On WG2E, we like to talk about successes. But — *lowers voice* — there are times when books just don’t sell.
JA Konrath often says that in publishing, there is an element of luck to any book’s success: getting linked in with other bestselling books on Amazon; being picked up for marketing pushes; hitting the market with the right book at the right time. And while that’s very true, there are some things authors can control to try to jump-start a book that’s just not moving.
Cover. One of the most influential factors when it comes to purchasing decisions. Does your cover signify the genre? Does it look professional, and is the title clear in the thumbnail? Often, indie authors shoot themselves in the foot before they’ve even got started by throwing up a cover that just screams ‘poor quality’. Your contents may rival Proust, but if your cover is unprofessional, buyers often assume your book is, too. Don’t be afraid to experiment! If you book isn’t selling, you have nothing to lose.
Price. A thorny issue, but dropping your book’s price — even for a couple weeks – may help ignite sales and build you up a bit of momentum. Joining Amazon Select (drawbacks aside) and making your book free for a few days will also ramp up your ‘also boughts’ and may even get you on a few bestseller lists for a few days.
Blurb. Does it hook readers into the story in a few sentences? Is it too long? Potential buyers aren’t going to stick around long enough to wade through a large block of text. Make it easy for them to grasp what your novel is about, and make it compelling.
Reviews. If your book has no reviews, it may put readers off buying it. It can be difficult for new authors to get reviews, but one way you can is by giving away review copies on LibraryThing (www.librarything.com). Takers will provide unbiased reviews in exchange for your book. It’s important to make sure your work is of a high standard, though, or you may not be happy with the reviews you receive.
Contents. Many potential buyers use the ‘look inside’ feature to determine if they want to buy. Make sure there are no formatting errors, typos, or anything that could put off readers. I wouldn’t expect someone to buy a product that’s damaged – similarly, I wouldn’t expect a reader to purchase a book chock full of errors.
Marketing. Besides the obvious social media platforms, you can also purchase spots on sites like Pixel of Ink, Kindle National, and E-Reader News Today.
What if you try all of these things, and your book still doesn’t sell?
Move on. Sometimes, books just don’t sell! Write another one. Before you get started, consider your target audience: who are you writing this book for? How will you tailor it to your readers? How will you make it stand out from the crowd? Planning from the beginning will ensure a novel’s greatest chance at success.
Any other tips and tricks? Have any of you jump-started a book’s flagging sales?
Great post, Talli!
This is so true, “JA Konrath often says that in publishing, there is an element of luck to any book’s success: getting linked in with other bestselling books on Amazon; being picked up for marketing pushes; hitting the market with the right book at the right time. ”
Also, expanding your virtual shelf with more books creates more exposure for you. So getting stuck into the next book is a must!
Yes, that’s a great point, Sibel – the more shelf space, the more readers see you!
Hi,
Very sensible post, says she who’s trotting along nicely on sales with odd bursts at the canter, though no galloping to winning post as No 1. Better an each-way bet than a straight win: might not win second time around and then I’d be real miserable.
As for rankings, pah, they fluctuate from week to week and don’t relate at all to my sales figures, which seem good at the mo for historical romance. After all, how can I be ranked higher than many Mills & Boon, Avon and other big-named publisher books of same sub-genre? Yet my books are ranking above sometimes by 200,ooo.
As for reviews: what reviews?
best
F
Thank you, Francine. Rankings do fluctuate a lot sometimes — if only we could figure out the great algorithm god! Sales are what’s important, in the long run. And sometimes slow and steady wins the race. One thing I didn’t mention is patience — it can take a while sometimes for a book to pick up steam.
Sooo true Talli!
I call ‘em Long Tail Sales.
And that’s one of our WG2E Indie Epub Mantras:
Long Tail Sales
And for all you superfab WG2E Noobs…here’s what we mean by Long Tail Sales:
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/ebook-sales-the-long-tail
Keep in mind that many books still sell most of their print-runs through bookstores. Villains Inc. Episode 4 is currently #6 in the Fantasy Series category; this does NOT mean I’m selling more books than Robert Jordan or Jim Butcher.
Thank you, Talli for such a wonderful and useful post. I’m currently published with a small Indie publisher but later this January I’ll be attempting my first solo journey into the publishing world with my novella A VALENTINE CHALLENGE. I’m seriously considering Kindle DP Select and all your tips will come in handy.
Cheers,
Kiru
Thanks, Kiru! Best of luck with your novella – please keep us posted on how it goes for you, and let us know if you have any questions.
