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

[jnfr]

So far my sales look like the first few months of William Esmont's list. So I think I win the thread!

[John Y. Jones]

My first book has been available for about two and a half months.  Total copies sold to date: 30.  So, naturally, I did the only thing I could think of to boost sales: I more than doubled the price of the book.

[Lever1]

Iain, I'm tempted to buy a copy of RANDY BASTARD just to thank you for this thread, but I'm half afraid you'd hunt me down and take revenge for ruining your outstanding numbers...

[EC Sheedy]

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)

Love it, William! You've been doing great and those numbers of yours spread a little hope. 

[Decon]

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?

I know it's your thread and your set the rules, but it is a little unfair when I check your signature to determine a level playing field.

The first in your line up is $10.48 and the other three in your signature say they are only available to UK customers and show no price. I could probably get down to your figures if I only tagged the rights for 0uter Mongolia. (Joke)

Great thread, time the majority were heard.

[JFHilborne]

Two books with a combined total of about 700 sales since June 2010.
 

[Iain Manson]

All right, let's see what we've got. Pay attention, please.

Nicholas: By my calculations, you are averaging five sales per book per month, which is creditable, but nowhere near top of the list. And it's not good news that your sales increase from time to time. To make things worse, you've got reviews. You're going to have to work hard to keep those numbers down.

Gregory: Don't be put off by the achievements you read about here. You won't know how good you are till you try.

Kimberly: The sale of three copies of four books in one day may be just a blip. If not, you'll soon be averaging nearly eight sales per book per month, which is not bad, but a bit off the pace. And, despite the uneven spread across books, I'd be concerned about the number of reviews you've had. (For the uninitiated, Kimberly's BBoS is the Beige Bar of Shame, which is what you see when you check your sales figures for the month, and there aren't any. I think of it as an old friend.)

Jennifer: You don't give precise figures, but I trust you. And no reviews! You are an inspiration to us all.

John: There's always one, isn't there? Your sales figures begin to worry you, so what do you do? You more than double the price! This is cheating. You're banned.

Allan: Don't even think about it. Buying books by serious competitors in this thread is a mean trick. If you try it, you'll go the way of John (above). Let me make this clear: any spike in sales achieved by the likes of Jennifer, Franklin and me will be treated as suspicious. I call on moderators Ann and Betsy to back me.

Decon: The first book in my sig line is conventionally published: my publisher sets the price, and sales don't count for this thread anyway. And my books are available in the US; it's just that on one seems to have noticed. But I'm pleased that you're taking an intelligent interest. Please let me know if you spot anything else that you think suspicious. There are people on this thread that I don't trust.

Jenny: You're selling 25 copies per book per month, and you've got tons of reviews. I'm not impressed. Must try harder.


To sum up, it's all a little disappointing so far. Still, there are some decent performances here, and Jennifer gets a gold star. I didn't enjoy banning John, but it had to be done. And Allan's on his last warning. I await developments with interest.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

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)

Looks similar to mine, except that mine peaked in February 

[Nomadwoman]

My first book has been available for about two and a half months.  Total copies sold to date: 30.  So, naturally, I did the only thing I could think of to boost sales: I more than doubled the price of the book.

How's that working out for you John?

[Attebery]

My sales have totally died this summer.  Right around the time I started using twitter and trying to get more active about marketing again. Very frustrating.

[MikeAngel]

I have a theory that Germans don't read much. And English read but only cozy tea & crumpet Miss Marple type mysteries. I think both countries suffer sadly from inferiority complexes--the Germans from losing two grand wars and being responsible for the death of millions, and the English are still sucking their thumbs for losing their empire.

Of course it's just a theory, but I won't hold my breath for many sales from those countries outside the bell curve.

[mesmered]

Laughing!  Enjoyable reading! The phrase reverse psychology comes to mind. Released new book on 1st September. Waiting for the tsunami, especially as this one retails for $2.99... a rise of $2 on the others.

Still have a total dislike of talking figures. Is it because one doesn't want to admit to being less than almost everyone else on the Kindleboards. So keep making me laugh.

[Danielle Kazemi]

I cannot publically announce the millions I have sold. The Man will start coming after me for taxes. Then I will have to leave the country and that means packing...

[Edward C. Patterson]

I have a theory that Germans don't read much. And English read but only cozy tea & crumpet Miss Marple type mysteries. I think both countries suffer sadly from inferiority complexes--the Germans from losing two grand wars and being responsible for the death of millions, and the English are still sucking their thumbs for losing their empire.

Of course it's just a theory, but I won't hold my breath for many sales from those countries outside the bell curve.

Except, Amazon DE the English Sections are mainly for the thousands of Americans (read Troops) stationed in Europe.   The Kindle has just been made available through the PX system. And being the founder of Operation eBook Drop, I'll tell ya' our troops read. Germany, however, is not now considered a deployment. (It was when I served in the 60's).

Edward C. Patterson

[meromana]

I have a theory that Germans don't read much.

Well, it could be that Germans don't read much...that's written in English, as most of our books are.

--Maria

[Dee Ernst]

In March, I changed my cover and lowered my price to 2.99 and I sold 6 on Amazon and 1 on B&N.  In Aug. I sold 178 on Amazon US, 9 on Amazon UK and 42 on B&N.  If sales keep increasing at this rate, I might be able to quit my day job sometime in 2013!

