Successful Indies Only, Please (note, tongue-in-cheek...) (merged)

[Iain Manson]

I'm sick of all these stories from people who sell a few tens (or maybe hundreds) of thousands of copies every year (or day, or minute, or something).

Let's celebrate some real success. I fear that my one conventionally-published book may buck the trend a little, but in seven months, my three self-published titles have sold . . . [roll of drums] . . . 54 copies!

This is the kind of thing we all want to hear, and there's not nearly enough of it. So let's hear it now, from the real writers, the ones who sell tens or even dozens of copies. (The rest of you, go away. You've got enough threads for a new Bayeux Tapestry already.)

I repeat: seven months, three books, 54 sales. Beat that, anybody? Can't, can you?

[DelilahFawkes]

I like this thread.    Also, congrats!

[Franklin Eddy]

I have 28 books and have had 164 sales in three months.  However, some of my books have sold many more than others, and some have only sold a few.  I am on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

[BRONZEAGE]

Not sure whether to laugh with you or cry, Iain!

But my one lone title through a fledgling new imprint has sold 100s of print and Kindle copies already.

Now if the rest of those 40million Irishamericans will step up to buy it!

[arodera]

It seems a great thread, congratulations!

 I just landed on Amazon and not sell thousands of books, most like me. Also, my novel is written in Spanish, so that the difficulties are greater. But I'm proud of my sales do not come away a hundred copies. Yes, with one book in two months of publication.

 Sure you climb in the rankings soon, heh, heh, our time will come.

 Greetings.

[Iain Manson]

Delilah: Thank you for your comment. I know that with covers like yours you can't compete, but thanks anyway.

J.S. Dunn: By the rules of this thread, JS, you are a miserable failure. And you'll find it impossible to compete now without cheating by, for example, taking your book off the market for a century or two. Don't even think about it.

I have 28 books and have had 164 sales in three months.  However, some of my books have sold many more than others, and some have only sold a few.  I am on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Nice work, Franklin. According to my arithmetic, you are selling 1.95 copies per book per month to my 2.57, so you're in the lead. (Rules of golf apply.)

But there have to be more success stories out there. I know that Franklin and I have set the bar high, but even so . . .

[vivinthevalley]

So, in my debut first six weeks, I have sold a whopping 20 copies of my book, a whole 6 of those were sold in August.  Woot, woot!

[MGalloway]

Top this:

May - 0
June - 0
July - 2 paperbacks, 0 ebooks
August - 1 ebook

[WilliamEsmont]

Starting out sucks. Sometimes you get lucky and hit a home run, but more often than not it's an uphill slog (often with setbacks). Here are my #s going back to the beginning for a little perspective...

Month	# Copies Sold	Notes
Dec 2009	1	Released my first book. Sold a copy to my mom.
Jan 2010	1
Feb 2010	0
Mar 2010	0
Apr 2010	0
May 2010	1
Jun 2010	11
Jul 2010	6
Aug 2010	11
Sep 2010	10
Oct 2010	29	Released The Patriot Paradox
Nov 2010	40
Dec 2010	99
Jan 2011	538
Feb 2011	786
Mar 2011	3250
Apr 2011	6434
May 2011	4787	Released Fire: Elements of The Undead
Jun 2011	1891	Summer slump:(
Jul 2011	733	The summer slump gets worse...
Aug 2011	512	August REALLY sucks, by hey, at least I sold a power of 2  (2^9)

[Connor Nicolas]

Since my stories have been up...August 20th....big fat donuts holes all around.  However, I thank you Iain for validating my success 

[D a l y a]

I love this thread!  It's enlightening and encouraging.

My sales are "consistent" which is a cute euphemism.  But, response from book bloggers has been pretty good!  The next book in my series is being revised now, and I hope when I add to my line, I'll experience the same bump some of you did.  Also, I just love writing the books.  I confess, even if I continue to sell nearly none, I'm going to keep at it.

[BRONZEAGE]

Wm Esmont, Any idea why sales suddenly took off for you in March 2011?  Did you change anything you were doing? 

[WilliamEsmont]

Wm Esmont, Any idea why sales suddenly took off for you in March 2011?  Did you change anything you were doing?  

I had submitted to a bunch of influential book bloggers in late January and it took about 2-3 months for Patriot to bubble to the top of their review queues and make it out onto the internet.  I also did a KND sponsorship in late January. Mostly though, I think it was a combination of dumb luck and a decent story. The sequel is coming out this fall. Fingers are crossed. So are the toes.

[Edward C. Patterson]

There was time when I sold a few,
But then I had a smaller queue,
A trickle, not a tidal wave,
A hermit writing in his cave.

But now I'm sorry to reveal
That four years going, and appeal,
Has broken the bank with nothing less
Than 13,000 and success.

