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News, Fiction Updates & General MusingsBook Marketing: How to Stand Out From the Crowd
A couple of months back, I wrote what was supposed to be the start of a three-part blog series on book marketing. It was intended as a sort of all-encompassing thing, covering the ins and outs of mailing lists, back matter, social media and blogging. I’ve had a few people ask me when the follow-up is due, so this is something of a response.
I hold my hands up: I couldn’t write a complete guide to book marketing. Why not? Because book marketing is constantly evolving. What might have worked yesterday (submitting your book to free promotion sites for enhanced coverage) might not work today (oh, those free sites now restrict books due to changed Amazon Affiliate rules), as is the nature of a rapidly evolving business.
However, I think there are a few sure-fire ways to stand out from the crowd when it comes to book marketing, and funnily enough, they don’t really include any ‘marketing’ techniques. Allow me to reminisce a little before elaborating.
I’ve been publicly writing for over a year now, this very website enjoying its first birthday last month. When I started out, I tried to cover every angle. My blog was a place for writing tips, marketing tips, and publishing tips. On social media, I signed up to every site — Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn — and shared my own posts, as well as other useful writing posts. And sure: I gained many writer followers, many of whom I’m very good friends with today as a result, so I definitely don’t regret that.
However, some time around late 2012 — I don’t remember the date exactly — I had something of an epiphany. I realised that all this social media targeting fellow writers wasn’t actually going to sell me any books, not directly.
Now, let’s hypothesise a little here. I personally believe that all writers experience an epiphany moment in their book marketing conquest when they realise that social media — when scheduling tweets and targeting them at other writers — doesn’t sell books. I also believe that the majority of writers, in a mad panic, resort to extreme social media measures as a result.
What are extreme social media measures? Extreme social media measures are a misguided, fearful belief that if something isn’t working, then one clearly isn’t trying hard enough. So the writer throws a tweet out about their book. Then another. And another and another, and before you know it, the entire Twitter feed is basically just an enormous advertising billboard, only down an ignored back alley rather than in Times Square.
Let’s talk about Times Square for a moment. I’ve just spent the best part of a fortnight in New York, hence the recent lack of blogging, and it really is an amazing city. The hotel me and my friend stayed in was just a five-minute walk from Times Square. On the walk down there one afternoon, I was stopped by a man who claimed he was giving away ‘free music’. After extending my hand to take the CD, I was surrounded by a crowd of people who shoved their free music in my hand, before begging for a donation. Sympathetic (and a little bit naïve) to the cause of fellow artists, I reached into my pocket for a couple of spare dollars and prepared to hand them to one of the guys before he claimed that, ‘usually people give us $20-$25’. As a result, I kindly handed them their CDs back and walked away with my dollars.
This experience is akin to extreme social media measures, or forced marketing. Fearful writers often resort to the online equivalent of these book marketing tactics when they are lost for ways to market, and this is entirely forgivable morally, but the internet doesn’t have much when it comes to morals, so you’d better be prepared for a backlash.
Am I saying that social media is useless as a book marketing platform? No, but it isn’t a place for blatant harassing. Advertising is fine (in moderation, like all things), because advertising can consist of several things — linking to competitions, discounts, etc. Trying to force someone to buy your book won’t make you stand out in a crowded field. This is what the majority of writers on social media do. Ironic really, isn’t it? By trying to stand out from the crowd, writers can slip into an unnoticed abyss of hourly Buffer scheduling and superficial followers.
The trick to standing out from the crowd in book marketing? Simple: write a good book, have a professional editor take a look at it, give it a bloody nice cover, put it up for sale, then pursue monthly marketing opportunities when you’ve got a few releases available. At the same time, be genuine on social media; be helpful on your blog; never stop researching. Getting the book for sale is the key part — everything else in book marketing is a bonus based on what you enjoy.
Okay, all that might not seem so simple, but it’s simple enough to understand. Writing and marketing shouldn’t be a slog. When it comes to book marketing, find something you enjoy doing, and do it to the max.
Oh, and just remember not to panic when something doesn’t seem to be working. If you’re contemplating escalating your output, just imagine what you’d think if someone were to do it to you, and remember my Times Square story.