Insightful post. As you say, move on. Fashions trend all the time, so the book might ‘come back into fashion’ unexpectedly. I do agree about the cover, a most important factor for me. Even a freebie on Kindle won’t get downloaded if the cover stinks. Thanks for the tips, Talli. I might need them one day!
Thank you, Glynis. Yes, covers are so important — even for the free ones! A good cover targeting the genre can make all the difference in the world.
Nice post! I agree that there are times good books just so sell. Moving on is the thing to do if you’ve tried everything else.
Thanks, Jessica! And yes, as much as it hurts, sometimes just moving on is the best strategy.
There are those who say “the harder you work, the luckier you get.” IME that’s feel-good advice but doesn’t much apply to real life–or should I say real life book selling.
Others (William Goldman) say “no one knows anything.” IME WG is correct.
I have published lots of books, worked as an editor & publisher for decades and about the only thing I know for sure, it’s that fate and/or luck (dumb or smart) is about the only “sure thing.” If anyone knew anything, every book would be a bestseller & we all know about THAT. lol
Yes, absolutely take Talli’s excellent advice re cover, blurb, etc. If you don’t you’re shooting yourself in the foot.
However, if you’ve done everything Tallis recs & the $^%# book *still* lays there like a flounder, just write a new book the way Talli suggests. As T sez, a new book the author’s best defence–and best offense.
OK, as you were.
I love the way you’ve said this: “a new book the author’s best defence–and best offense.” Yes! Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason why a book isn’t selling, it just… isn’t. It’s so hard to let go, but the only way to get over it is to create a new opportunity for yourself and write a new one.
That is a waaay great line, Ruth:
“a new book the author’s best defence–and best offense.”
Well said!!!
This is a wonderful post, Talli!
For me, I think a ton of it’s in the magic of a great Blurb…like you said above…Does it hook readers?
I’m going to do a post soon on this very thing.
Perhaps the best advice I ever got was in how to create a high concept/movie-style blurb. The best way I can explain what these are is by giving you examples.
Take a look at these from my books:
BOOTSCOOTIN’ BLAHNIKS
Think Sex and The City meets Urban Cowboy
STOMPIN’ ON STETSONS
Think Hell’s Kitchen mixed with Meet The Fockers
BUCKLES ME BABY
Think paparazzi-hell and Ponzi-scheme fall-out meet home-shopping and Babies “R” Us
THUG GUARD
Think The Rachel Zoe Project meets Bond, James Bond and a Madoff-style, Ponzi-scheming King.
LIP GLOCK
Think Will and Kate gone Bond, James Bond…and the blue-hair version of Charlie’s Angels too…Under the Tuscan Sun.
FLUID FULFILLMENT
For Fluid Fulfillment, think Victoria’s Secret meets Kill Bill.
I’m using all of these not only now – while working with production companies to sell the movie and TV options – but I’ve used them very successfully to hook my readers.
I get a ton of emails from readers telling me that it was these blurbs that got ‘em to buy…they’ll even quote ‘em back to me, and I see them Facebooking and Tweeting and Blogging these blurbs!
Seth Godin would say that I’m “giving my Sneezers a script”…in other words, I’m making it very, very easy for readers to talk about my books by givin’ ‘em short, very easy to remember phrases to spread the word about my books.
Great Blurbs Rule!!!
That is an awesome way to describe a story quickly to readers. My book, She Had No Choice, I say “It takes a Latin spin on The Color Purple. Think Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas instead of Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover.”
I luuuvvv that, Debra…
“a Latin spin on The Color Purple…JLo and Banderas like Goldberg and Glover”
Well done!!!
I love these examples, DD! That’s definitely an area where I can improve, I think — getting the ‘high concept’ right is so important. Not just for your book listing, as you say, but for almost everything related to selling your novel. Thanks so much!
These blurbs also really let your reader know in one line whether or not your book is their kinda read.
For example, if you don’t like Sex and The City or Urban Cowboy, then you’re not gonna like my Bootscootin’ Blahniks.
If you don’t appreciate Victoria’s Secret and Kill Bill, you’re not gonna be entertained by my Fluid Fulfillment either.
It really saves your readers time…and that’s something they appreciate. They also appreciate having a really simple and short way to explain your book to their friends if they like your book.
They can say “oh, I just read this terrific book Stompin’ on Stetsons…it’s Hell’s Kitchen mixed with Meet the Fockers…hilarious!”…
Bottom line…think like your reader…and make it easy on them to think and talk about you and your books.
