***WARNING*** Long post ahead
This post stems from the frustration of tanking book sales. I would like to at least continue to enjoy the little “extras” in life by working full time AND writing, at least for now. Eventually, I would like this to be my job, but things aren’t looking so good right now.
I started thinking I might be able to eventually do this full time when my January & February 2011 sales were so good that I made more money those two months than I did at my full time job. And most of that was from one 99 cent novella…Guardian Vampire. I’ve pondered the mystery of this book’s success for a long time, and I still don’t understand it. It’s actually still my best seller at Amazon UK, although the sales aren’t that great. Think about it though…I made a full time salary on one 99 cent book for two months straight.
I got some emails from readers wishing for a sequel. I know I’ve told this part before. There was no sequel to this novella. So I wrote a the Vampires’ Curse trilogy, thinking that readers wanted series. I’ve never had good sales on those novellas even though they are much better, in my opinion, than Guardian Vampire. After writing GV, I wrote a novel, Haunted Lake. It went months with few sales, but suddenly took off. It never reached the volume of GV, but it wasn’t shabby at all. I currently have 12 works published (one is a compilation of three of the others), and Haunted Lake is still the best seller in the US. Better than anything newer. In fact, the oldest novel is doing better than Vampires’ Curse. I absolutely do not understand.
Here’s the thing. Except for when GV was going crazy, I’ve been used to making a steady $500-$700 a month in sales across a few channels. (We know which channel has the best sales.) This has been less than enough for full time work, but it was really good for part time work. We had been buying essentials and paying bills with our full time money, and had been buying fun stuff and paying for vacation with book money. But in the last couple of months, I haven’t made much over $300. And it looks like July might be even worse. I can’t make a living this way. We’re told the only way to do this is to keep writing so you have a lot of books out there. But the last few things I’ve written are the ones I haven’t sold well. And I’m beginning to suspect that it’s because most of them aren’t 99 cents anymore. My old stuff is all 99 cents, but I refuse to price my later work that low. We, as authors, deserve to get paid for our work. So mine ranges from the 99 cent books, up to the 2.99 ones. I’m afraid, though, that as long as other authors keep pricing at 99 cents, it’s going to be hard to compete. Even if you have a good story, you have to get someone to read it first. Readers will download a bunch of 99 cent books at once. I know this because I’ve done it myself. It’s fun to get lots of stuff for your money. But if I really like an author, I’ll pay more. The key is getting someone to read your work to start with. Some of those 99 cent books don’t even get read, I’ll bet. I have honestly considered dropping all my prices to 99 cents to see what happens. But then I think about the hard work I put into the books and say no.
So we come to the present WIP I’m working on. I think Guardian Vampire did well partly because of the title when people were doing searches. I really feel like my WIP has an even better title. I’m not ready to reveal that title for reasons I’ll explain later. But I feel like this might be the book that brings my sales back up. I have a glimmer of hope. I just need to make sure I’m realistic enough to realize that there’s tons more competition in ebooks than there used to be, and that things may not work out like I hope. I’m a resilient person, though, and also persistent. So there’s always the next book, and the next one, and the next one….
lauralynnelliott.com 
I think this is happening to a lot of us. My sales have taken a similar curve, and so have those of many other authors I know.
I’ve tried not to fret about it. Mainly because if I fret, I can’t write, which means there won’t be anything to put out. But yeah, it’s frustrating. It’s no secret how badly I want out of my evil day job. And that’s partly why I’m still pursuing traditional publication for some of my work. Even though their royalties aren’t as good, if I can land a good contract and potentially get a good advance (that I could squirrel into savings) and, more importantly, EXPOSURE beyond what I can do entirely on my own, then I hope to eventually create a domino effect of people who find me via a traditionally published book and then go looking for everything else I’ve put out (which will be better priced at 4.99 than whatever they put out). Which may or may not work.
Which is why I’m trying to keep my eyes on my own paper and just write the next damn book, you know? Because one way or the other, the right answer obviously includes putting out more work. I’m trying to focus on the fact that I’ve got a well paying job and to glory in the fact that for now, writing the next book can take as long as it takes, without the stress of a deadline. Even though said job often stresses me out so much I can’t write…catch 22.
I wondered if others were experiencing the same thing. I always thought summer sales would be good because people like to read on the beach. But maybe people aren’t taking as many beach vacations. Or they are playing games on their iPads instead of reading. And the competition! I wonder just how many ebooks are out there now compared to when you and I first started publishing.