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So, first things first, I’m back from New York! I had a great couple of weeks, eating approximately ten thousand hot dogs all the way from Harlem to Coney Island (Coney Island wins in the tastiest hot dog showdown) and walking some serious distance. Great city, and I’d definitely return, even if the jet lag from the return flight was brutal.
I’ve got a little announcement to make. Remember Killing Freedom? Yeah, that book I’ve been working on for the last few months. Well, it’s finished! Completed, edited, and proofread. All I need to do now is format it, have a final read through, then send it out to a few reviewers. After that, it should be ready for launch. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks…
Otherwise, thanks for all the patience whilst I’ve been away on holiday. Got a hell of a lot of emails to be replying to, so I’d better get straight to it. Good to be back!
Ryan.
Image courtesy of uitdragerij via Flickr
Killing Freedom: Cover Reveal & Exclusive First Preview
Bumper post alert! Before we start, I want to give you a bit of a rundown of what to expect. I’m heading to New York for eleven days on Wednesday so I figured I’d leave you all with a bit extra to chew on. That said, bear with me: this post will reward the patient.
Seriously.
Also, I just found out the other day that I’ve been blogging for ONE WHOLE YEAR! That’s an absolutely crazy thought. I know it’s a cliché to say so, but this last year really has flown by. If you’d have told me a year ago that I’d have four releases out and preparing to launch a second novel, I’d probably have laughed in your face. Thanks for all the comments, visits, emails, etc. Really do appreciate it.
Anyway, on to the meat of the post. Brace yourselves: an overload of new stuff awaits…
Killing Freedom Cover Reveal
Last Wednesday, I promised I’d share the cover for my brand new novel, Killing Freedom, on Friday. I apologise for the delay — a few other commitments popped up. Anyway, with the Killing Freedom launch fast approaching (I’m targeting mid-July), I thought it would be a fine opportunity to present you with the official cover. So, here you go, in all its glory.
Looks good, right? This is the work of Lloyd Lelina, who also designed the What We Saw cover. Lloyd is a really great designer, so definitely get in touch with him if you’re interested. He’s very professional and always seems to understand an author’s vision in this strangely psychic manner. I love the way the cover captures the dilemma of the hero and conveys it so damn brilliantly. I love it.
Killing Freedom blurb
Probably the worst kept secret of the last few months is the setup of Killing Freedom: hitman forms bond with family he is hired to kill. I’m delighted now to elaborate on that one sentence teaser with a full blurb.
Jared is good at making friends. He’s even better at killing them.When career killer Jared Colwright is tasked with intercepting and killing a family, he doesn’t think much of it. To him, it’s just another job.
But Jared’s life is thrown into turmoil when he begins to form an emotional bond with the family. As he grows closer to them and starts to dream of freedom, which path will he choose?
KILLING FREEDOM is a violent, edge-of-your-seat thriller that also poses serious questions: can an unforgivable individual ever start again? Can a killer ever truly be free?
Intrigued yet?
Good, because I have something else for you. I’m delighted and excited to be able to share an official first look at Killing Freedom with you, you lucky blog readers.
When I say ‘first look’, I really mean it. So far, only me and my editor, as well as Creative Writing colleagues, have read any of Killing Freedom. As a treat for your continued support over the last twelve months, here’s the very first chapter of the novel. If you enjoy it, read on for where you can read a little bit more…
Ready?
Killing Freedom: Chapter One
He stared at the large ornate fireplace and twiddled with the match. Would it be big enough? It would be big enough. He’d used fireplaces of similar sizes in the past and they had been big enough. He took a deep breath and threw the match onto the fireplace, the flames roaring upwards as he walked over to the oak table in the corner of the room and picked up the bottle of wine. Castle Margaux 1995. A nice way to go—not too strong. Blackberry: sweet and rich.
He didn’t drink alcohol, but he had to do his research. Research was important.
He held the bottle and walked through the heavy wooden door into the second lounge area. The red walls that enveloped the room were seductive.
Deadly.
The chandelier must have cost a fortune. It never got old, spending time in places like this, living with people like them. It’s just a shame it could never last.
He saw her in the corner of the room, wrapping the diamond necklace around her neck. Its tiny pieces glimmered in the dim glow of the low hanging chandelier and yellow-tinted lamps. Cosy. He cleared his throat, and she turned to face him, shiny white teeth beaming in his direction.
‘Hello, Ronin,’ she said, in her soft accent, her eyes flickering around his face. ‘You surprised me.’ She continued to smile.
