Writing a Book Is a Challenge... And So Are the Numbers

This week I did about eight things related to my writing.  Not all of them as productive as I'd like them to be, but they still moved me forward.

Below is the list:

1) Continued on my first draft edits of my blogging book.

2) Planned another marketing strategy to promote In Search of the Lost Ones.

3) Outlined and started on my first draft of the second in the series of In Search of the Lost Ones.

4) Worked on my idea book.

5) Organized my drafts of In Search of the Lost Ones- plus  all the research notes.

6) Has a phone conference about adding photos to the various books I am working on or a second edition of my last book.

7) Gave out review copies of my book. ( I think I've given out about as many as I've sold, here's to hoping that the reviews come soon.)

8) Had the results of the Kindle sale looked at. ( while I didn't have sales during the sale-- there were sales afterwards.)

For most of these things, they felt very active perhaps because what I was focused on was doing something I can change.  The rest seem to be based on the past, things I can't change.

What it did do for me was show me how book promotion is something every writer needs, and also needs to plan long before the book you are working on is finally published.

How Would You Promote Your Book?

In the last few weeks I've done what some newer writers would think of as unthinkable- I've given away books.  A lot of books.  I think for me it's a great feeling, not only are they int eh hands of some readers, but many are going to do reviews.

In many ways I've come to the conclusion that promotion is also word of mouth and having several hundred books in a box is not going to help long term sales. However, that being said, I think that people need to read a book and love it, not simply because I've given them a review copy.

I will also say and reviewing books is not an easy task, so I try to be very understanding to the people I've asked to write a review.

There are many ways in terms of having your book published that will make a difference to sales-- really great editing is one of them. A marketing plan is another thing which will potentially increase sales. At the same time you will still need to get the word out.  Also writing a good blog is important too.

How would you promote your book?

Would it be worth your time to give away free copies so that people review or share your book with others?

Long-term sales come from word out mouth and the more people know about your book the more likely you'll have these long term sales.

What Do you Do With Your Published Work Which Might Be Stolen?

Frankly, I'm talking about money; the ammount that I stand potentially to lose.  I have to admit that I was a little bit annoyed to find a "copy" of my work on Amazon.com.  I was terribly unimpressed that there is another book on the site that looks very much like mine.

How did I find this out?  I used sales rank express, and lo and behold, on Amazon there is another book entry for In Search of the Lost Ones.  Although it does not have a sales rank, and most of the information in the listing is not correct, its existence still upsets me.  If you go on to Amazon.com, you can find it under my author name, but because the book doesn't give the correct title, so you'd be hard pressed to find it that way.

It's my hard work.

I suppose I could be a bit "happy" but I'm not.  I'm not even sure if this is stolen or a mistake from Amazon, but still...