[PROGRESS THREAD] ChickenHawk's Self-Published Fiction EBooks

[Karla]

ChickenHawk, I was wondering: do you use a Facebook profile or fanpage for you pen names? I don´t really want one because it is time consuming and keeps me from writing.

 

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[Change]

@ChickenHawk Thank you a lot, for your reply. I do appreciate it. I have a ton of work ahead of me.

 

[ChickenHawk]

ChickenHawk, I was wondering: do you use a Facebook profile or fanpage for you pen names? I don´t really want one because it is time consuming and keeps me from writing.

I do. But I didn't set it up until I'd already had a breakout hit and readers were searching for me. You're right that it can be a time-sink. I'm not nearly as good about updating it and interacting as I'd like to be, because I agree with you -- it can be a huge distraction from writing. I think you've got the right idea!

 

[Thenernsauce]

Hey @ChickenHawk,

I'm new here, but I'm really enjoying cruising through this thread. You're progression to Fastlane success is fun to read.

I saw you posted about letting yourself go a little and had a thought for you. Have you ever considered getting an online personal trainer?

They are cheaper than the one's in gyms and they will give you accountability (which sounds like your issue if you do have the time on your hands).

Just a thought

 

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[ChickenHawk]

Hey @ChickenHawk,

I saw you posted about letting yourself go a little and had a thought for you. Have you ever considered getting an online personal trainer? They are cheaper than the one's in gyms and they will give you accountability (which sounds like your issue if you do have the time on your hands). Just a thought

Thanks for the idea! I don't think that would be the best in my case though. If anything, I need to push away from anything computer- or smart-phone related. I really do need to make that a priority...right after this book.

 

[Unknown]

Edited by vigilante: personal info

How are your results? Are you still improving?

I tried to write something a while back (before I found Amazon importing), and it did not go well for me. I think the problem was that I was writing about something I didn't care about. When I get some time I'm going to work on a horror novel, because that's the type of thing I actually enjoy reading. Have you had any luck with your novels? (Not that the numbers would translate the same for a horror novel).

edit: Just to clarify, I mean real horror. Not that crap that passes for horror these days

 

[Unknown]

Edited By Vigilante: personal info

 

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[Vigilante]

Edited By Vigilante: personal info

I edited the last two posts to remove sensitive info. I assume the OP might rather have you PM her those specific comments. Thanks - Vigilante

 

[Unknown]

I edited the last two posts to remove sensitive info. I assume the OP might rather have you PM her those specific comments. Thanks - Vigilante

Sorry, I didn't think I gave anything away.

 

[COSenior]

How have I been missing all of this? I must have a talk with my notifications preferences.

 

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[britnidanielle]

Just popping in to say CONGRATS @ChickenHawk!!!!

 

[Bellini]

It's fear, mostly. I wish I could say I'm kidding. Every single book I've written, I've hated it for much of the time. Midway through, I always think, "This is crap. The plot isn't coming together. It isn't making any sense. Everyone will hate it. Sheesh, even I hate it.." But I'm terrified of ever going back to a day job, and inspired at the kind of success that is possible if you have a breakout book. I think half the battle is plodding along whether you feel "inspired" or not.

Chickenhawk, I just read this entire thread yesterday (took h.o.u.r.s) and I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you so much for posting and carrying people through your ups and downs (amazing ups) so they could share in your joy.

But I also appreciated your comment above about FEAR. Some people have a hard time admitting they experience fear, but if they handle it correctly, it can definitely be a motivating factor that will propel them forward in a good way. Being afraid of what you DON'T WANT can sometimes help you steer around it or avoid it altogether.

The singer Madonna was being interviewed one time and the journalist commented on her fearless attitude and life. He asked her if there was anything she was afraid of. Madonna replied, "There's only one thing I'm afraid of, and that's mediocrity".

I never thought I would agree with anything she said but I felt the exact same way! That statement was profound to me because it explained alot of the motivation behind her relentless drive.

 

[happybhoy]

If its available online in your country, listen to a BBC radio 4 programme called "The invisible college".
It's a three part series about creative writing filled with tips from top writers.
It's very posh but will get you in the mood to write.

 

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[LisaK]

So I'm working on my next book, and I've realized something. It's not that I write terribly slow, so much as my internal editor is a screaming harpie who hates almost everything.