He loved the sound of foreign accents, especially on women. It made them seem so regal—so alluring.
He smiled back at her and tilted his gaze towards his feet. ‘Sorry, Madame. I was just wondering if you would like to head to the dining table for drinks? Your husband is waiting.’ He tapped the side of the bottle with his fingers and raised it upwards, tilting the label toward her. ‘I have good wine.’ He wasn’t so bad at accents himself. That Egyptian twang seemed to come as second nature. The more he faked, the easier it became.
Olive rubbed her hands up her red satin dress and tiptoed towards him. ‘Who am I to refuse a drink?’ she said, resting her hands against his suit.
He clenched his lips together as Olive caressed his suit. It had been a long time, and Olive was so forward with these things. Always touching. She was probably a nice woman. She seemed friendly enough.
If only she knew.
He stepped back towards the doorway. ‘We’ll be waiting for you.’
Olive looked on, wide-eyed. She had beautiful green eyes. He liked green eyes but they always made things more complicated because they reminded him of his sister. That’s why it was so important to switch off, to forget about things like that.
He looked down at the bottle and headed for the dinner table.
Olive laughed when he told her about the time he’d got stuck on the bus. At first, he just stood around and watched, but he’d broken down their defenses; earned their trust.
‘You’re such a silly man,’ she said, before nibbling on her crackers, pule cheese smeared across the top.
Federico grunted and wiped his chubby face with his hand. ‘For a servant, you do a decent job. I’ve hired gypsies before and they fuck things up. Piss in my soup and touch my woman. One of them tried to steal my watch.’ He flicked his gold watch in Ronin’s direction. ‘But you,’ he said, pointing his chubby finger towards him, ‘you’re different. You do as you’re told. You respect us. I’d like to raise a glass to you, and to your future.’ Federico lifted his gold cup into the air and bowed his head. There was a crumb of leftover cheese tangled in his beard.
He’d always had a keen eye for the smaller things in life, an attention to detail. Attention to detail was always important. That’s what he’d been told. That’s what he’d learned.
But crumbs wouldn’t matter soon. None of it would matter.
Olive laughed and Federico grunted some more.
He just smiled. Kept calm and smiled. He’d watched this routine a hundred times before, or maybe nearer to a thousand. He didn’t like to think, didn’t like to remember.
But he watched and he waited. He didn’t drink, not unless he felt he absolutely had to. This family never seemed to notice that he didn’t touch his wine. They were too busy getting drunk themselves.
Simple.
Olive’s green eyes began to grow heavy, drooping at the eyelids. Either she was drunk, or it was taking effect. It had different ways of working. Sometimes it was slow, other times it was instant. He wished it could be instant for everybody. Raymond told him that this was the kindest method for fucks like these people, but Raymond said a lot of things.
‘Why have you no special woman in your life, Ronin?’ Olive asked. She grinned with those pearly teeth and leaned over the dark marble table towards him, her red lipstick spreading around her mouth as she pursed her lips. Her arm, which she leaned her head on, began to wobble.
Ronin undid the top button of his shirt as he spotted Olive’s empty wine glass, lipstick staining the rim. He would have preferred to have gotten out before she’d interrogated him, but he couldn’t just walk out now. It would look rude, and they’d know something wasn’t quite right.
Not that it mattered what they thought.
‘I did have someone special,’ Ronin said. His voice was croaky, his accent forced, but they didn’t notice.
It didn’t even matter if they did notice now. He could speak in a German accent, start raving and ranting. It didn’t matter anymore.
A line of sweat began to trickle down the side of Federico’s face. He undid his top button and coughed.
Just a bit of food stuck in his throat, that’s all he’d think.
Olive continued to stare at Ronin as Federico grew more restless.
‘And what happened to her?’ Olive asked. Her eyes drooped even more. She tried to lean against her arm on the table, but it kept flopping away beneath her.
Still she smiled with those glistening white teeth.
Blood began to trickle from Federico’s nostrils and down his mouth.
And action.
Ronin took a deep breath, stood up and wiped the crumbs from his lap as Olive’s arm finally gave way. Her head cracked against the edge of the hard, sharp-cornered table before her body slipped to the floor like a doll. It was probably better that she went that way: asleep, unconscious.
Smiling.