Love the image that goes with the blog entry! I’ve not tried gnawing into my laptop out of frustration… not yet, at least.
LOL! Good one, Tamara!!!
Haha! Thanks, Tamara. That photo made me laugh because I’ve felt like that many times!
Before I even wrote CANCELLED I had the blurb (the one sentence pitch thanks to the Snowflake Guy, Randy Ingermason). An engaged robotics engineer has a previous one night stand return his shirt, pregnant.
Another one I use is a quote from the first chapter: “What the hell did you send me home with last night?”
Anyway, my experience here is just a newbie author with only one book. I think expectations play a huge role in how you look at your sales. I’m averaging about 15 sales per month right now at $3.99, and I’m happy with that… for now. If I can get to 4 items, (2 novels, 2 novellas, at $3.99 and $1.99) selling 15 copies per month by the end of 2012, I will be happy. That will be $83.79 in royalties on the novels, and $20.89 on the novellas. That’s $100 per month.
And I’m aiming for more writing for another reason. When you have more than one title, just a slight bump across the board (marketing efforts) makes a huge difference! Lets say I have a month where everything averages 25 copies sold that month. That’s $140 for the novels and $35 for the novellas, $175 per month. That’s me paying the cell phone or cable bill every month
.
My dream? By 2022, 15 novels, selling on average 100 copies per month. That’s 1500 x $3.99 x .7 = $4,189 OR $48,000 per year. With my husband’s military retirement, that would push us over 6 figures and I would love to be able to look at him and say “Baby, you don’t have to go back to work, if you don’t want to.” Oh, and I’ll only be 40 years old! (He’ll be 41). And I’m going to play LOTS of golf! (I love the sport).
I’m banking on that ebooks are forever thing, because it’s the part of the equation that doesn’t take luck. Maybe they aren’t 100% forever, but I believe some digital format will always exist from now on. But it’s very, very hard to stay patient when I read others’ sales figures and know that I’m just now coming up on 150 copies sold of my debut in 4 months.
But it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. AND I’m almost thankful I wasn’t a breakthrough. I could not even imagine writing a book and having my debut hit the best sellers and then having to follow that up? It’s like the one-hit wonder curse in music.
Very well said, Elizabeth! It’s definitely not a sprint, and if you’re looking at your career as a long-term thing, then what you’re doing is exactly right: being realistic and thinking smart about projections and growth. That’s why I feel it’s so important to focus on the quality of your work, because it doesn’t take much to lose a reader…forever.
Here’s to your dream coming true!
And I’ll sooo agree with you both, Elizabeth and Talli…
I can sooo very clearly remember a post Konrath did a long time ago, saying that all you’ve got to do is build your cyber shelf of books available and let the sales begin accumulating across the shelf.
It’s a lot easier to sell 10 copies a day of 10 different books than to have to sell 100 a day of one book to make the same amount of money.
Every book you add to your shelf takes the sales pressure off the previous titles and begins to grow your Long Tail Sales.
It’s that Long Tail that you can later retire on.
I’ve esentially got the same dream, though I know I can’t replace my salary at the day job. I’d have to become a Konrath, which I’m not interested in doing. I do want to see my writing help ease the burden of retirement and support the causes I feel worthy. Or rather the causes the protagonist of each book would think was worthy. *giggles*
:} Cathryn
Cathryn, that’s a great idea. Not every writers needs to abandon the day job – in fact, I’ve often read it’s better to have a day job, because then you can be more creatively free when you write!
Golf? Cool, Elizabeth … what’s your handicap? I love the game even though it’s a time stealer. I don’t remember reading any reference to the game in Cancelled.
I’m also a big Golfing Nut…I’ve played since I was five and began tournament competition at the age of 6.
I actually turned down playing in college to focus on my studies.
I don’t play anymore though…it was one of those total burn-out things. Although, I still love the game, just haven’t made it part of my life. Maybe some day again…
Oh, and my niece and nephew just die every time they walk the halls in my old high school, which is where they go now, and see my Hall of Fame photos for Sectional, Regional and State titles…they can’t get over the total embarrassment of my asymmetrical haircut. LOL!!!
Asymmetrical haircut? Do post that, DD!
Would luv to see a pic pf you in that hair-do!
DD, WG2E has spoken. We MUST see that haircut!
There was a golf scene, it was cut.
I will find a way to work it into another book. I’m so new, I don’t even have a handicap. I’m happy when I golf a 6-8 on each hole! 