Example: Earlier this week, I took several hours to write a little over 300 words -- but only because I went back over that section again and again. (It was a very tense scene between the two leads, so it had to be just right.) Regardless of the type of scene, I reread everything I've just written and find myself thinking things like, "Boy, that wording really sucks. No one would ever talk like that." Or "Holy crap, that's boring. If I were reading this, I'd skim over this part. It needs to be either a lot shorter, or a lot more exciting." Etc. Etc. Etc.

During this process, I second-guess almost everything. I read dialogue-sections aloud (with voices). I run things past my husband, and sometimes even my sixth-grader. The process seems to take forever and ever. But then, when I have a "first-draft", it's really like a 20th draft, because I've spent so much time tweaking it. As a result, I can usually hit publish within a couple days of writing "the end."

Oh...thank god.....maybe there is hope for me...or...my inner editor is right...I'm not sure. I'm just glad someone of your caliber of skill still has these feelings. You know, success always appears to be easy and pain free for everyone else.

I do want to report, however, even with the inner editor, oh and full time inner critic from hell, nagging me all the way... I have finished my second book of a three part series. This is due specifically to the inspiration of this thread, @ChickenHawk, @COSenior's and a few others encouraging words during the dark times, which is mostly always for me when I'm writing and anticipating publishing.

I haven't been on the thread for a while as I work full time and have been writing plus still pondering my life's purpose in general. My second offering is over 90,000 words. I wasn't even sure I could come up with 40,000 again so the fact that it moved into a more Novel length made me happy. I did slow down and have had it edited by two anal friends. My editor friend charged me more this time but it was twice as long. I hope we caught most of the errors. I did find a couple of funky areas after it was edited. I don't know if it was actually from the editing process or if she just missed it. I spot checked it again and hope I caught all errors because if I didn't, I will get hammered in the reviews. I hope it does alright out there in the world and also am hopeful that it might create some renewed interest and sales in my first book of the series.

I did a free download promotion with the last book. I was #1 in the Top 100 Free during that process. I ran it for three days and had 3000 downloads. That seemed exciting, however, it didn't garner too many reviews and a few were so ridiculous that I wondered if I had made a mistake in doing it. I am not sure it really had any effect on my actual sales. I'm curious as to other self- publishers thoughts. Is the countdown a better idea or is a free promotion the way to go? I’ve seen mixed reviews on all of it but would love some feedback.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Congrats, @LisaK! It sounds like you're making amazing progress and doing a terrific job juggling the job, writing, and everything else going on. About the ridiculous reviews, I wouldn't worry too much. Reviews from a free promo are notorious for being harsh and/or stupid. Speculation is that people don't always value what they get for free, and that people picking up a freebie are more likely to pick up a book that might not appeal to them otherwise.

I'll be interested to hear how it goes from here. Bravo!

 

[Bellini]

I did a free download promotion with the last book. I was #1 in the Top 100 Free during that process. I ran it for three days and had 3000 downloads. That seemed exciting, however, it didn't garner too many reviews and a few were so ridiculous that I wondered if I had made a mistake in doing it. I am not sure it really had any effect on my actual sales. I'm curious as to other self- publishers thoughts. Is the countdown a better idea or is a free promotion the way to go? I’ve seen mixed reviews on all of it but would love some feedback.

I did the same thing. ha. I put one of my ebooks on a free promotion recently and it shot to #1 in my genre and stayed there for 3 days, then when the free promotion was over it dropped down to 800,000+!.. and NO sales came out it. Then it bounced back up to the 200,000s and has hovered there. It's so disheartening. But I did not get any bad reviews, only positive ones. Guess I can try countdown next time.

Chickenhawks thread is very inspiring, though, and has helped me see some of the realities of this book business.

 

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[ontrepreneur]

I couldn't stop reading this thread so I can only imagine what your book is like! Although I'm not publishing, the execution displayed is inspiring to say the least. Really shows what can be done when you take action. Congrats on all of your success. Cheers!

Sent through intergalactic portal.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Any updates?

Went through the thread and nearly emptied my rep $$$. Incredible incredible stuff.

Hope all is well.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Any updates? Went through the thread and nearly emptied my rep $$$. Incredible incredible stuff. Hope all is well.