Federico wasn’t quite as lucky.
He tried to pull his bulky body to his feet as he looked over at Ronin, panic in his wide, bloodshot eyes. ‘What—what have you—Olive—’
Federico’s nose streamed with blood. Every time he tried to wipe it away with his red-stained hand, more of it trickled down his face. He dug his bitten-down nails into the marble table, struggled to pull his body up from the chair, but his knees kept on giving way as he collapsed towards the floor below.
Federico and Olive faced each other on the ground. Olive’s red dress. Red lipstick.
Blood.
Beautiful and red.
No—he couldn’t see things like that. It wasn’t beautiful, it was horrible. He had to keep his distance. He couldn’t get too involved, not like Frank and the others.
Ronin pulled his suit trousers off and folded them as the sound of Federico’s heaving tore through the room. No one would hear him. The advantage of living so far out of the way was that you could pretty much get away with anything.
In this family’s case, that had become a distinct disadvantage.
Ronin took his blazer off and threw it on top of his trousers before sliding them both into a white bin bag. He’d sneaked it in from the kitchen cupboard and left it on the side earlier. When he turned round, Federico was foaming from his mouth, shaking and fitting like an electrocution victim.
But this was worse than electrocution. Ronin knew because he’d seen electrocution. It wasn’t as bad as this.
He pulled a pair of clear latex gloves from the pockets of the clear protective coat he had on underneath his suit and marched over towards Federico’s shaking body. Federico’s eyes struggled to focus—to make sense of everything. He tried to grasp Ronin’s arm before his hand gave up and went limp. Ronin patted his flabby stomach. ‘It…it’ll be over soon.’
Federico’s eyes bulged out of his skull like snooker balls. His mouth whispered something inaudible, a weak, dying sound emerging from the pit of his croaky throat. ‘Why Roni…why?’
Ronin stood up and scratched his wrist before turning to Olive’s lifeless body and pulling the necklace from her neck. Some things he had to dispose of in more elaborate ways. He winced as he got down onto his knees and picked her up. He had to get this part right. Pick them up without supporting the lower back, and he’d end up doing his own back a world of damage. There was an art to it, a process. It took time to learn, but he was the best at what he did.
At least Raymond told him so, anyway.
‘It’s just the way things go,’ he said, turning towards the burning fire in the lounge as the weight of Olive’s body grew heavier in his arms. He carried her over to the fireplace before turning back to Federico. He’d be more of a struggle to lift. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t completely honest with you about things.’ He paused and stared at Federico’s glazing eyes. ‘Raymond. You know him, right?’
Federico’s fists clenched together as he heard the name. Ronin nodded. ‘I thought you might know him.’
Then, he turned to the fire and threw Olive’s body into the flames. He slipped a camera out of his pocket and caught a snap of Olive, sighing as he watched her golden skin crackle, before turning back for Federico.
The cleanup always was the worst part.
So, what d’you think?! I hope you enjoyed this very exclusive first look at Killing Freedom.
But it doesn’t stop there.
What if I told you there was a way to read the next two chapters of the book? Well, it just so happens there is, and all it requires is a couple of clicks.
How do I read more of Killing Freedom?!
All you need to do is click here to sign up to my New Release Notification list. All this does is signs you up to a spam-free email list where you will be notified whenever I have a new release out. You’ll also automatically be entitled to previews like this in future before anyone else.
So, I repeat: click here to sign up to the mailing list, confirm your subscription via email, and your exclusive preview of Killing Freedom awaits. As a bonus, you’ll get an email as soon as the full release is available mid-July.
Thanks very much for taking the time to read. It’s been an amazing year, and I’m delighted to be able to share my new work with you. Believe me when I say that there’s plenty more to come in 2013…
Now, time to head to New York! Give me a shout if you’re around. It’s my first time in the States so I’m really excited.
See you in July!
Ryan.
Writing in Multiple Genres — Is it a Bad Idea?
One of the main disadvantages of being a writer is that there are only so many stories we can write.
This knowledge is highly frustrating. Taking a glance at my Notes app, I have enough ideas lined up to last me a career, yet I know I’ll probably only work on one or two of those before thinking up something fresher.
To some, it isn’t as much of a problem. Some writers prefer to specialise in one genre, and that’s cool. If you enjoy writing in a particular genre, then you should do that. However, there are another set of writers out there — writers like me — who enjoy exploring different worlds and sets of conventions. Enter, the multiple genre writer.
