Interest has stalled (soft launch), how to pick back up?

android415 · Dec 4, 2013

I was trying to wait until my other thread was off the first page, but it is not, and I have a new question. So, my apologies for many questions.

I self published my novel in late July. I've gotten a ton of "purchases" (it's free, so...), mostly on Nook and Apple for whatever reason. I published through Smashwords.

I have done some promotion, that just involved having a Tumblr, GoodReads account, and stuff like that. I am aiming for a soft launch, b/c I am busy working on my next project. That's the one I will really push out.

I've been rather organically featured on a few review blogs for some reason, but something concerns me.

I'm getting a ton of "purchases", around 850 in total, which isn't bad I think. I have "likes" on Facebook, but up until two weeks ago, I only had two reviews, one of which was a one star that decimated my book.
I have since had more favorable ratings on GoodReads. So now, I've got 2 bad reviews, and 2 good ones....out of 850 purchases.

Why? What do you all suggest I do as a next step? Any similar experiences? (Yes, I read the sticky....) Perhaps doing blog interviews?

I know a lot of authors do giveaways to bloggers, but my book is already free, and is only in e-book format, so I don't know if that would work for me.

merrihiatt · Dec 4, 2013

When I offer freebies, the ratio of downloads to reviews was about one review to 1,000 downloads. Sometimes even one review to 5,000 downloads. Just as a point of reference.

Have you tried offering your title free as an e-book through Goodreads' Making Connections forum? I tried it for the first time recently and had 5-6 people request and three wrote reviews. Better odds than Amazon freebie reviews. You send the e-book directly to the person requesting it via email.

android415 · Dec 4, 2013

merrihiatt said:
When I offer freebies, the ratio of downloads to reviews was about one review to 1,000 downloads. Sometimes even one review to 5,000 downloads. Just as a point of reference.

Have you tried offering your title free as an e-book through Goodreads' Making Connections forum? I tried it for the first time recently and had 5-6 people request and three wrote reviews. Better odds than Amazon freebie reviews. You send the e-book directly to the person requesting it via email.

Thanks for responding. I'm unfamiliar with this?

I just googled it, and I saw a making connections forum specifically for young adult, that I have just joined. What do you mean by offering it through the forum? Like, advertising there?

merrihiatt · Dec 4, 2013

You will need to research it. Go to Goodreads, click on Groups, then Making Connections and look around. You have to sign up to offer a title free to readers.

M. H. Lee · Dec 4, 2013

Do you have a link at the back of the book asking readers to leave reviews? I've heard that can also help.

Also, I think there are a large number of sites that will list freebies. Not sure if there's a thread on it here, but I know I've seen one, so maybe an internet search can find it for you.

Grimball4 · Dec 4, 2013

Have you tried The Indie View, they have a huge list of bloggers who review self-pub books.

WriterBN · Dec 5, 2013

Another recommendation for the GR Making Connections group. It may take some time for the requesters to review (in my case, each one seems to be reading 15-20 books simultaneously), but your chances are better than just relying on the general population.

GinJones · Dec 5, 2013

I wouldn't bother doing anything until you've got the next book out. Maybe until you've got the next five books out. It's far more cost-effective to wrangle readers when there's a potential of their buying five or more books, than when they can only buy one (not counting the freebie, which should be a loss leader for the rest of the series; setting it free when there's nothing else for them to buy isn't doing you any good).

Write and publish the next book. That's the most effective thing you can do.

Spell-it-out · Dec 5, 2013

I agree with the previous comments, especially Gin's. Write that next book and polish it until you can see your reflection in it.

Also, having a link in your sig here to your book on Amazon or wherever, it will help us to see it.

I would not depend on free downloads to garner reviews, as Merri stated, the ratio is abysmally low. Engage with others on Goodreads, join groups and discussions.

Not to be pessimistic, but take the 1-star review as constructive criticism: look through it objectively to find some smidgen of info that will help to make the next book even better.

Best of luck with it.

Interest has stalled (soft launch), how to pick back up?

android415

merrihiatt

Writing! Writing! Writing!

android415

merrihiatt

Writing! Writing! Writing!

M. H. Lee

Grimball4

WriterBN

GinJones

Spell-it-out

I'm gonna give all my secrets away