THE SMILEY KILLER and what I'm learning being a self-publisher

Hi everyone!

So have just self-published my YA murder mystery THE SMILEY KILLER. I'm not expecting it to be easy---especially since I'm not writing in a hot genre---but I believe very much in this story and am almost done with the sequel. Having spent months researching self-publishers, I've learned you make the most money if you have a series, not single-title books. I've also learned that the more books you have out, the more money you'll make. (Maybe this is obvious to most. It wasn't obvious to me, though.) In other words, if you want to achieve any success with self-publishing, you better bang out as many books as possible as quickly as possible (while striving to maintain good quality). Of course, these are only general rules. There are authors who've made a killing on one book only, but I'm not counting on that!

I will use this thread to post updates on what I'm doing to make THE SMILEY KILLER a success. The first thing I'm focusing on is gathering reader reviews on Amazon/Goodreads. If you're an avid reader and would like to read/review THE SMILEY KILLER, please PM for a free ebook. Here's what it's about:

Seventeen-year-old Riley has been fascinated with crime investigation since she discovered CSI on TV. So, when it’s announced a serial killer is loose in the city, hell-bent on killing girls like Riley’s little sister, Riley’s on full alert. Not even Mark, the super hot college boy pursuing her, can get her mind off the case.

A victim found near the research lab where Riley’s friend Alyssa volunteers makes Riley think she’s found a lead: The killer’s signature—sad smileys—appears in the lab, so it seems the killer could be someone working there. Riley alerts Alyssa and the two notify the NYPD. But the police dismiss their claims.

Convinced she’s onto something, Riley embarks on her own investigation together with Alyssa. When another victim is found near the lab, it seems they’re close to finding the killer. Problem is, their prime suspect is a scientist’s younger brother—who happens to be Mark…

This book is targeted to female readers since it has a romance element.

Thank you, WriterBN!

Sold my first copy on Amazon at $2.99 only hours after the book went live. It's not much, but I'm still excited because hardly anyone knows the book is even there... In other words, have yet to begin promoting it. I haven't even announced the release to my friends, so it must be an actual stranger who bought it!!

Thank you, guys! So realized my meta tag buttons on Amazon were a bit misrepresentative. For those of you who don't know what meta tags are, it's words you add to your book so customers going to Amazon looking for books can find your book easier. It's important that you choose the right ones. Also, lowered my price to 99 cents before I announce to all my friends/contacts that my book is available. Let's see if it also increases my sales a bit from strangers...

Thanks, guys! So sold two more copies to strangers today (even after I raised the price back to $2.99. I decided to raise the price back from 99 cents after reading on a blog that selling your book at 99 cents might devalue your book. So far, it seems my sweet spot is in fact $2.99.)

Other developments today: One book blogger got back to me and agreed to review it! Yippie! (I know these aren't major steps, but, strangely, they mean tons to me.)

My publisher Entangled---I have a romance coming out with them this summer---made an offer on my next romance (well, my editor wanted to acquire it). However, I declined and have decided to self publish it instead. Number one reason: My editor, who's great, can't guarantee that it'll come out in the next several months. Because my romance is a New Adult---very hot genre right now in self-pubbing--I can't afford not to self-pub it too and take advantage of the publicity I'll get when my first romance will be released.