The Multiple Genre Problem
Many authors argue that a writer should stick to one genre because breaking free of this convention ‘dilutes their brand’, as it were. This is a fair argument. If you write thrillers and then suddenly throw a romance out there, your readership will be baffled, and probably go sit in a corner and sulk while figuring out what the hell’s going on.
However, I think there are two problems at play here.
Firstly, the idea of any author as a ‘brand’ discomforts me. It gives the impression that said author is writing in such and such a genre/style because that is what their brand image demands, and not their creative impulses.
Just a note: I’m not slating the idea of the author as a brand from a business point of view. That’s a different thing. ‘Branding’ yourself is everything, from how you come across, your website, social media, etc. But creatively, I struggle with this ‘brand’ idea. Really, you should follow your creative impulses, not the constraints of your self-imposed ‘brand’.
This whole idea of a ‘brand’ comes from traditional publishers, anyway. With self-publishing, authors have the freedom to explore whatever the hell they want. The rules have changed, so enjoy that freedom if you so desire.
Secondly, I think that fearing reader confusion is an over-simplistic view of our audience. Listen, people are clever. If you put a new book out, chances are they’ll read the blurb/see the cover, and decide whether they want to buy it or not. If they throw themselves into buying it without even investigating, then they’ll likely be the sort of reader who picks up and loves all your work regardless of generic constraints.
I just want to give you a little bit of context, ’cause I like doing that. I’ve currently published four titles. One is a suspense-horror short story, one is a science-fiction thriller, one is a coming-of-age childhood mystery, and one is a creepy horror. I’ve never had any complaints from readers about mixing it up with multiple genres.
Why haven’t I? Personally, I think it’s because my writing style holds it all together. I write with interchangeable themes in my work, often upbeat things like loss, and the desire to put things right. If you can find a theme or a motif, you can get away with writing in multiple genres. You don’t need a pen name — all you need is your creativity.
As with everything in writing, I think the key here is to follow your own path rather than the path somebody has forced on you. If you are comfortable writing in one genre, then that’s absolutely fine. If you want to write in multiple genres, then that’s absolutely fine too. It matters more that you, quite simply (if only), write a good book. Do that, and you don’t have to bother about all this single/multiple genre silliness.
So, there you go, dear reader. You have personal permission to write whatever the hell you want. I have to dash: I have a thriller and a mystery to work on…
What are your views on writing in multiple genres? Are you a single genre person? Why does that work for you?
Image courtesy of Enokson via Flickr.
Author Update: What’s Next from Ryan Casey?
Hi all,
Just wanted to check in and reassure you that yes, I am alive, and no, I haven’t quit writing. So, tabloid journalists, you can drop your pens and scrap that planned headline story all over the gossip pages tomorrow…
I am, in fact, in the process of moving house. To those who haven’t moved house before, I can assure you that it is a roller-coaster of, well, highs and lows, the lowest being having to wait a goddamned week for a proper internet connection to be installed. I’m currently typing this hoping my mobile hotspot doesn’t time out (my iPhone is perched on my window battling for 3G signal).
Anyway, a few things. Firstly, thanks very much for all the nice comments and reception to my latest release, The Painting. You can grab a copy here, if you haven’t already.
What’s launching this summer?
I’ve been working on several projects in the first half of 2013, some of which I planned to release, others that have emerged out of nowhere. I just wanted to line up some projects I’m working on, when to expect them, and how you can keep up to date.
Firstly, Killing Freedom, my second novel, is set for a July release. It’s the story of a hitman who forms a bond with a family he is ordered to kill. It’s currently with my editor for line edits, after some really high praise/quality feedback at the developmental stage. I’m really, really proud of this book, and I think you’re going to love it. Of course, I would say that, but I really do think you’re going to love it. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Killing Freedom over the coming weeks, starting with the unveiling of the cover (designed by the fantastic Lloyd Lelina, once again) this Wednesday. Head back over to the blog if you fancy taking a peek.
In August, I’ll be releasing the second chapter of The Watching novella trilogy. I’m planning to start writing it in July, and have a few ideas where I’d like it to go. I have to be careful not to re-hash the formula of The Painting, while maintaining its (very dark) soul, but I have a few ideas to keep it all fun, and those who have read will be well aware of how intriguing the story’s world really is.
