Smith11B's Progress Thread

[Smith11B]

I've read Held for Ransom, ChickenHawk and have been keeping up with MTF's thread. Self-publishing is something I was leaning towards anyway. In fact that's how I stumbled on the Fastlane and MJ's book in the first place.

I've failed at many ventures before, a lot of it was because I placed doing what I loved above what the market wanted. My mistake. Had to learn the hard way I guess.

Right now, I'm a soldier in the us army. In a lot of ways this kills my ability to fastlane. From months in the field to deployments, to having my fastlane sidetracked at a moments notice. Also no matter how much money I make, my time will always be the Army's time.

I have about 8 months left on my contract. In that 8 months I want to get up to at least $1k a month writing. I just got back from a deployment so I'm not due for another any time soon.

I'm posting this thread as a reminder and a way to hold myself accountable for my goals. I hope I can inspire or help someone else realize their goals as well.

Yesterday I sent my first book to my editor. It's about 30k words. She should have it returned by the end of the week. I've been writing about 2k words per day and 10k on weekends. I've also got my cover started. (I have a friend who is AMAZING at graphic design) Right now that's where I am.

I'll keep you posted.

Smith11b out.

 

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[Charnell]

You are in a prime position to succeed right now, don't goof this up.

I didn't start publishing until I was on terminal leave, and was unable to reach the point of living off it so I had to get a jobby job before school.

 

[Smith11B]

You are in a prime position to succeed right now, don't goof this up.

I didn't start publishing until I was on terminal leave, and was unable to reach the point of living off it so I had to get a jobby job before school.

Yes exactly what I'm trying to prevent. No jobby jobs for me hopefully. at $1k a month I won't be thriving but I can scale from there.

I'm trying to write two 25 to 30k books a month but judging by the others threads I might have to increase that to make my $1k In the alotted time.

 

[Charnell]

Yes exactly what I'm trying to prevent. No jobby jobs for me hopefully. at $1k a month I won't be thriving but I can scale from there.

I'm trying to write two 25 to 30k books a month but judging by the others threads I might have to increase that to make my $1k In the alotted time.

Do you plan on using the GI bill when you get out? That's what I'm doing now and it's great when you're not making enough to survive. Now that I'm making a livable wage putting in part time hours, it's become more of a burden.

 

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[EricZ]

Awesome!
If you have special knowledge - that's a prime subject for your coming books.
I too am on that journey and want to break 1000 a month.
Got the formatting and covers down, now working on the marketing.
Be prepared for this when you publish to amazon (unless of course you get a contract from a fancy publisher):
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ng-ebook-marketing-methods.58358/#post-445093
Here's a great example of a 14 y.o. in this forum who is on the path:
http://www.zbooks.co/2015/03/birth-of-book-101-plus-free-title.html

I hope you post here often and in depth, we are all ridiculously interested in what works when it comes to E/Book marketing.

 

[Smith11B]

Do you plan on using the GI bill when you get out? That's what I'm doing now and it's great when you're not making enough to survive. Now that I'm making a livable wage putting in part time hours, it's become more of a burden.

I do actually. Going to need that extra income I'm sure. Plus, it's free education. I was wondering about that. I could see it hindering time you have to do what makes you money.

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to get where you are?

 

[Smith11B]

Awesome!
If you have special knowledge - that's a prime subject for your coming books.
I too am on that journey and want to break 1000 a month.
Got the formatting and covers down, now working on the marketing.
Be prepared for this when you publish to amazon (unless of course you get a contract from a fancy publisher):
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ng-ebook-marketing-methods.58358/#post-445093
Here's a great example of a 14 y.o. in this forum who is on the path:
http://www.zbooks.co/2015/03/birth-of-book-101-plus-free-title.html

I hope you post here often and in depth, we are all ridiculously interested in what works when it comes to E/Book marketing.

Wow thanks for the links! I do plan to post here regularly. My first book definitely has a military aspect to it and my knowledge there definitely helps. I don't write Romance, at least not yet. My mind tells me this is where the smart money is but I can't stomach it. I've tried.

Nothing from my editor yet but my cover is looking good so far.

I'm going to have to think hard on the marketing plan. Not having a platform with an audience myself, the best way I can think to do this is to leverage others platforms by providing value to them and asking for said leverage in return. I just have to figure out who "them" is.

 

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[Charnell]

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to get where you are?

I started last March, but didn't get too serious with it until September when I started school and was able to lose the summer job. I was making on average $100 from March to August. I hired freelancers and then I started making more money. I had my first 4 figure month in October, and peaked at $3,900 ($2,500 profit) in January.

Wow thanks for the links! I do plan to post here regularly. My first book definitely has a military aspect to it and my knowledge there definitely helps. I don't write Romance, at least not yet. My mind tells me this is where the smart money is but I can't stomach it. I've tried.

What's your book about, and are you using a pen name or putting your real name on it?

 

[Smith11B]

I started last March, but didn't get too serious with it until September when I started school and was able to lose the summer job. I was making on average $100 from March to August. I hired freelancers and then I started making more money. I had my first 4 figure month in October, and peaked at $3,900 ($2,500 profit) in January.

Those are some awesome numbers. Inspiring stuff. I might be able to pull this off. So you hired Ghostwriters cheap enough to make money off an ebook? I first thought this was what I'd do but I was under the impression that a ghostwriter for a full novel cost $15k plus.

What's your book about, and are you using a pen name or putting your real name on it?

