />YES... and there is the real problem, isn't it? That these big publishing houses are loathe to change, and that is what might kill them.<br /><br />I read yesterday that Blockbuster got delisted from the NYSE-- they had the opportunity to buy RedBox a few years ago, or even start their own "Redbox"-- but they weren't going to change. So they kept doing business the old way, and now they are barrelling towards bankruptcy at lightning spped. <br /><br />Change is just too scary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10945316369729853892010-07-06T14:28:31.107-05:002010-07-06T14:28:31.107-05:00I agree with this statement, although I think that...<i>I agree with this statement, although I think that the Big Six publishers have an easy solution to the problem-- they just need to revive their backlist and out of print titles.</i><br /><br />Agreed. But will they? The Big 6 should each set up a division for converting old assets to new ebooks. I think it will happen eventually, but these big corporations change very slowly.David Wiseharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01438917127132239969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60402041735224636112010-07-06T13:26:44.891-05:002010-07-06T13:26:44.891-05:00I uploaded my book last month to Kindle and initia...I uploaded my book last month to Kindle and initially sold it for $1.99. I knew the 70% was coming and decided that I'd need that month to work out formatting kinks. I sold about 15 books for the month. <br /><br />In the first six days of this month, despite raising my price, I've sold 6 books. Sure, it's a small sum, but at this rate, I'll double my sales even with the price increase. I have a promotion on my blog, but only three of the sales can be attributed to that, the others are random amazon buyers I guess. <br /><br />If I'm lucky, it'll be more as I'm starting to get some nice reviews too. :-)<br /><br />All in all, with the exception of some formatting headaches, I've had an exciting first month.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13267066733031149882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83401736509126699712010-07-06T13:17:04.111-05:002010-07-06T13:17:04.111-05:00The Big 6 publishers won't be able to compete ...<i>The Big 6 publishers won't be able to compete with $2.99 indie books on price alone. </i><br /><br />I agree with this statement, although I think that the Big Six publishers have an easy solution to the problem-- they just need to revive their backlist and out of print titles. Imagine how much money they could make simply by bringing back some beloved old books that have gone out of print. <br /><br />Even if individual sales are just a few hundred a year, the book is still profitable-- in perpetuity! No printing costs, no warehousing, no shipping, no costs at all-- except perhaps a small author's royalty. That's it. Profit is still profit. Why should they let suck a valuable asset go to waste?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83697079918327210962010-07-06T08:55:49.537-05:002010-07-06T08:55:49.537-05:00Thanks so much, Zoe! I was inspired by the origina...Thanks so much, Zoe! I was inspired by the original <a href="http://a1.vox.com/6a00d41426a034685e011017a8d429860e-500pi" rel="nofollow">Into the Wild Cover</a>. And I was shooting for a noirish feel. <br /><br /><br />Stacey<br />Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU20HE" rel="nofollow">CLAWS 2</a>Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9548521115726651532010-07-05T23:21:48.280-05:002010-07-05T23:21:48.280-05:00I like the new book cover, Stacey!I like the new book cover, Stacey!Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-48637288777944547162010-07-05T21:20:28.863-05:002010-07-05T21:20:28.863-05:00Anon.,
If I ever make it big, I will use my money...Anon.,<br /><br />If I ever make it big, I will use my money to finance a film adaptation of one of Joe's stories. It might be a made-for-TV movie, but I will find a way.<br /><br />______________<br /><br />Stacey Cochran<br />Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CLAWS-2-ebook/dp/B003TU20HE" rel="nofollow">CLAWS 2</a>Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29572430835243324632010-07-05T20:50:58.191-05:002010-07-05T20:50:58.191-05:00Just bought CLAWS 2. Hope it does great.Just bought CLAWS 2. Hope it does great.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-25974106092170625792010-07-05T19:16:40.042-05:002010-07-05T19:16:40.042-05:00Shouldn't you be paying Joe a commission for a...Shouldn't you be paying Joe a commission for all the free advertising you derive off his blog, Stacey?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33587510119973324772010-07-05T17:53:56.203-05:002010-07-05T17:53:56.203-05:00Brilliant post as usual, Joe.
My only contributio...Brilliant post as usual, Joe.<br /><br />My only contribution to add is:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU20HE" rel="nofollow">CLAWS 2 has just launched at $2.99</a><br /><br />Oh, and I agree with everything RJ, Zoe, and Scott said.<br /><br />Rock on!Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50423102585597434772010-07-05T16:46:41.662-05:002010-07-05T16:46:41.662-05:00@Rex :P@Rex :PZoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51174738203169417402010-07-05T16:11:18.611-05:002010-07-05T16:11:18.611-05:00I expect to continue to be wrong about what I expe...I expect to continue to be wrong about what I expect.Rex Kuslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629682795065138786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-75984616836848904942010-07-05T14:02:07.035-05:002010-07-05T14:02:07.035-05:00@David
I had a really great month in June. I expe...@David<br /><br />I had a really great month in June. I expect to drop off for a few months now until I get something else out there, but, like you, I definitely see long term financial potential in this!Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-53241026383218609912010-07-05T13:18:09.116-05:002010-07-05T13:18:09.116-05:00How hard is it to "make a living" as an ...How hard is it to "make a living" as an indie author on Kindle?<br /><br />For the sake of argument and simplification, let's define "make a living" as a 40-hour minimum wage day job (haha, right?).<br /><br />In CA the minimum wage is $8/hr.<br /><br />So assume a $2 royalty (on a $2.99) book. How many would you have to sell to equal an $8/hr retail job?<br /><br />Skipping some basic math...<br /><br />23 sales per day (seven days a week).<br /><br />Is that impossible?<br /><br />No.<br /><br />Hard to achieve, perhaps, but not impossible.<br /><br />If you have five ebooks on Kindle, priced at $2.99 each, and you sell five copies a day each, you'll earn more than enough money to replace a minimum wage day job.<br /><br />Of course, I'm not there yet.<br /><br />On June 30 I repriced my novel from $.99 to $2.99 and so far I've sold exactly one copy per day (vs. four copies per day at $.99). <br /><br />But I'm writing another novel, in a more commercial genre.<br /><br />I can see myself doing this full time in a year or two.<br /><br />Maybe less.David Wiseharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01438917127132239969noreply@blogger.com