Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

I am curious about something. I have seen a lot of book ads and posts here over the time I have been a Goodreads author. I know how my three books have sold. (Poorly) I was just curious if the rest of you had similarly poor results to show for their efforts. I always had the subconscious fear that it was just my books that were being trashed, but lately, I am starting to feel that this is more common a result. If so, then is being here even worth it? I like to hear from you other budding authors about your results.

My one and only novel was released Aug. 9, 2011 and was available commercially until Dec. 31, 2016.

During its approximately 5 1/2 years of commercial availability, a total of 1,029 units were sold.
(Paperback: 485 - E-book downloads: 480 - 36 audio book on CD - 28 audio book downloads.)

I do not believe that the fact that my work was not commercially successful can be attributed to any one factor, other than the obvious fact that it did not meet the standard required to succeed.

I remain an avid reader and active Goodreads member, but have decided to leave the writing to those who possess the desire, skillset and talent to achieve success within this extremely competitive field. That said; I do not regret having tried. It proved to be an excellent learning experience.

Jim wrote: "My one and only novel was released Aug. 9, 2011 and was available commercially until Dec. 31, 2016.

During its approximately 5 1/2 years of commercial availability, a total of 1,029 units were sol..."
I don't believe that it was necessarily the standard of the book, Jim. Look at some of the successful books that are not considered to be of a high standard. (50 Shades of Grey is one that had huge success and was made into a film, but is considered to be poor.) Sometimes it's just luck. How much marketing did you do? You need to put your book in front of as many eyes as possible. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Instagram, Wattpad, etc. Etc. Guest posts on other's blogs get more eyes on a book, too. Even sending a column to your local newspaper helps.
Maybe you did all that, and it was bad luck.

V.M. wrote: "Jim wrote: "My one and only novel was released Aug. 9, 2011 and was available commercially until Dec. 31, 2016.

During its approximately 5 1/2 years of commercial availability, a total of 1,029 un..."

V.M.

It took me 14 months to produce what I felt was a polished manuscript ready for publication. Professional input from a copy editor and conceptual editor convinced me that it actually was not yet truly polished or ready for publication. With their input and suggestions, the manuscript was made truly ready.

The publisher created an author's biography, website, and an international marketing promotion, then produced and distributed the novel in 4 formats (paperback, e-book, audio on CD, and audio download).

For some unknown reason, more of the sales came from Great Britain, Europe, and Australia than from the United States. The few ratings and reviews posted on literary websites were, for the most part, positive.

That said; I do appreciate you taking the time to post your thoughts. Your suggestion that the novel's failure to achieve commercial success may have been due to just bad luck is valid. I had been forewarned by the publisher that only a very small percentage of unknown, novice authors ever succeed commercially.

My first attempt at writing will be the last. There are just so many other things to do, places to visit, and so littlie time.

Jim wrote: "V.M. wrote: "Jim wrote: "My one and only novel was released Aug. 9, 2011 and was available commercially until Dec. 31, 2016.

During its approximately 5 1/2 years of commercial availability, a tota..."
Yes, there are so many places, etc. A pity you decided to give up, though. 'They' say the best way to make your novel succeed is to write the next one. I've just finished my 9 th novel (the 10th book was a cookery book). And am still waiting for that breakthrough!

V.M. wrote: "Jim wrote: "V.M. wrote: "Jim wrote: "My one and only novel was released Aug. 9, 2011 and was available commercially until Dec. 31, 2016.

During its approximately 5 1/2 years of commercial availabi..."

V.M.

I admire you and all professional, prolific writers. Alas, I am not one. Perhaps one day I will be able to say that I knew V.M. Sang before she became a well-known, best-selling author.

I had one story fermenting and evolving inside my brain for several years that I felt was worth telling. When I finally had the time and resources to put it on paper and share it with the world, I did.

Although not a commercial success, I have the personal satisfaction of knowing that 1.029 people read and, hopefully, enjoyed it. I have taken on several challenges during my lifetime. I have experienced success and failure, but never regret for having tried.