Awwww...thanks so much for that! I feel almost guilty, because I've been shamefully bad about following and contributing to other progress threads lately. I'll need to do better in the future.

Happily, I'm still doing well with self-pubbing. My last two books both hit the Amazon top 100, but did not quite reach the success level of my first two books. Still, I've already reached the six-figure point for this year, so I'm definitely not complaining!

Right now, I'm actually forcing myself to NOT write, so I can focus on the many things I've neglected over the 18 months, including setting up a team of reviewers, looking at marketing opportunities, running contests, and just overall playing catch-up. When I think about it, it's pretty darn amazing that I've released five books without any system for getting advance reviews. But enough is enough. I really DO need to do better if I want to compete with the big names out there.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm taking some time to "sharpen the saw," so I can have better book launches in the future. This biz is getting more competitive all the time, and I definitely don't want to be left behind.

 

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[Fotis]

Happily, I'm still doing well with self-pubbing. My last two books both hit the Amazon top 100, but did not quite reach the success level of my first two books. Still, I've already reached the six-figure point for this year, so I'm definitely not complaining!

Well done! Really put a smile on my face although I don't know you! I remember reading your first posts and I could feel the struggle at the beginning. Really happy with the progress! Not sure if you have seen this as well ->

http://www.theguardian.com/books/bo...-per-page-plan-writing-royalties-ebook-kindle

 

[ChickenHawk]

Well done! Really put a smile on my face ... Not sure if you have seen this as well ->
http://www.theguardian.com/books/bo...-per-page-plan-writing-royalties-ebook-kindle

Thanks for everything, @Fotis!

About the link, the new Kindle Unlimited payment structure is the subject of much discussion on writer forums. Some people, especially those who have built recent success around serials and/or short works, are pretty distressed by it. Others, especially novel-writers (including myself), see this as a positive development. It will be interesting to see exactly how much Amazon pays per page. Personally, even though I'm happy about this recent change, I'd still like to see Amazon eliminate Kindle Unlimited entirely, but somehow, I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

 

[Fotis]

In my mind novel writers will not be affected that much. If I buy a habit or a how to book, I will probably not finish it. On the other hand, I will definitely read till the end a fiction book, in as few sitting as possible.

 

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[webcomber]

Happily, I'm still doing well with self-pubbing. My last two books both hit the Amazon top 100, but did not quite reach the success level of my first two books. Still, I've already reached the six-figure point for this year, so I'm definitely not complaining!

Great work, Chickenhawk! How do keep from sliding off the 30 day cliff with your books? It seems Amazon is designed to promote newer titles that result in less visibility overall for other books. And even bestselling titles do not make a lot of money according to some authors.

http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/hey_amazon_wheres_my_money/

So I was curious how the rankings can stick so well. It it because of the genre and loyal readers (e.g. erotica/romance)?

 

[ChickenHawk]

Great work, Chickenhawk! How do keep from sliding off the 30 day cliff with your books?

A funny thing...For three of my books, sales actually spiked at the 30-day mark. For the other two, however, sales peaked out of the gate, and then just kept drifting lower and lower.

Regardless, unless I have a new book out, I'm not immune to the long, sad slide in rank and income. It's just that my highs are higher, which enables me to make a lot of income in a short time. This helps make up for those times when my income is significantly lower. For example, right now, my daily income isn't anywhere near the six-figure mark.

But I AM experimenting with Facebook ads. From what I've seen so far, they can help even things out a bit. But IMO, they only work if your book already has the ability to get sales organically (without advertising). Alas, if a book doesn't sell on its own, it's not terribly likely to sell, even if it IS advertised. (I'm sure there are some exceptions to this though.)

 

[mws87]

But I AM experimenting with Facebook ads.

A-ha, you finally cracked, eh? Haha, jk CH.

Had to re-read through this thread again, amazing stuff. Your story is one of my biggest motivators right now.

 

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[EricZ]

A funny thing...For three of my books, sales actually spiked at the 30-day mark. For the other two, however, sales peaked out of the gate, and then just kept drifting lower and lower.

Regardless, unless I have a new book out, I'm not immune to the long, sad slide in rank and income. It's just that my highs are higher, which enables me to make a lot of income in a short time. This helps make up for those times when my income is significantly lower. For example, right now, my daily income isn't anywhere near the six-figure mark.

