Riding the Scree - RaelWV's SelfPub Thread

raelwv

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Time got away from me last night, but I wanted to report in on a very interesting May.

You may recall that I released a boxed set of The Water Road trilogy in April, put it on sale for 99 cents, and ran some promotion. The plan was to leave the price at 99 cents until May, then jack it up to "regular" ($4.99). But things were going so well in terms of sales that I kept the price there for about 10 days into May. Sales were still chugging along, but I wanted to see if people would still be buying at full price. Turns out they would, if at smaller numbers. I sold books every day in May, which I've never done before. Even though the numbers slowed down toward the end of the month, it added up to my best month ever, by far - 354 boxed sets sold (about half at full price), plus 2 each of the constituent books in the trilogy. To borrow a phrase from XTC, this all makes me stupidly happy.

All of these were from Amazon - no D2D sales this month.
I also just realized that rolled me over the 1000-book mark in terms of total sold! :partyguy:

So here we are, total sales to date:


  • The Last Ereph: 13 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 24 eBooks + 57 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 352 freebies
  • The Water Road: 170 eBooks + 25 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 14 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 11 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 621 eBooks
  • Total: 912 eBooks + 133 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 985 freebies
On the actual writing front, I've decided that rather than being a series of 7 shorter books, Empire Falls is going to be a trilogy of three longer books (with a new name, eventually). Which means my current third draft of the first book just became my third draft of the first half of the first book. :scared:Oh well.

Back to the word mines . . .
 

raelwv

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The pleasant news for June was that I continued to make sales with the trilogy box set, even without any promo. The numbers fluctuate, so it's not just a steady downward trend. I've also picked up some reviews on the back of these sales, so that helps. Altogether, sold 46 box sets this month, all via Amazon. I also did a 99-cent promo with my short story collection, which netted 24 sales (19 Amazon, 3 iTunes, 2 B&N).

Actual writing progress was slow, given the mental strain of a very busy work month and the free-time killer that is the World Cup. :gaah

So here we are, total sales to date:


  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 24 eBooks + 57 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 352 freebies
  • The Water Road: 170 eBooks + 25 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 14 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 11 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 667 eBooks
  • Total: 982 eBooks + 133 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 985 freebies
 

raelwv

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Not much to report for July. No promos or anything, but I still managed 23 sales of the boxed set, which takes me over 1000 ebooks sold! :snoopy:

I also finished the last editing pass on part one of what's now book one of a trilogy, to it's onto new material for August.

So here we are, total sales to date:


  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 24 eBooks + 57 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 352 freebies
  • The Water Road: 170 eBooks + 25 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 14 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 11 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 690 eBooks
  • Total: 1005 eBooks + 133 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 985 freebies
 

raelwv

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Did a little 99-cent promo on Moore Hollow last month (it's been a while), which netted 28 sales on Amazon and 3 via D2D (1 Nook, 2 Kobo). In addition, I moved another dozen copies of the trilogy, without any specific promo for it.

Work continues on the new second half of the first part of the Unari Trilogy (sucks not having a title yet). I'm discovering that I need more chapters than I thought I did, which I think is a good thing.

So here we are, total sales to date:


  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 55 eBooks + 57 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 352 freebies
  • The Water Road: 170 eBooks + 25 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 14 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 11 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 702 eBooks
  • Total: 1048 eBooks + 133 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 985 freebies
 

raelwv

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Yikes, where did September go? I've been nose down in writing new stuff, so October kind of sneaked up on me. Hi, October! Will you bring seasonal weather for us, please? Thanks!

Naturally, I didn't do any promo last month. But still, coasting on whatever momentum I've created, I sold 6 copies of the trilogy (5 Amazon, 1 B&N) and 1 The Water Road itself. Not bad for the amount of work put into it.

So here we are, total sales to date:


  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 55 eBooks + 57 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 352 freebies
  • The Water Road: 171 eBooks + 25 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 14 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 11 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 708 eBooks
  • Total: 1055 eBooks + 133 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 985 freebies
 

raelwv

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Another month with no specific promo, so online sales weren't great (3 Complete Water Road Trilogys), but I did get to take part in the WV Book Festival again. Sales were about the same as last year: 3 copies of The Water Road, 2 each of The Endless Hills and The Bay of Sins, and then 3 copies of Moore Hollow (plus a freebie to a woman who bought the whole trilogy then asked). Plus, I got to talk a little with John Scalzi as he cruised the marketplace before his talk. He said nice things about my covers. :e2bouncey

And, most important of all, I finished the first draft my next book and gave it a (temporary, at least) title - Gods of the Empire.

So here we are, total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 55 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 171 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 711 eBooks
  • Total: 1058 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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Ack! Time got away from me and I didn't realize we'd slipped into December. I blame my mother in law - she just moved across the country to the next town over. It's been something. :poke:

No promos in November, but I did cut the price on the boxed set to 99 cents for some promos coming up this week. 4 sales on that, along with 3 prior ones at full price (all via Amazon). I hope I'll have a nice bump in December like I had back in April when I ran a similar promo.

On the actual writing front, I'm almost done editing the second draft of Gods of Empire! Hoping it will see the light of day next year.

So here we are, total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 55 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 171 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 718 eBooks
  • Total: 1065 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

CathleenT

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Good news on the editing. I know how much work goes into polishing your words, but you'll eventually reach the end. Pinkie swear. :)
 

raelwv

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Happy New Year, everybody! :snoopy:

December was a pretty good month for a couple of reasons. First, after some fits, starts, and changes of direction, I finally have a complete draft of Gods of the Empire! It had been in two parts, each of which has been edited a few times, so it's closer to done then it sounds. Second, I did some 99-cent promo in December and had a nice spike in sales (although nothing like the one I had earlier this year): 76 Complete Water Road Trilogies (62 KDP, 14 D2D - 7 iBooks, 5 Kobo, 2 Nook), plus 2 The Water Roads and 1 copy of Moore Hollow (all those on Amazon).