How about autumn/fall 2013?
That’s right: more projects. Of course, I’ll be wrapping up The Watching trilogy, perhaps tying it in with Halloween. However, that’s not all. I’ve been working on a new crime/mystery novel for the most part of 2013 (and the latter part of 2012). Whereas Killing Freedom is pure thriller, Untitled Crime Novel 1 is a very British, very character-driven murder mystery. It introduces a detective and supporting cast, and is the opening chapter of a larger series, to be continued through 2014 and beyond. I love it, and I think you will too.
How can I find out about these new books?
If you want to be first to hear about my new books as soon as they are released, feel free to sign up to my New Release Notification list. I don’t ever send out any spam or anything like that, and you’re welcome to unsubscribe at any time. But seriously, it’s pretty cool. Click here for new book updates in your inbox.
Anyway, I’m ultra-paranoid about my mobile internet connection timing out. I should be all up and running again this Wednesday, and I’ll share the Killing Freedom cover then. Maybe even an extra blog post.
Have a great day! How are all your projects going? I’d love to hear about them, whether writing, music — whatever!
Ryan.
Understanding Amazon Rankings — Debunking the Myths
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the Amazon ranking system. Pretty much every blog you visit, you’ll hear a different ‘take’ on whether a free book is as weighty as a paid book, whether the popularity lists are different to the bestseller lists, and excited tweets about receiving email adverts of author’s own works from Amazon.
The intention of this post is to debunk a few myths surrounding the Amazon rankings. Before I do, I’d like to once again credit David Gaughran for his in-depth discussion of the ranking system in his new book, Let’s Get Visible. I’m only going to touch on some of the things discussed in that book, so you should definitely check it out.
Anyway, without further ado, let’s get debunking some common Amazon ranking myths…
Myth: Higher priced ebooks weigh more in Amazon Sales Rank than lower priced ebooks.
This is one of the most common myths I encounter, however, it is completely untrue.
Whether your book is 99c or $9.99, one sale is weighted exactly the same in Amazon’s ‘Sales Rank’ system. Price does not affect your sales rank performance, nor do reviews, tags, likes, star ratings, etc.
The only thing that affects your Amazon ranking when it comes to Sales Rank, thus breaking onto the Best Seller lists, is sales. Therefore, it’s just as easy/hard for a 99c ebook to break into the Best Seller charts as it is a $2.99 ebook. There is no favouritism on Amazon’s part towards higher priced books when it comes to Sales Rank.
However, probably fuelling the confusion, Amazon’s Popularity Lists are influenced by price. Free books are worth roughly a tenth of a paid book, if that gives you any idea of value/weight etc. Why do the Popularity Lists matter? It’s easier to break onto them because they are based on a rolling total of 30 days, rather than the current Sales Rank. The Popularity lists are the Amazon rankings Kindle readers see first, too, but that’s another marketing topic for another blog post. Back to the myth-busting…
Myth: Amazon is great because it sends out emails advertising my book to me and all my friends. They love me!
I’m sure Amazon would absolutely love you, but unfortunately, I’m going to be the party pooper here. Y’see, Amazon are really intelligent. Their search function keeps track of all your searches, previous purchases, wish lists, and the like, and every now and then, it uses that information to send out promotional emails directly to you based on what they think you’ll like.
If you receive an email from Amazon advertising your book, it’s because you’ve searched for your book in the past. If your friends receive an email advertising your book, it’s because they’ve also searched for it/bought one of your other books before. Of course, every now and then you might sneak onto an email of an ‘also-bought’, but this takes a lot.
So, next time you receive a promotional email, remember the cackling face of the Amazon ranking system and realise it’s just doing its job. After all, you are your ideal reader.
Myth: A high-profile launch day is a great idea that will shoot me to the top of the rankings for a long time!
I don’t want to go into this one in too much depth — David Gaughran does a much better job of it in his book, as I mentioned — but the idea of a launch day when it comes to ebooks is actually a little short-sighted.
I can’t begin to count the number of high-profile launches that have been built and built up, Tweeted, Facebooked, guest-posted and whatever else-d on one single day, sending it into the top 1,000… before slipping back into obscurity.