[Archer]

I have a theory that Germans don't read much.
Of course it's just a theory, but I won't hold my breath for many sales from those countries outside the bell curve.

That's why the Frankfurt Book Expo is the largest in the world, right?

Germans read a lot. They just haven't discovered my wonderful work yet. (Well, not MANY of them, anyway.) 

[Steve Silkin]

"There's no success like failure
And failure's no success at all."

- B. Dylan

[Sharlow]

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)

Lol... That looks just like my sales chart. The summer has been a beast on my sales as well.

[Gregory Lynn]

That's why the Frankfurt Book Expo is the largest in the world, right?

Germans read a lot. They just haven't discovered my wonderful work yet. (Well, not MANY of them, anyway.) 

That suggests to me a question...have any of y'all looked into getting your stuff translated into other languages?  In particular, I think getting something into a Spanish market would have enormous potential for single digit sales.

I mean, a guy can hope, right?

[Iain Manson]

The Thinking Vampire

John Locke was a philosopher ―
He shared the world with Pepys,
Whose diaries cure insomnia,
And thus they sell in heaps.

Imagine my surprise on hearing
Locke is selling too.
I'd thought none read philosophy
― It seems that millions do.

I've tried his work myself, and while
I don't deny he's clever,
I never thought he'd make it with
Such cerebral endeavour.

I think the lookout's poor for all
I gloomily confess,
When millions read philosophy
And still the world's a mess.

I told a friend, who said “I find this
Altogether shocking
In a world that's run by vampires.
― Do you read Amanda Hocking?”

“I've never even heard of her,”
I said, “What has she written?”
He told me that she tells the tales
Of ladies who are smitten

By dead men who've returned to life.
I said “My patience fails.”
“It would,” he said, “if you could see
Her quite enormous sales.”

It's true I sell no books
And nor does Jennifer or Connor
Or Kimberly or Nicholas:
Ours the Beige Bar of Honour.

But soon my sales will soar because
I now know where it's at:
I'm working on a book about
A philosophic bat.

[cecilia_writer]

I have a theory that Germans don't read much. And English read but only cozy tea & crumpet Miss Marple type mysteries. I think both countries suffer sadly from inferiority complexes--the Germans from losing two grand wars and being responsible for the death of millions, and the English are still sucking their thumbs for losing their empire.

Of course it's just a theory, but I won't hold my breath for many sales from those countries outside the bell curve.

I love this thread!
Actually, it isn't quite true about the English reading Miss Marple type mysteries - I've got people drinking tea all over the place in my mystery series, and one of my favourite characters is trying to learn to knit in order to become more 'normal' in the one I'm preparing for publication, and still I haven't had any UK sales recently.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

The Thinking Vampire

John Locke was a philosopher ―
He shared the world with Pepys,
Whose diaries cure insomnia,
And thus they sell in heaps.

Imagine my surprise on hearing
Locke is selling too.
I'd thought none read philosophy
― It seems that millions do.

I've tried his work myself, and while
I don't deny he's clever,
I never thought he'd make it with
Such cerebral endeavour.

I think the lookout's poor for all
I gloomily confess,
When millions read philosophy
And still the world's a mess.

I told a friend, who said “I find this
Altogether shocking
In a world that's run by vampires.
― Do you read Amanda Hocking?”

“I've never even heard of her,”
I said, “What has she written?”
He told me that she tells the tales
Of ladies who are smitten

By dead men who've returned to life.
I said “My patience fails.”
“It would,” he said, “if you could see
Her quite enormous sales.”

It's true I sell no books
And nor does Jennifer or Connor
Or Kimberly or Nicholas:
Ours the Beige Bar of Honour.

But soon my sales will soar because
I now know where it's at:
I'm working on a book about
A philosophic bat.

very clever 

[Kimberly Van Meter]

The Thinking Vampire

John Locke was a philosopher ―
He shared the world with Pepys,
Whose diaries cure insomnia,
And thus they sell in heaps.

Imagine my surprise on hearing
Locke is selling too.
I'd thought none read philosophy
― It seems that millions do.

I've tried his work myself, and while
I don't deny he's clever,
I never thought he'd make it with
Such cerebral endeavour.

I think the lookout's poor for all
I gloomily confess,
When millions read philosophy
And still the world's a mess.

I told a friend, who said “I find this
Altogether shocking
In a world that's run by vampires.
― Do you read Amanda Hocking?”

“I've never even heard of her,”
I said, “What has she written?”
He told me that she tells the tales
Of ladies who are smitten

By dead men who've returned to life.
I said “My patience fails.”
“It would,” he said, “if you could see
Her quite enormous sales.”

It's true I sell no books
And nor does Jennifer or Connor
Or Kimberly or Nicholas:
Ours the Beige Bar of Honour.

But soon my sales will soar because
I now know where it's at:
I'm working on a book about
A philosophic bat.

LOL! I love it.

Very clever!

Kimberly V.

[K. A. Jordan]

I have 1 year of data - and 103 sales for 'Let's Do Lunch.' (That's B&N, Amazon and Smashwords.)

There were ALOT of give-aways = 198