tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post3410046890285321350..comments2024-01-29T14:03:03.734+01:00Comments on Real Life According to Emma: With A Cast of 50,000 - The Valley Of The TrollsEmma Calinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02661631701340292529noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-58432829918416209832012-05-28T13:31:18.650+02:002012-05-28T13:31:18.650+02:00Hi Christina, Yes - the upside is the fantastic gr...Hi Christina, Yes - the upside is the fantastic group of great folks one meets in the process. I have no idea of the future of publishing and it is an enormous comfort to know that I share my ignorance with some very learned people. This time next year,next month or tomorrow the landscape will be different.Emma Calinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02661631701340292529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-22230478138076535862012-05-28T05:28:57.129+02:002012-05-28T05:28:57.129+02:00I can't say what's happening to me is sale...I can't say what's happening to me is sales of any nature. Mind you I haven't done much serious marketing, primarily because I'm not sure what's best. I didn't do the freebie deal as it just didn't sit right with me. More than sometimes I can bite off my nose to spite my face and that may have been one. I still believe it will come about for those of us who continue to become better writers and determine it's our future - regardless. The upside is this amazing group of women I've met. You are all a prize in that regard and I'm most appreciative.CLChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285667433095434961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-14423391715138440972012-05-27T15:24:19.128+02:002012-05-27T15:24:19.128+02:00Wow - that is a coincidence. I'm so glad you a...Wow - that is a coincidence. I'm so glad you are fully powered up again and thank you so much for your praise and taking the time to post your comment. I do feel that the whole DIY publishing maelstrom is the death of the objective writer. It takes me a while of reflection to get into the zone and the constant bish-bash-bosh of the hard sell wipes me out. Surely, fewer and fewer people will be able to be full time writers when the market place is so crowded and so many products offered for free. I wonder what I will be saying in May 2013?Emma Calinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02661631701340292529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-3642992610554828472012-05-27T12:14:43.128+02:002012-05-27T12:14:43.128+02:00Emma, you're such a good writer and I do ferve...Emma, you're such a good writer and I do fervently hope that you get back to serious writing! Like you, from December 2011 up to April 10 2012 (when I was operated)I spent all my time on Internet, on my blog (it was hitting the 5,000 readers a month and I was so happy with that!) and trying to push my book and get reviews. Hard work, and of course I ended up not writing anything at all anymore. Dried up inside. All this mad marketing is very dangerous for a writer's creativity: it simply kills it off! The hen that lays the golden eggs (hum, golden? well...eggs anyway) drops dead...<br /><br />In a way my operation (and the subsequent 6 weeks needed to recover - btw, I'm fine now!) were really a life-changer. I realized many things (like the importance of sunshine compared to my computer screen) but most of all I realized quite clearly that there is absolutely NO correlation between a successful blog, hyped marketing on Twitter, FB and elsewhere and sales. <br /><br />And equally important, I realized (having the time to ponder the question and check my numbers)KDP Select free downloads lead to lots of downloads, yes, but (in my case) NO spike in sales. None at all. I've come to the conclusion that free downloads only WORK FOR THE FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES. Also free downloads in that case make sense if you ALREADY HAVE A FAN BASE FOR PAST PUSBLISHED WORK AND YOU'RE INTO LAUNCHING A NEW SERIES.<br /><br />Otherwise, forget free downloads. Like you, it's something I will never do again. Though, like you, I'll stay with KDP Select: I like their Library thingie and it might help one's exposure to new readers in the long run.<br /><br />Smashwords? I don't know. They're like a regular publisher: they take a percentage on your books forever. Is that what you want? If you're willing to give up a percentage like that, better try and land a traditional publisher, even an e-press. Sometimes (I hear from writer friends) small presses are better than big ones. They take you on and care for you (meaning they do a good job on the editing and marketing - the two things any Indie really needs). Personally, I haven't given up on traditional publishing and I keep trying to land an agent. Maybe someday it will happen but it's worth trying in my opinion. Remember Amazon itself has gone into publishing and is the Next Big Publisher, no doubt about it. So the ideal situation would be to land a deal with Amazon.<br /><br />To do that of course you need to hit high in their ranking - be part of the first 100. Look, maybe it won't happen with your genre book KNOCKOUT but why not try and return to your literary writing? Don't be afraid of literary writing: in the long run, you'll stand out much more easily than with genre (in my humble opinion). I know it's a "long-run" affair...and living in the attic (or the street) is no fun. I realize that. But you do need to produce the absolute BEST book you can and keep producing one after the other, without thinking about ever making a hit. Sad but true. But I know you're hugely talented and you'll make it!<br /><br />I can't wait to read one of your "serious" novels and you won't need to tell me to download it free: I'll be happy to buy it!<br /><br />And speaking of hooks in the sky, this is a funny coincidence isn't it? My next book is called A HOOK IN THE SKY!Claude Nougathttp://claudenougat.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-89777126850417863522012-05-25T21:09:23.604+02:002012-05-25T21:09:23.604+02:00I haven't pulbished anything yet, so I have no...I haven't pulbished anything yet, so I have no experience with KDP Select. However, I will continue to be interested in reading about all the new things you try as you become more proactive. Good luck!Chemist Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738272332470397248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-35796136510199413322012-05-25T07:34:30.404+02:002012-05-25T07:34:30.404+02:00Sadly, I have to agree, Emma. No success thus far ...Sadly, I have to agree, Emma. No success thus far with selling many of my five books, but gave away plenty. I think your observations are spot-on, certainly in my experience. I have no idea where to turn next. There surely is a key, but it hasn't yet revealed itself, that's for sure. It seems next to impossible to get one's work in front of the staggering numbers of people that it would take to make some headway. But...never say die!! We plod along, chasing the dream down every elusive trail in the labyrinth. Good post, my friend!Jo VonBargenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416325772497731357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-13183789269134195292012-05-24T19:14:06.752+02:002012-05-24T19:14:06.752+02:00I will still be linking to Amazon as my main books...I will still be linking to Amazon as my main bookstore but will not be using the KDP Select 5 free days. The Kindle Owners Library does bring in some income so I will stick with it for this aspect whilst I look into alternative approaches such as getting back with Smashwords to access the rest of the e-reader market.<br /><br />I would be interested to know how your next free days go?Emma Calinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02661631701340292529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4776872181596975599.post-10805021092266321082012-05-24T18:20:52.735+02:002012-05-24T18:20:52.735+02:00You write well enough and tell the kinds of storie...You write well enough and tell the kinds of stories that thousands should want to read. The problem is: how do we find them? Caleb PirtleCaleb Pirtlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11923601462922885987noreply@blogger.com