So listen to this pioneer.
Stick to your last and your butterbeer,
And you too can sell like higglety pig,
And dance to the moon, the author's jig.

 

Edward C. Patterson
The Old man of the Kindle Revolution

[cecilia_writer]

Great thread, thanks!
If it hadn't been for August, oddly, I would have been in the running here but as I unexpectedly sold 24 books last month my average has gone right up.

[& gone]

There was time when I sold a few,
But then I had a smaller queue,
A trickle, not a tidal wave,
A hermit writing in his cave.

But now I'm sorry to reveal
That four years going, and appeal,
Has broken the bank with nothing less
Than 13,000 and success.

So listen to this pioneer.
Stick to your last and your butterbeer,
And you too can sell like higglety pig,
And dance to the moon, the author's jig.

 

Edward C. Patterson
The Old man of the Kindle Revolution

Ed = AWESOME

[MeiLinMiranda]

I consistently sell about $200 worth of books a month. It's been almost exactly a year since the first book in my series came out--gosh, in fact almost to the day now that I think on it...

[Ann in Arlington]

enough threads for a new Bayeux Tapestry

I LOVE This! 

(I ain't sold nuthin' but I haven't written anything either so that probably explains it. )

[Rex Jameson]

August REALLY sucks, by hey, at least I sold a power of 2  (2^9)

You know how I know you're a programmer? Lol.

[Dara England]

Great numbers guys.  My first title and first sales month (put it up halfway into March) I sold 34 copies. I was pleasantly surprised, because I hadn't expected that many, and I've been happy with sales every month since. They just continue to grow over time.

[Iain Manson]

Headmaster speaking.

All right, boys and girls, things are getting a little better, but still not good enough.

Armando: My research suggests that you're rather more successful than you're prepared to admit. And you've got good reviews. Numbers, Armando, I need numbers. Being Spanish is no excuse.

Genevieve: You're already selling 13 copies a month, and you've got four reviews. This is not promising. I don't say there's no hope, but you're going to have to work awfully hard to keep those figures down.

Michael: The reviews are a cause for concern. It means people have noticed. That said, you have had four good months (though hard-copy sales count double). You're one to watch.

William: What can I say? You must be so disappointed. Six terrific months, but then things began to go wrong, and the last eight have been nothing less than catastrophic. I don't want to discourage you, but I wouldn't build any great hopes on the August decline. I'm sorry, I really am. But you do take great credit for those first six months. You won't be forgotten.

Connor: Nice work so far. It's very early days, but you show promise. Keep a low profile, and you'll be surprised what can be achieved.

Dalya: Oh, Dalya. Five good reviews and a positive response from book bloggers is worrying. I don't want to upset you, but this will not end well.

Edward: I like the poem, and can only commiserate on the big sales. Never mind, you did your best, and had some good years.

Cecilia: You're doing well, but the August figures give cause for concern, as does the good review. And you have to decide whether you're Cecilia or Sheila. No cheating now. You can't pick and choose between identities just to keep your figures down.

MeiLin . . . Go away.

Ann: Just to confirm, even zero sales don't count until you have something to sell. We could all sell no copies of nothing.

Dara . . . See MeiLin (above).


A word of warning for anyone who thinks they might be in with a chance here. Reviews are always worrying. Once people know you're there, anything can happen. I've only ever had one, and that's for my one conventionally-published book. It consists of twenty words, concluding with "you want [sic] put it down." Such a review can be considered harmless; anything more substantial is dangerous.

[ndrake]

OK I am still thrilled to sell ONE book a day, although sales have gone up a bit for that on the odd month.  I think the key to it is to be happy with what you have and keep at it.  Of course there is always the support of the wonderful people on here...

N

[HAGrant]

There was time when I sold a few,
But then I had a smaller queue,
A trickle, not a tidal wave,
A hermit writing in his cave.

But now I'm sorry to reveal
That four years going, and appeal,
Has broken the bank with nothing less
Than 13,000 and success.

So listen to this pioneer.
Stick to your last and your butterbeer,
And you too can sell like higglety pig,
And dance to the moon, the author's jig.

 

Edward C. Patterson
The Old man of the Kindle Revolution

Edward P., I love it!

[Gregory Lynn]

Y'all are making me positively giddy that I haven't even finished writing anything yet.

[Kimberly Van Meter]

Ohhh, this is a hilarious thread and I love it. I've sold a whopping three copies today. And you know what? I was relieved to lose that awful BBos in the US. I've never broken free from the BBoS in Germany and barely in the UK. I'm hoping to have something new up by winter. But until then...here I sit...mostly forgotten and definitely sitting in the corner waiting for someone to invite me to the party.

Kimberly V.