[image: Alex Zabala]Yesterday’s post had a single question about marketing. Today we get under the hood.
Okay that sounds silly, but my point is, Amazon is a monster seller. Why would I sit all day long in a booth attempting to sell books when Amazon is doing it for me electronically? My blogs, my website and my online presence in Amazon are the biggest selling machine.
Don’t get me wrong, I would like to do future promotions in person but in an atmosphere conducive to selling books.
Getting 4 and 5 star reviews was important too.
Once a reader latched on, they most likely told others. We noticed sales started slumping…then when we posted that we won the ‘top ten in Clive Cussler contest’ and sales jumped again.
Something happened in June of 2013, we sold 900 books on Amazon and we have no idea why. That’s why I did the Peter Frampton analogy.
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There’s no silver bullet, no magic incantation, no precise combination of social media techniques which will guarantee sales or make it easy. It comes down to four things, three of which Alex has shared:
- Experiment endlessly, and pay attention to what works.
- Be persistent.
- Start work on the next book.
- The one he didn’t mention but which I know is true in his case and should be included: use common sense and good manners in all your interactions and experiments.
That’s how to sell 6,000 copies of your book. It’s how to sell 600, or even 60.
There are loads of more specific strategies out there. Check out Tim Grahl’s site, for instance, and sign up for his 30-day course. But in the end, the 3 steps above are how you’re going to sell your book.
And that is exactly what I was saying: There millions of people looking for clean books. Me being one of them. Did you read that? Yes, millions, so…that is my main angle. Now the challenge is finding those millions.
Thank you! Some time back, I stated a discussion regarding this same topic, profanity, and sex scenes. I was called every name you can think up, by those who feel that such language, and filth, are a most. The novellas I’m currently writing, contain neither. Again, thank you! Joel, thank you also, for posting this. Great one. Blessings.
I still don’t understand that. We’re not suggesting others can’t speak or write any way they want, just that we choose not to.
When I see what’s on the shelves nowadays I can hardly grasp that “millions” want clean books — but I am one of those. Just knowing your book is clean makes me want to read it!
We got into a discussion at our recent writers conference about why “Amish fiction” is so in demand. Someone said it’s nostalgic, but I wonder if people choose this type because they trust it to be “clean.”
Yes, and when Disney makes a clean film, millions go see it. We can do the same with books.
Bingo.
Joel (and Alex), it’s heartening to see Alex’s success with Treasure—we need more indie publishing success stories, and this is a good one. And there is certainly a market and a rightful place for writing that is “clean,” as you guys describe.
However, I do include profanity and the occasional semi-naughty scene in my work, because it serves the story. I occasionally write about characters and situations for which the avoidance of those things would ring false in the tale. I never include gratuitous lardings of those materials, but they are there when the story calls for them. Every story beats to its own heart.
Therein lies much of my position: I don’t want to be surprised by language or situations.
If I’m reading a police procedural published last year, I expect this, that, and the other thing. And if I want to completely avoid certain things, I know not to read certain genres.
As I’m sure you know, Tom, I’m not making a moral point here, but a commercial one, or perhaps, a moral point about the privilege of choice, both as writers and readers.
Always a delight when you drop by.