It's better to have tried, even if you fail. But 1,029'people read your book, and you don't know how many had a life changing experience because of it. Yes, novels can change lives.
Now get out and do all those other things.😄

TLDR ;)

Be realistic, you indulge that particular quagmire of social VM you'll never write another book again. Get a publicist, get a willing spouse, lover, friend to do that chore, its a full time job which should be appreciated and rewarded too. Over ten years and not a sight of a new book from George RR Martin. He has an agent, publicist, backing of a publishing house. Eight series of Tv, script consult, Tv producer, countless interviews jet-setting around the globe and supposed progress but not a book. I'm sure he's happy with his sales, the money in the bank but the fans just wanted a new book, have done from the start. The vain indulge this sort of hubris as their first recourse. Feel they must compete. This forum being a case in point. I'm loath spending time here usually only as a diversion out of boredom. I try to help where I can, point out flaws that no one cares about but me.

Back when I first starting nabbing books off the shelves, a bookshop window piled high with stacks and maybe a poster or two was how a book was marketed. Sure there were interviews and puff pieces in newspapers and magazines, never once did it tempt me to buy or take notice of an author. It could be years before I might notice having forgotten all about the hoopla finding it the bargain bin with dozens of other copies. Skimming the shelves "judging by the cover" in my hand and the blurb on the back that's what grabbed me. I did the work, research not the author hidden away somewhere beavering. If it was good next time they usually got the first nod. Between our friends, the good ones were handed round, the bad ones never mentioned. We had limited money so careful selection was required, essential. Most of the names were never famous or recognized only by other fans. The foolish purchaser likes to indulge the latest fad and this benefits a few but most authors go unrecognized their entire lives. One hit wonders abound in every industry. You shouldn't copy, chase trends always plow your own furrow. Any initial sales will be short-lived and when you finally count up the true cost nothing would have likely been cheaper, more effective. You live on social media and it will consume much if not most of your time.

JK's initial run was I think two hundred copies, complete with numerous errors. If Warner Bros hadn't stepped in and bought the rights it would never have become the billion dollar monster it has. She never needs to write another word but she still does. The public are fickle and if you want to expose yourself, bare all be my guest. Look at the backlash she has suffered from an incautious remark. Lee Child wrote many a Reacher before anyone took notice or Tom decided to cast himself in the role inappropriately. I like the films don't care about the height problem, he's an action star and the less imposing people can be lethal killers too. Lee is tall, over 6' well on the way to 7' no surprise Jack is how he is. I'm fairly sure Lee though doesn't haunt bedsits wandering the back roads of America drawn constantly into trouble. He is a Brit after all. Judge Dredd, Dundee from my neck of the woods. Two films hated for different reasons missing the point of the comics. I read loads of the spin-off books before Sly took off the helmet.

If you are writing scripts most will never make it past the rejection pile or possibly a pilot. If the public like it, it will run for years, bad it will get cancelled quickly. You won't get to decide, executives or the ratings will be the arbiters. Thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousand clamor for a Kirk or new season of Firefly, Babylon 5, sadly it will never happen. Maybe there will be a reboot in a decade or two, for now you have to settle for the comics. Like buses the later ones likely never get filled up.

Write books, the more the merrier. Some one finds something to their taste you'll likely sell a whole lot more. I bought into Mick Farren because of Phaid, the cover by Tim White, which isn't even the original. Bought them all and loved them. Dan Brown I got given a copy and waded through the Da Vinci Code, nothing more. Stephen King seen all the films, Tv series, never read a single book. Incidentally not a great actor, script-writer or director. I prefer Clive Barker, bad films mostly, good books though. Besides real people have real friends, people you don't know, who will spread the word in time if its worthwhile.

75 years after I die mine will all be available and I may never reap the rewards in this lifetime or the next, but my child, family might.

As Jim frequently points out, you will likely never earn a living, make a fortune out of this game. Where he's wrong, reviews do lead to sales, but right most will never leave one. They do however have family members and friends who do not haunt these places. Word of mouth not likes on twitter are the real driving force.