But I AM experimenting with Facebook ads. From what I've seen so far, they can help even things out a bit. But IMO, they only work if your book already has the ability to get sales organically (without advertising). Alas, if a book doesn't sell on its own, it's not terribly likely to sell, even if it IS advertised. (I'm sure there are some exceptions to this though.)

Thanks for this ChickenHawk!
I can directly vouch for this, I have been playing with facebook ads too, find them easier to use than adwords, but the results are the same -zero- sales.
If your book isn't good or hit the niche, no amount of quick fixes or "jungle juice" are going to help it. Shit-can it and move on.

A few of my books do good without any help except from their respective author/book blogs.

I tried to re-vive a book with FB ads - it's still dead. So...move on!

Your thread is a great inspiration for all of us - keep up the good work!

Brgs
Eric

 

[everosado]

Chickenhawk, I've been a lurker at this forum for a while now your thread has been very motivational, inspirational and flat out eye-opening. I'm so happy for your success. You truly deserve it. Your openness about your journey helped me stay grinding at my path as a self pubbed author.

I've been doing it about a year and a half now...to moderate success. Enough to say "yay, I actually make money doing what I love" but also say "something's not right here". I publish in the romance genre, new adult to be exact. I right novellas and have about 30 published. Sales are okay, but not where I know they should be and that's not to boast but I know that my books are in some deep corner of amazon. lol They're just not being seen by customers.

The keywords are my lacking point. I just can't seem to find out a way to use them to become seen by visitors. I don't want to be lost in a huge pot where i'm pushed to page 30 on the search results but I don't want to be on page 1 on the results that no one looks at. I've read books, purchased kindle samurai and kindlespy, while they help, I'm still stuck. Do you or others have any insight that you could help me with? I know I'm so close to wrapping my head around this. I'm probably staring right at the answer, just with a blindfold on! Thanks for you time!

 

[ChickenHawk]

Chickenhawk, I've been a lurker at this forum for a while now your thread has been very motivational, inspirational and flat out eye-opening. I'm so happy for your success. You truly deserve it. Your openness about your journey helped me stay grinding at my path as a self pubbed author.

Thanks so much!!!!

I've been doing it about a year and a half now...to moderate success. Enough to say "yay, I actually make money doing what I love" but also say "something's not right here". I publish in the romance genre, new adult to be exact. I right novellas and have about 30 published. Sales are okay, but not where I know they should be and that's not to boast but I know that my books are in some deep corner of amazon. lol They're just not being seen by customers.

Congrats on your success so far! About discoverability, this is a real challenge, isn't it? There's like a gazillion books on Amazon, and it can be really hard to stand out.

The keywords are my lacking point. I just can't seem to find out a way to use them to become seen by visitors. I don't want to be lost in a huge pot where i'm pushed to page 30 on the search results but I don't want to be on page 1 on the results that no one looks at. I've read books, purchased kindle samurai and kindlespy, while they help, I'm still stuck. Do you or others have any insight that you could help me with?

Funny, I spent a lot of time tweaking my keywords this summer, using the same methods and tools you mentioned above. (I'm actually taking the summer off from writing to focus on the non-writing aspects.) For all my tweaking of keywords, I honestly didn't notice any difference. One of my friends, however, tweaked her keywords, and noticed her sales jumping from maybe one a day to five a day, so they can have some impact. The problem is, though, that she also used the same methods you mentioned above, so there's unfortunately no new data I can share.

Back when I started out though, I do remember reading something that's always resonated with me. Basically, the theory is that if your books aren't selling as they should, look at your (1) Cover, (2) Description, and (3) Excerpt, meaning the opening of the book. I think there's a lot of truth in this. The only challenge is finding out which one(s) of those things needs tweaking.

Sorry I don't have better info on keywords! In truth, I spent zero effort on that when I first started out, and then when I DID spend time on it, I'm not sure it was worth the effort. But hopefully, others on here who have more experience it, might have more useful info.

Good luck as you move forward!

 

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[Rawr]

@everosado this is a great read.

http://ellecasey.com/some-things-to-consider-if-you-want-to-make-a-living-writing-books/

 

[everosado]

Appreciate the tips guys! Thanks!