Yes, we should really just write and publish and let happen what happens. Obviously, putting out more work would boost sales better than just doing nothing. I just keep hoping I have another book that does what GV did. I keep thinking of ways to market that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing and see what happens. Life is all about surprises and wondering what’s next, right?
As long as you keep writing I’ll keep reading. Now I know that my support alone won’t help you become a full time author, but it’s a start. And how many people can really support themselves fully from their writting? Not many. Although it would be wicked cool to be able to do that. Wicked cool. Oh well, just keep writing and see where the winds take you. I hope you enjoy the trip 🙂
You are so sweet! I know I can always count on you. 🙂
I know of at least two indie authors who are making a living doing this and have no desire to be traditionally published. They are very prolific, writing several books a year. The only way I could write that many is to not have a full time job. But I can’t quit my full time job unless I make more money writing. It’s a vicious cycle. LOL
Here’s a thought. All things being equal, you should also take into account the weather. It’s summer, and a hot one at that. I hate to say it, but I don’t read as much during the summer months as I do during the winter. I still read during my lunch, but I haven’t been reading at home. I can easily burn through 3-4 novels a week in the winter.
Lately, I’ve only been reading non-fiction, DIY books, etc. I don’t have as time to read for pleasure when kiddo isn’t in school, so non-fiction works better for this. I’m not sure if my reading appetite is the norm, but I suspect I’m not the only one who has fluctuating reading habits. I suspect that’s why Smashwords NEEDS to have their July sales, to help stimulate a flat month.
I could be totally wrong, but it’s something to think about.
You may have a point, Juli. And I was thinking about those “beach reads”. People usually only go to the beach for a week, so there’s probably not as many books downloaded for vacation as I originally thought. And there are things people do in the summer, but they are couped up in the winter.
My best book sales are usually in Jan-Feb, so you may be right!
Try a Regency and see what happens. I’m half joking because I know you can’t just “whip up” a certain genre, but if you’re ever inclined to try one, I think it’d be worth a shot. But I also know you have to do what you are able to do, so toss that Regency idea out if it won’t work.
My heart went out to you as I read this post. I can feel your frustration. It drives me crazy to know that I can be the same author and some books sell really well and some barely sell at all, and one of my old books is doing better than all of my others (even the Regency). It boggles my mind. I don’t get it. I know you don’t get why GV is the book that has been doing well over the long haul, too. There must be something in the plot or title that resonates with more people who in turn tell others about it. I feel like with every book I publish, I’m flipping a coin.
I’ve also learned as much as readers say they want a certain book, that book doesn’t always sell like I thought it would. I published a sequel to a story that for two years people kept asking me to write, and it’s so-so in sales. You’d think with the excitement people had for it, I’d be selling that book like hotcakes. It makes me want to toss out all suggestions from my readers and just write what I’m inclined to write. I might be getting dumped with “write a sequel to Suddenly a Bride” emails, but I think when it comes time to buy it, people won’t be interested. I couldn’t make more than $30 a month off Suddenly a Bride no matter what I did, so I broke down and made it free. It does me no good just sitting there. But I can’t waste my time writing a sequel for another $30 a month, and (like you) it makes me sick to think of pricing any new book at $0.99. I’d love to be able to price my books higher than $2.99, but every attempt has failed. So I stick with $2.99 for my new books.
I’ve also have the sever ups and downs in sales. Publishing that Suddenly a Bride book led to no increase in sales last year. The Regency was a huge boost (which is why I recommended Regecy). Other books were more “average”, meaning I had okay results but nothing like I used to have before Select came along. I did see a significant rise in sales post Christmas (Jan. and Feb.) and then it fell. Then I did the Regency and put two books at free and got a boost in May through now. But I wasn’t able to get a boost without making a couple books free, and that is one of those “was that good or did I train readers to think of me as a free author” situation. I don’t know what the answer is, except as you said keep writing and publishing. If I stopped, I’d have to get a job or hope my husband did. It seems like a constant struggle to keep the money coming in and that stresses me out. But then, every job has stress, no matter how much we enjoy it.
Sorry to ramble. I just want to say that my heart goes out to you, and I hope you do make a living at your writing.
Thank you, Ruth, you’re always a pillar of support. 🙂 There’s just something about Regencies. People love them. Even when paranormal romance was at its peak (I think it might be waning just a little) Regencies still sold well. I used to read them all the time when I was in my twenties. I’ve been reading them again lately, especially by authors I know or have heard of through others. I bet you were surprised at how well yours sold. LOL.