My book is a sci-fi novel about a psychic kid. He lives in a world where kid's who's fathers haven't married their mothers or claimed them by their 2nd birthday are treated as second class citizens. Psychics however are treated as gods. In order to find out why his father abandoned him (They're actually called The Abandoned) he joins the military in hopes of getting trained as a psychic. No one who is Abandoned has ever passed the selection process however. Hopefully he'll be the first.

I'd written it well before I read anything about being fastlane and since I had it laying around I thought I might as well publish it. I know people usually don't post their synopsis like that but I figure if I can gain some insight it's well worth it.

I'm going to use a pen name, though I haven't picked one yet. As I stated before I've tried a lot of things and failed. I don't want others to know I'm trying something new until I can figure it out. I don't care to hear or sense their discouragement so I'll keep it private and laugh to the bank later. lol

 

[Charnell]

Those are some awesome numbers. Inspiring stuff. I might be able to pull this off. So you hired Ghostwriters cheap enough to make money off an ebook? I first thought this was what I'd do but I was under the impression that a ghostwriter for a full novel cost $15k plus.

I make on average $3 for every $1 I spend. Seems to work alright for now. Really starting to scale up so I can get busy this summer. So far I've spent a dollars shy of $3,800 on freelancers, and around $120 on stock photos.

Definitely not what I want to be doing forever, but right now working from my 1 room shack it's clutch not having any physical products.

Also, pretty gnarly description. It doesn't seem like anything I've seen before.

 

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[Smith11B]

I make on average $3 for every $1 I spend. Seems to work alright for now. Really starting to scale up so I can get busy this summer. So far I've spent a dollars shy of $3,800 on freelancers, and around $120 on stock photos.

Definitely not what I want to be doing forever, but right now working from my 1 room shack it's clutch not having any physical products.

Also, pretty gnarly description. It doesn't seem like anything I've seen before.

Nice! I'll see what I can find on hiring freelance in my niche. It may be much faster to do it that way. As im sure you know, free time is not always predictable in the military. That'll be my task tonight.

 

[Smith11B]

So I did my research and found a few freelancers worth their salt that have done previous jobs a lot like what I'd be asking for, at a price I can stomach. Tomorrow I'll post my first job up and get book 2 started.

I did some thinking on the marketing, and one value my book offers is for young fatherless boys, as it portrays a boy and his problems with his father leaving him, who eventually fights through it and triumphs. Not to mention my protagonist is African American. That may be reaching and trying to create a market that doesn't exist. But I don't think the kids get to see a lot of people who look like they do in roles like this. (I'm African American if that wasn't clear)

Anyway, this wasn't my goal in the beginning but my book does fill that role. I feel like pushing it to youth councilors and others trying to make a difference in these youths lives could get it read. The only thing is that that crowd doesn't usually like to pay, as they are in non profits and receive donations. eh Something to think about.

 

[Smith11B]

So my first book has been edited. My editor loved it. I'm making the changes and hopefully pressing publish today. I'm going to go with Amazon for obvious reasons. I'm still not sure how to build an audience yet, but from what I've read lot's of authors don't do any marketing at all. Whether that's viable in my genre will be what I try and figure out first. Wish me luck!

 

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[Charnell]

Have you created a mailing list yet, to collect e-mails of those who enjoy your book? That way when #2 is published, they can hop on it.

 

[Smith11B]

Have you created a mailing list yet, to collect e-mails of those who enjoy your book? That way when #2 is published, they can hop on it.

hmm, I haven't yet no, I understand I can do that through MailCheat(Chimp), and funnel people using a landing page or blog. I'm going to have to get one up. Is there a better way of doing that, that I'm not tracking? I'm asking because I'm not a very good blogger. If it's the best way I'm on it though.

 

[Charnell]

I only have a mailing list opt in at the beginning and ending of my books. That's one of the easiest ways to make your next releases go a lot easier.

I'm sure other's have better insight into advertising and whatnot. I'm experimenting with marketing right now, but it's way to early to see how well it will do.

 

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[Smith11B]

Ha duh, I for some reason wasn't remembering that. Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely be implementing that.

 

[Smith11B]

So I still havent pressed publish yet and thats because my cover isn't done. Once my guy sends me that im live.

I thought about doing a paid blog tour but it honestly seems like a waste of money. Anyone have any experience with this?

Book two is about done. I plan on it being fully written by the end of this week. writing fast comes easy for me and stories just flow.

I cant wait to start reporting numbers.

 

[Smith11B]

Just an update to let you guys know I haven't died. My first book went live on Amazon Saturday (two days ago) so far no sales. That's right, a big fat zero. Probably because I haven't done any marketing and my genre isn't Romance or Erotica. But those sound like excuses I'm about 10k words into the second book of the series. So far my plan is just to keep writing.

That's all for today.

 

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[Funke]

Start a KDP free promo and get reviews during that time

 

[Smith11B]

I don't see why not. Going to do this when I get home today.

 

[Smith11B]

My Kindle Free promo started today, so far pretty good results. I don't think actual downloads show up real time. (Unless I just don't know where to find them.) but my sales rank on the Kindle store is 6,000 and in my genre for the Kindle Free it's #29 not bad I'd say.

 

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[Funke]

Join Facebook groups such as those in attachment to this post, you can get lots of downloads and higher ranking if you post it there

 

[Smith11B]

Join Facebook groups such as those in attachment to this post, you can get lots of downloads and higher ranking if you post it there

Wow appreciate it will do!

So my free promo ended yesterday, I got 223 downloads and no reviews. Since then, its been crickets. My second book is just about done at 70k words and I personally think its much better, but hey that's an opinion. One book and no sales but I'm not quite discouraged. I'll keep writing and updating here.