That gives me these figures for 2018:


  • The Last Ereph: 24 eBooks
  • Moore Hollow: 32 eBooks + 3 paperbacks + 1 freebies
  • The Water Road: 24 eBooks + 5 paperbacks
  • The Endless Hills: 12 eBooks + 4 paperbacks
  • The Bay of Sins: 8 eBooks + 1 paperback
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 794 eBooks
  • Total: 894 eBooks + 13 paperbacks + 1 freebie

My best year ever! Even if most of them were 99-cent sales, at least folks are finding them. The boxed set really lit things up for me.

That makes my total sales to date, as of the end of 2018:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 173 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 794 eBooks
  • Total: 1144 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies

Onward to 2019! :Jump:
 

raelwv

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Late to report for January, but not much to report in any event. No promos while I keep editing Gods of the Empire. Still, sold a couple of (full-price) The Water Road box sets and got an out-of-the-blue review on Goodreads that made me bounce around the room ("I LOVED everything about this book"). So, all in all, not a bad month. On to February!

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 173 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 796 eBooks
  • Total: 1146 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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I'm still here! :wag:

I didn't an update for February because I didn't sell anything (wasn't promoting), then the beginning of April passed by and I was on vacation before I could get the March report in. An aside - Charleston, SC is an interesting place, filled with lovely people, and home to some truly excellent food - don't go if you're watching calories! Anyway, I didn't do any promo in March, either, but I sold two copies of the complete trilogy (at full price!), so there's that.

In terms of writing, I'm waiting on my beta reader to get Gods of the Empire back to me, so while that's in limbo I've been going back to old ideas and beefing them up, trying to figure out what my next project will be. I also had a really cool idea pop into my head in Charleston that I fleshed out on the drive home yesterday. Onward (if not upward)!

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 173 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 798 eBooks
  • Total: 1148 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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Nothing sales-wise to report for April (no promo, no sales). However, I now have a plan for Gods of the Empire, which is now waiting with my copy editor. It should be "done" by the end of the month! I've lined up cover design from the same folks who did The Water Road trilogy. Plan is to have printed books in hand for the WV Book Festival in October.

Whee! :snoopy:

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 173 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 798 eBooks
  • Total: 1148 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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May was another no-promo/no-sale month, so nothing new to report on those grounds. I have spent this afternoon lining up promos for the next few months, though, to help raise my profile a bit as Gods of the Empire gets ready to come out in October. On those lines - it's now done! Got it back from the copy editor and made necessary changes, so the text is ready to go, at least. Still have to finalize the cover, but the hard(est) part is done! :hooray:

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 173 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 798 eBooks
  • Total: 1148 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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Another slack month, saleswise. I participated in one of those free promos where a bunch of authors share links, but it only netted me one sale of The Water Road. Oh, well, I've got a more promising one lined up for this month.

On the actual writing front, however, I'm deep into Widows of the Empire, clicking away at about a 1000-word-a-day pace. Slow and steady. :fistpump

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 174 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 46 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 42 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 798 eBooks
  • Total: 1149 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

raelwv

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Actually did some promo this month so, surprise surprise, actually sold some ebooks: 15 copies of The Water Road, 1 each of The Endless Hills and The Bay of Sins, and 1 of the box set (bless the person who bought everything at full price, rather than taking the bargain box route approach!). More on tap for this month as I roll towards the fall and the new book coming out.

Speaking of - Gods of the Empire is currently getting its cover done, so I'm excited to see how that turns out. I also took in the last of input from my crit group on this one, so the text is really "final", pending a last spell check. And I'm halfway through with the sequel, having finished all the chapters for one POV character and getting ready to start on the other. So, overall, a productive July.

Then today I'm off to Lewisburg, WV (hippest small town in America, so they say) for the annual literary festival. I'll be doing a workshop tomorrow morning. If you're in the area, come on down - it's all free!

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 60 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 189 eBooks + 28 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 47 eBooks + 16 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 43 eBooks + 13 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 799 eBooks
  • Total: 1167 eBooks + 143 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 

sandree

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I’m curious about what kinds of promos work for you. I’m still trying to figure that out.
 

raelwv

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August was a big month for me, by my terms. For one thing I got to teach a workshop at the Lewisburg Literary Festival, where I also managed to sell a few books. Then I did another promo, listing The Water Road on Ilikebooks.com. It's brought in a few sales. Overall, for the month, I had 5 ebook sales (4 The Water Road, 1 box set) and 6 paperback sales (2 each Moore Hollow & The Water Road, 1 each the other two books in the trilogy).

But the big part is that Gods of the Empire is here! For the most part. I've got a cover:

godsoftheempire-900x1350.jpg



And the files are being reviewed as we speak. Looking at October 1 for the release date (of the eBook anyway). Whee!

That makes my total sales to date:



  • The Last Ereph: 37 eBooks + 26 paperbacks + 152 KU pages + 493 freebies
  • Moore Hollow: 56 eBooks + 62 paperbacks + 1081 KU pages + 353 freebies
  • The Water Road: 193 eBooks + 30 paperbacks + 2041 KU pages + 427 freebies
  • The Endless Hills: 47 eBooks + 17 paperbacks + 249 KU pages
  • The Bay of Sins: 43 eBooks + 14 paperbacks
  • The Complete Water Road Trilogy (boxset): 800 eBooks
  • Total: 1172 eBooks + 149 paperbacks + 3543 KU pages + 986 freebies
 
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