The pricing issue has always given me a headache. In some ways, I want to price at .99 to make my books affordable to everyone. But my work is worth more than that. If I could have the QUANTITY of sales I had in Jan-Feb of 2011, I wouldn’t mind doing it. But I think the days of .99 books are going away for most of us. And I don’t think $2.99 is too much to ask for a novel or long novella. And I price shorter novellas at $1.99.
I don’t know all the answers, but it’s still a fun ride. So I’m just going to see where it takes me.
Book sales drop in summer, Lauralynn. It happens every year. And as Ruth Ann said above, there’s no way of telling how a new book will do. Trying different genres is great, but most kinds of romance are very well suited to a series – not necessarily the same character but different couples within the same world and having the old characters show up. That’s something to consider, at least.
I know it can feel like chasing your own tail, but you just never know when a book will break out or for how long. The more you have out there, the more chance you have of long-term residual sales.
Keep trying as long as you enjoy writing…
Hi Claire. I guess you’re right about summer sales. I just kept hanging on to the idea of “beach reads”. LOL.
Honestly, I don’t like to write series. It’s kind of like how I prefer movies to TV shows most of the time (there ARE exceptions, of course). I want to read a story, reach a satisfying conclusion, then go on to something else. I do like to read some series, but I prefer stand alone books. If I find a series I like, sometimes I’ll wait until there are several books in the series so I won’t be waiting on the next one to come out. But for my own writing, I definitely enjoy stand alones. And my stand alone books are selling much better than my trilogy.
I don’t plan to stop writing anytime soon. As long as there are stories in my head, I’ll keep writing. 🙂
Maria Zannini told me the same…summer sales slump. Fall and winter are the best sales months, or so I’m told. I’m still in my first year as a published author. But it has been frustrating to see my monthly income work itself up to nearly 2K a month…and then dwindle to a couple hundred. Ack! Ha. I’m in it for the long haul. And…Ruth may have something. My historical was, hands down, my best selling piece (And it is priced at $0.99) – still is. Despite good reviews, The Third Fate has not produced the sales. It’s slow…very slow. lol.
Write what you love! And maybe stretch yourself and try something new…either way, keep plugging along. :}
See, historicals are still one of the most popular genres! With all the paranormal craziness in the last two or three years, you would think The Third Fate would do better. But no, it’s still the historical. Ruth said her regency is selling great. She usually writes historical western type books, but she tried her hand at a regency, and it went crazy. She says I ought to try one. 🙂
What I’m planning on writing next, after my current WIP, is the story my husband came up with. I’m really concerned about that one. Since it wasn’t my idea, will I be able to do it justice? Will I be able to write it like he sees it? But, again, this whole thing is a fun ride, and we have to try new things sometimes to keep it interesting.
I’ll chime in and say, yeah, my summer books sales always blow. Maybe the summer beach reads phenomenon is something the publishing world came up with because their summer sales have always sucked too! I was at BAM a few weeks ago and they were having a big sale. (set me back a bit…) Seems to me bookstore chains don’t have sales while business is good.
When we talked earnings back in February, I was really impressed by what you’ve been able to do with 99 cent titles. I’ve been out of the 1000 sales a month club so long now that I forgot to be upset about it.
Honestly, I don’t think it’s so much the rise in 99 cent titles as it is FREE is the new 99cents. Two years ago, there were hardly any free indie reads. Now we’ve figured out how to get them in for free through Smashwords AND there’s Select. I’ve noticed that a lot of the authors who have been around for a bit have the first book in their series free on Amazon. So now, if you order things by price, your 99 cent books should be taking a LOT longer to come up in that browse.
And yeah, the freebie is probably even worse than 99 cents for the phenomenon of loading up the Kindle with stuff you’ll forget about and never read because there’s NO investment and nothing lost in the forgetting.
I currently have a free short story, a 99 cent novel, and a 2.99 novel. I’ve seen downloads of the freebie drop significantly since Select, and that may have had an affect on sales of the series.
Despite the free short, I consider Hush Money the entry book into the series. I’m hesitant to raise the price from 99 cents because, even though I know the work is worth more, even though I no longer think 99 cents makes it more findable, I still think it provides me with a good Try Me price, a low barrier to those who might be intrigued and want to try it. I do think most readers who read Hush Money go on to read Heroes ‘Til Curfew.
