Since publishing my first WORK EVER I wanted to talk about what I have learned in the last few days-but first things first.
-Please subscribe to my newsletter. If you do, I will send you a FREE COPY of my short story, "Cruel," within 24 hours after subscribing.
-Please REVIEW my short story on Amazon with your thoughts. I am also in the process of uploading it to Nook and iBooks (Smashwords' formatting requests were just too confusing), and will have it listed on Goodreads to review as well. I plan to write a blog post about the more technical side of things once I have figured it out myself.
A quick overview of this video, and what publishing your first work can teach you.
1) I did not expect to make money with this short story; that was not my goal. What I realized however is just HOW MUCH competition there is for getting a readership. When I watched my e-book vacillate between a ranking of 200,000 and 250,000, it was a harsh reality that the same thing will happen with my steampunk novel UNLESS:
2) I do a serious marketing campaign. Blog tour, cover reveal, releasing chapters, sending ARC's to book bloggers and writers, pre-order buttons for the book, the works. I don't mind doing it, but I am realizing now JUST HOW ESSENTIAL it is if you want to be successful straight out of the gate.
3) Any money I make won't be received for at least two months. Maybe longer. I learned this fun little kernel of information from my Twitter friend, Drew Hayes. Check him out; he likes to drink alcohol and wear ties (inside joke-the tie part; everyone knows he's a lush). This was that much more of a realization that making money as a writer is a long-term, slow process.
4) I may put the novel on hold to write and release numerous romance/erotica short stories. This is to increase my backlist, and I have also heard that this is one of the best e-book genres to write for currently. I also really enjoy writing in it. So it would be a matter of cranking out a considerable number of high quality short stories within the next few weeks/months that can reach a wider audience and make money.
5) Kickstarter/Patreon. I am considering starting one of these fundraisers to get support with my writing, though I know nothing about them. Two of my idols and fellow self-publishers, S.C. Barrus and Ksenia Anske, recommend them.
So there you have it; what I've learned since self-publishing my first piece. Please subscribe to my newsletter for your free copy of "Cruel," or go check it out on Amazon/iBooks/Nook/Goodreads!
Until next time, keep writing and keep dreaming!
**My apologies for the poor sound/video quality. I am borrowing this computer since mine crapped out on me-just another reason I need money. Argh.
-Please subscribe to my newsletter. If you do, I will send you a FREE COPY of my short story, "Cruel," within 24 hours after subscribing.
-Please REVIEW my short story on Amazon with your thoughts. I am also in the process of uploading it to Nook and iBooks (Smashwords' formatting requests were just too confusing), and will have it listed on Goodreads to review as well. I plan to write a blog post about the more technical side of things once I have figured it out myself.
A quick overview of this video, and what publishing your first work can teach you.
1) I did not expect to make money with this short story; that was not my goal. What I realized however is just HOW MUCH competition there is for getting a readership. When I watched my e-book vacillate between a ranking of 200,000 and 250,000, it was a harsh reality that the same thing will happen with my steampunk novel UNLESS:
2) I do a serious marketing campaign. Blog tour, cover reveal, releasing chapters, sending ARC's to book bloggers and writers, pre-order buttons for the book, the works. I don't mind doing it, but I am realizing now JUST HOW ESSENTIAL it is if you want to be successful straight out of the gate.
3) Any money I make won't be received for at least two months. Maybe longer. I learned this fun little kernel of information from my Twitter friend, Drew Hayes. Check him out; he likes to drink alcohol and wear ties (inside joke-the tie part; everyone knows he's a lush). This was that much more of a realization that making money as a writer is a long-term, slow process.
4) I may put the novel on hold to write and release numerous romance/erotica short stories. This is to increase my backlist, and I have also heard that this is one of the best e-book genres to write for currently. I also really enjoy writing in it. So it would be a matter of cranking out a considerable number of high quality short stories within the next few weeks/months that can reach a wider audience and make money.
5) Kickstarter/Patreon. I am considering starting one of these fundraisers to get support with my writing, though I know nothing about them. Two of my idols and fellow self-publishers, S.C. Barrus and Ksenia Anske, recommend them.
So there you have it; what I've learned since self-publishing my first piece. Please subscribe to my newsletter for your free copy of "Cruel," or go check it out on Amazon/iBooks/Nook/Goodreads!
Until next time, keep writing and keep dreaming!
**My apologies for the poor sound/video quality. I am borrowing this computer since mine crapped out on me-just another reason I need money. Argh.
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