Right as I learned how to play, I got preggers with my youngest. Yeah, swinging a golf club with a belly doesn’t really work (though I tried!). I’m lucky that I naturally hit the ball straight, as I don’t try to kill it. I HATE playing with my husband. He hits and we spend 10 minutes finding the ball. Oh, and I only play with hot pink balls 
My oldest golfs as well, he’s 11. He took lessons last year. Mostly, it’s the only sport in the world I am happy to get hot and sweaty for and it’s such a blast!
6 to 8 is excellent on a par five. 6 isn’t bad on a par four either. One thing about hot pink, you never hit the wrong ball. Luv it!
Great timely post, especially for me. My sales have been awful and have done everything except purchase advertising on Kindle, etc. I do have one cover in particular I plan to redo to keep it consistent with the sequel I’m in the process of readying for launch (I never liked the cover, bu everyone has told me how “great” it was). So I move on. . .
Jamie, I think the more books you have out there — like DD says — the easier it is to generate sales. And the one thing I’ve learned about covers? No-one wants to be the one to tell you it sucks. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way! Not that I’m saying your cover sucks, of course, but just be careful who you listen to.
Covers are def important. That’s why I have someone else design them for me.I do try to make good blurbs that match the content of the book, and I do this once I have written the book, the same with the synopsis. Having another book to get out is a must, so I have just written my second angel book and sent it for editing. Now about to embark on a series of romance stories which I now have contract for. Six of those to write. More exposure for me. Price is also important. This is why I have put my first angel book as free, in readiness for my second one to come out at a price. It is paying off in that I have more readers already, and hope they like the first one enough to buy the next one coming out.
Wow Julie, you’re on a roll! Congrats on your contract.
You’re so right – covers are critical. I love yours! Smart move getting help in designing it.
Long Tail Sales
Long Tail Sales
Long Tail Sales
No need to fret, Y’All…just repeat the mantra…
And here’s a post to help you learn and live by this concept:
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/ebook-sales-the-long-tail
And I know I’ve mentioned this a bunch this morning, but it’s just that important to keep you movin’ and groovin’, just like Talli said, into your next book.
I luuuvvv what Talli said right here:
“Move on. Sometimes, books just don’t sell! Write another one. Before you get started, consider your target audience: who are you writing this book for? How will you tailor it to your readers? How will you make it stand out from the crowd? Planning from the beginning will ensure a novel’s greatest chance at success.”
Thankfully, in the Indie Epub World, you’ve got as many chances to succeed as books you can release. Totally not so in the TradiPub World…
It’s all about long-tail sales. SO soooo easy to get caught up in the panic and anxiety of short-term sales… I think we’ve all fallen down that black hole at some point or other.
And DD, yes, thank goodness we all have many chances to succeed — not just on our debut novel in the traditional world.
Thanks for the great post, Talli! As usual, you and D.D. have given me a kick in the booty!
So hard to know these things, because I also see books on the bestseller lists with hideous covers and confusing blurbs and I just scratch my head at the craziness of it all.
Meanwhile, I think my blurbs could use some work. And it gets me thinking about one of my covers . . .
Alicia, I know. That’s the confusing part, for sure — when you see books on the bestseller’s list with crazy covers. I always try to analyse what it is about those covers that is working on some level or other! I can’t always figure it out, but it’s an interesting game.
Readers are fickle. For me the first thing is the cover. Make sure the cover really is about the book and timely. By timely I mean, traget the beach read people for summer, holiday books during the season. When I’m going on vacation, I have a habit of picking books with beach scenes, that look light, an easy fun read. I can relax on a tropical beach, or even on Malibu and read. Winter I’m darker, the weather moves in and I want something comfortable, a bit darker, like a mystery with a cup of coffee and a fire when I’m in the Rockies.
If you’re book isn’t selling, read all the bestsellers in your genre. Study them see what that book has that yours might not. All writers are different. Our writing is like a finger print individual, and unique, still its about the author and their writing that makes the book sell. Look at what the author is doing or not doing to sell the book and get their name out there.
What lead me to write is I love to read. Read, and read again. I read so much and enjoy it so much it takes me away from my writing. Now that’s a good book! The way I judge a good book is when I actually miss the characters when I’m done. Look at your characters. Are they likeable not only to you, but will be attractive to the outside world. Look at the genre, how popular is it. Chick lit is suppose to be dead, but it sells well in indie. What genres are selling well, and what’s not.