Why is this? Amazon rankings favour consistency over a one-off sale spike. If you build up to one single day, getting everybody you know/don’t know to buy it, then the chances are you’ll have a strong opening day, then just slip away completely. This isn’t ideal.
The solution? Again, I’ll go into that in the future. If you’re a newer author, like myself, there’s not a lot that can be done about this other than just waiting around for a first major promotion/new release. If you have a really large following (say, a mailing list of 100+, a Twitter with 100+ ACTIVE fans, a dedicated Facebook following), you can stagger your launch and keep your book selling consistently, thus gaining more exposure. If not, just keep writing more books and don’t blow your wallet on an expensive launch day. Amazon ranking tweaks mean it probably won’t work, not anymore.
Myth: Amazon make it impossible for me to sell my book.
This is the stupidest myth of all. Even leaving KDP Select completely out of the equation, there’s also-boughts, tailored recommendations, popularity charts, mailing lists, ‘also by’ pages, and a whole host of other marketing opportunities to utilise.
It’s hard selling a first book. Hell — it’s hard selling a second book. But you just have to keep putting new work out there, getting a few reviews, and then doing a low-time/finance promotion while still focusing on new writing.
Hopefully, now these Amazon ranking myths have been debunked, you’ll have a better understanding of how it all works. Ignorance is sometimes bliss, but when you can use a little-understood system to your advantage, it’s certainly not.
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In other news, I just finished university yesterday! Great to be able to write this blog post without feeling guilty about not revising.
Last week, I put a new book out called The Painting, too. If you want to know more, head over here to read a sample of the opening.
More on Friday!
Ryan.
The Painting (The Watching, 1) Now Available!
Good news! My new book, The Painting, is now available to buy over at Amazon for $2.99/£1.99! Just hit here to be transferred to the relevant Kindle Store.
Here’s a bit about the book:
You think you know the story.
When struggling novelist Donny retreats to a derelict old house, he hopes to find the inspiration to overcome his battle with writer’s block. However, things don’t seem to be getting any easier for him inside the creepy house.
Until he finds the painting.
Reinvigorated by the painting’s alluring presence, Donny finally begins to defeat his writer’s block. But something is changing in the painting. Something is changing in the house.
Something is watching…
As events grow more terrifying and surreal, Donny finds himself not only fighting to write, but fighting for his life and his sanity.
What is the painting? You might think you know.
The Painting is a 90 page/27,000 word suspense-horror novella. It is the first instalment in The Watching trilogy.
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The book has already received some nice initial praise, with one reader informing me that they finished it in one sitting, as well as some great beta reader/ARC feedback.
Again, if you want to grab a copy of your own and see what all the fuss is about, then head over to Amazon. If it doesn’t take you directly to your store, just replace the ‘.com/.co.uk’ in the link with your store and that will do the trick.
As I promised, my new release notification subscribers heard about the book way before anybody else. In fact, they got their hands on it two days ago! If you’d like to be in their shoes next time round, then just click here to sign up. I only ever send out emails when I’ve got a new book out, and I never share your details with anybody. Promise.
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The Painting is the result of a craving to write a conceptual horror of some sort as well as editing fatigue. I’ve been editing and rewriting my second novel for quite some time now, and finished the draft of my third back in February. By the end of April, I was eager to get writing again.
I actually started what would become The Painting back in January, but dropped it due to other commitments. It’s an idea I’ve always been fond of, even though I didn’t really know what that idea ‘was’ until I wrote it.
The bulk of the draft was written over an intensely creative period . The more I wrote, the larger the buzz increased. Insert [writing is my drug cliché here]. I wanted to prove to both myself and to my readers that a good story is not necessarily written over a crazy period of time. If you’ve got a tight plan and some solid elements in place, then you can finish a draft in no time.
That said, The Painting totally deviated from the plan. In fact, without wanting to spoil it, some of the key plot moments were completely spontaneous. The three-chapter split of the book pretty much splits in the same way as my mind when writing it. I had an idea where I wanted the thing to go, but I let my creativity run wild.
Big thanks to — Cynthia Shepp, Adrijus Guscia, Leanne Sype, and James Parsons. Your help in each stage really developed and refined my ideas.
I hope you enjoy the book. It’s just the first part of something much, much bigger, the rest of which you’ll be able to check out in the remainder of 2013.
Again, if you want a copy, click here.
Enjoy!
Ryan Casey.