C.C. wrote: "TLDR ;)

Be realistic, you indulge that particular quagmire of social VM you'll never write another book again. Get a publicist, get a willing spouse, lover, friend to do that chore, its a full tim..."
You make some good points, C.C. I try to only use one social media per day so I can get time to write.
It's right, too, that word of mouth is the best advertisement. But you have to get some books read before that can happen.
I'm lucky enough to have a publisher who doesn't leave all the marketing to the author.
When I mentioned to Jim about social media I didn't mean to suggest you need to use all of them, but in this day and age with thousands of books being published daily, we really do need to push our publications.

I should add, as if any more were necessary, there were also book signings at the time. I posses a signed copy of Mort by Terry Pratchett. Never met the man, sadly never will now. I do treasure it, will not part with it for all the money in the world, but I had read several books of his before Mort came out. A friend did the honours when he turned up in Edinburgh. Which is the problem with those things when you live out in the middle of nowhere.

C.C. wrote: "I should add, as if any more were necessary, there were also book signings at the time. I posses a signed copy of Mort by Terry Pratchett. Never met the man, sadly never will now. I do treasure it,..."

Great man. Great books. And a great loss to the world of books.
I was going to,reply to,your comment on Martin. I feel great anger at him for not finishing A Song of Ice and Fire. The books, that is.

Out causing mischief, pay no heed. You are right. I do it because I love it. Catch them before their famous as Jim suggests know them now, just in case. :)

Hi there, folks! o/

Once again, I am late for the debate. But ready to throw in my two cents on the subject-matter of being what I call an 'author in the shadows'. It's been my experience, which in order to truly step into and be in the limelight, as a close friend, Mr. Issac Miller said in his book, one has to have at least one of three things happen...

1: They have to dig through and find LOTS AND LOTS of friends and followers. To do this, they have to contact as many people on as many social-media platforms as they can, try to convince them their works are worth reading, and ask them to friend and follow the author. Whether they do or not is up to each indivdual.

2: They have to wear the 'many hats' often required of say, self-published authors and master each one accordingly. As J.U. Scribe quoted: "As self-publishers we wear multiple hats.

We're expected to not only be writers but also editors, formatters, cover designers, marketers, publicists, and the list goes on." <---- This means anyone who's unfortunate and can't convince a major publising house or company like Warner Brothers or Disney to take up the mantle for them will be left to work through all this drudgery on our own...Sigh! Just the thought of having to do all this makes many authors give up, after only having written a single book! Not me, though.

3: Speaking of busily doing all this work, many if not most authors here on Goodreads, who lack the Fame-Power will almost undoubtedly have to use every single marketing and publicizing tool Goodreads has to offer us, and hope to God somehow...In some way, one of their works will go viral. Doing this will mean investing out a cost of at least $120, if not more.

Whew! Who knew being an Indie author, and aspiring to write as many books as possible could be so daunting? I myself have seen very few sales of the 7 works I've written and worked so hard on editing, copyrighting, and publishing. But I have a never-give-up mentality. Not only this, I'm in the process of landing an actual paying 'day-job' in the event slogging my way through this unfortunately highly-competitive niche-market will one day pay off. My Mom's a writer to, but her tale is a story for another day. So, for the time being, I think I've said enough.

Ta-Ta!

Well after self-publishing two novels in the late 90s and selling a few hundred and then retiring and finishing the third novel in the trilogy I finally broke even profit-loss-wise in 2018, Most sales were local and we're talking a small-town rural area here with about 2000 people. Then I got the whole three-novels-in-one trilogy published by an online publisher with global reach and now selling on Amazon and others...which is why I went with this publisher. Took a while but book, mostly e-book sales, are happening. Due to covid lockdowns couldn't sell the book at selling events...there were none! But the third novel in the trilogy is available for free PDF at my site and is "selling" like hotcakes. Since I got into this writing thing to send a message of sorts, I have no problem with the fact that I am not a best-selling author. My opinion? If you want to be a best-selling author you need to write by this golden rule--it's not what you know, it's WHO you know! I guess EL James, a terrible author IMHO, "knew" somebody!