I’m not published yet, but all these things I’m studying and considering, as I write my book. A lot to think about. Great post Talli..I hope this article wasn’t prompted by poor sales. I love your books.
Joanie, those are fabulous points — thank you! I like the tip of marketing books for certain seasons, and to keep that in mind when creating the cover.
And thank you for your kind words! No, no prompted by my poor book sales.. yet!
Great post, as always. I love how y’all always help me think of things from different directions. My first book just hit Amazon a few days ago, and it ended on it’s category’s Best Seller list for its 1st two days. I was stunned, but I must say, that I have eight different pages open right now with posts from the WG2E, and I blame all of your great advice for my successful launch.
Uh-oh! Only half an hour of social time left before I get back to what writers are supposed to be doing! Thanks again!
Wow, congrats, Greg! That’s fantastic news – I hope you celebrated. I’m so pleased WG2E helped! Happy writing.
Go, Greg, Go! Rock on!!!
And yes, we’re thrilled that you’ve found the help you need here at The WG2E!!!
Nothin’ beats writers helping writers reach readers.
Great post Talli and loving everyone’s comments. I too am hoping for the long tail sale and by the time I retire I’m hoping that my books (of which there should be several more by that time) will cover most of my retirement *keeps fingers crossed*. That is my dream anyway
This post is totally being book marked on my home computer. I’m slowly gathering all the good stuff to refer back to when I finally hit the ‘production phase’. Right now I’ve moved from pre-feasabiliy to the Feasability stage… And if that makes no sense, don’t worry. It’s my Bio-tech project phase vocabulary… I have fun equating things to eachother. He he
:} Cathryn
Yet another great post, and illuminating comments. Thanks all!
DD, I had heard the ‘X meets Y’ format used for TV and movies, but never thought about it for books. So very smart.
I’m launching my second book this week…hmmm…
Kay Scarpetta meets Into Thin Air.
Congrats on the launch of your second book, Toni!
And ohhh yeahhh that “X meets Y” of Hollywood sooo works for books too!
Thanks for the post. I’m going to read the long-tail sales post after I’m done with my comment. I’ve just gotten into epubbing, and I don’t think anyone can really describe how helpful this blog is.
The only issue I have with the advice (and other blog’s, also) is writing what the reader wants. That’s not the way I want to write. I want to write what I would want to read, and write it the best that I can. If no one else wants to read it, fine. I do want to make money off of this, but the things I write are for me, too. I’m not going to write something based off marketing research, I’m going to write it because I had the idea and really wanted to put it down on paper. That’s one of the reasons I’ve written stuff in so many different genres. Sorry, that was a bit of a soapbox, wasn’t it?
I think that one of the really cool things about indi-pubbing, is that of all of the millions of people who could potentially be our readers, statistically, some of them will share our tastes. We no longer have to find an agent who thinks that there are enough people with similar interests to make our work marketable, we just have to find and reach that market ourselves. I say write what you are passionate about, and readers who share your interests will feel that passion. It’s just up to you to get your work in front of them, and that is where the indi-pub goddesses (and now gods), at the WG2E are such a blessing! Happy writing!
Both of you have terrific points, Kirsten and Greg!
And I’m totally in the mindset that you write what you’re passionate about and then find where readers who also love that kind of book hang. (That’s what I teach in my Muse Therapy Online Classes too.)
In fact, if I hadn’t been so passionate about the chick lit/rom-com adventure I write, I would have quit when all the agents kept saying “we love your voice and story, but chick lit is dead”.
I can tell you – LOL! – that there are at least 50,000 chick lit readers, ’cause that’s how many have bought my books, plus 80,000 peeps who like it enough to download my Free title.
Go for the gusto of your muses’ passions!!!
And thanks too for the super sweet WG2E shout-out!
Excellent post. It’s a more competitive market than ever. Making sure your book is high quality and that you’re pay attention to these details is sound advice. Luck helps with everything!
Talli, I think the most important thing, as you said, is to move on. Write the next book. Too many authors spend an extraordinary amount of time focusing on reviews, blogging, tweeting, etc., and the next story gets pushed back and back and back. All writers should move on quickly to their next project whether the book sells or not. Thanks for a great post!
Pam
This is one of the best blog posts on the subject of selling your book I’ve ever come across. I have an author friend who self-published ONE ebook so she’s a debut author and she goes by this very same advice and…she made $10k in November and $7k in December just having her book in the Kindle store. It’s amazing.