I’m hesitant to drop the price of Hush Money from 99 cents to free. I think most freebie hunters are Kindle stuffers who will never read it. I’ve got something in that market, so I don’t need to throw another log on that fire. Additionally, I think freebie hunters are even more likely to be non-credible readers than the 99 cent bargain hunters were. And by this I mean the readers who try it just for the price, even knowing it’s “not what they usually read” and probably not for them, but make free with the writing of the reviews in which they actually SAY it wasn’t their kind of book and then ding it with a 2-star rating anyway, as though it’s the fault of your writing that they don’t like oranges, they like apples, but oranges were on sale so they bought them instead, but then didn’t like them as well as the apples. Huh?
I toy with the idea of raising the price of Curfew or pricing Siege higher when it’s done.. I know a bunch of people have said that, once you have fans, they will pay $4.99 as easily as $2.99 for your work, that $4.99 still feels like a bargain compared to most trad books, etc. And the royalties at those prices make a big difference, even if readership is smaller. I balk for a lot of reasons, including that it’s tough all over and I like offering the lower price that I can still live with, and I am concerned that raising the price will affect what seems like really effective turnover from book 1 to book 2.
Pricing is always hard. I don’t know how ranking is for you. I’m hesitant to do things that might mess with ranking when my books are hitting the charts (which they are not). Maybe you should explore pricing such that you can bundle more of your stories such that the reader gets a better deal for buying the bundle than buying singly and you get a better deal on the royalties when they do so. That wouldn’t affect your new readers, but might earn you more from your returning readers. If you bundle 5 99c stories, they would have a retail value of $4.95 separately. And you would make about $1.75. If you sold the bundle for $3.99, that represents a decent savings and you’d make about 90c more.(And, in theory, your earnings might be more than selling singly because it would be a guaranteed sale of the 5 stories whereas the purchaser of single books might only buy 3 out of 5 before moving on). If you sold it for $2.99, that represents a really nice bargain, and you’d still make a little more than selling them separately.
I know you’ve already bundled Libby Fox into a trilogy. Have you put an ad for that at the end of Guardian Vampire? Want more of Lauralynn Elliott’s vampires? Check out The Vampire’s Curse (Libby Fox Trilogy), now available on… and be sure to provide a link to the page in the Kindle store so that your readers can go right from the end of a book they liked, back to the Kindle store to purchase something else from you (tailored to their interests) without putting down the Kindle or smartphone.
It’s frustrating. I had a pity party for myself a few months ago–which I had absolutely no right to do–because the bargain-hunter and drive-by curious indie sales of my 99 cent book 1 gave me unrealistic expectations of my readership and first year sales of book 2 couldn’t live up to those expectations. And the road to my new house that doesn’t leak got a lot longer. That road would be a lot shorter if I would stop analyzing, get out of my own way, and do the work, though, so I should hush.
What are you doing on the 21st? Email me.
Sometimes, all this stuff can just give me a headache. In thinking about all the .99 books, I forgot about free ones. I have a short story out that’s free, but I don’t want to offer other books for free unless it’s for a short period of time for a promotion. But here we are competing with all the free ones.
I did bundle the Vampires’ Curse trilogy together, but I never even thought about going in and putting something at the end of Guardian Vampire. Or, maybe even Haunted Lake, since it’s my current best seller. Good idea, Susan! I did bundle See Me, Club Blood, and Guardian Vampire into one book for print. That’s the one that got some publicity on the cover model’s website because it was his 3000th cover. But I haven’t done that as an ebook, because they are all .99 anyway, so I would have to price them below the 70% royalty mark to make it less than buying the books separately. At the same time, it might sell better than the three separately because it has one of my best book covers. 🙂
I’m trying not to have that pity party. It’s very counterproductive, and we both know it. We need to just write, write, write, and something good is bound to happen.
I’ll check with hubby and make sure he has nothing planned. And i need to make sure that’s not my month to help with the clothing giveaway at my church. Otherwise, I don’t know of anything. I’ll touch base with you by email when I found out.
Keep writing and releasing books and hopefully it will pick up again. Have you tried pricing your books a little higher as an experiment? Many of the trad published books are going for $4.99.
I really don’t want to price above $2.99. I want people to be able to afford my books, plus be able to buy more at the same time. Also, I don’t think it would work because it’s my .99 books that are selling the best.