The indie community is really a thrilling place right now. It seems like everyday I find a new author out there - a living, breathing, pulsing, thinking organism who is jumping with both feet into indie publishing.
They say they've posted X number of books and are seeing between 1-15 sales a day, just on what they have up for sale. To me, even the idea of selling ONE book a day irrationally excites me. My work for consumption - what a dream!
I consider Aaron over at E-Publisher's Manifesto to be a good friend. I've followed his journey from Ground Zero as his sales have clawed their way up from 1/day to now 14/day! I see his success and cheer him... and also want it for myself.
I've touched a little before on how I gave up writing. I haven't finished that story for the readers yet, but I shall... I shall.
The point I want to make: I don't have a backlist of books to explode the face of the InTaRwEbS with my obvious genius. "Chains of Memory" is the first work I've finished...
In Ten Years.
It will be the only thing I have on Kindle, as I labor through my next piece.
Well, that's not entirely true. Along with Derek J. Canyon and 10 other authors (plus a few in the bonus section), we're putting together an indie anthology of which the proceeds will go to a (as yet unnamed) charity. THE ANTHOLOGY IS CALLED TWELVE WORLDS. (/end shameless plug)
But, we're looking at that around March. CoM will be up in the next ten to seventeen days. Even reading that terrifies me.
I do think finishing CoM has given me some serious momentum though. I jumped into the anthology and wrote my bit. It wasn't terribly long, but the idea burned pretty brightly in my mind. Even though it was only a short story, it was the second!... work I'd finished...
In Ten Years.
I feel like I'm far behind the curve, with only one submission for the indie world. I don't have this huge backlist I can wave around and say, "These are my rejections! These are my almosts! This was not quite traditionally published! Kindle hooooooooooi!" It's just my one novel that I've put a lot into (and about a month later, my one short story that I also put a lot into.)
I kind of wonder where I'll be...
In Ten Years?
This is my place to vent and extrapolate on personal matters. I may also talk about my life as an indie writer. For strictly release information, please click "here".
Medrick,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a back list either, but we have to start somewhere. Congrats on the completion of your novel and also your short story! You are an excellent writer (from what I can tell of your blog posts) so I am sure once your name gets out you will be a great seller! Update your counters to done ;)
What is your short about?
Angeline Kace
Angeline,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words!
My short story is about a stalker with a fiercely paranormal twist :)
I haven't updated my counters to done because CoM is going through rewrites (I update the word count as the chapters progress.) I don't know when Insomnomancer will be done because it's going through round-robin edits right now.
Same here. No backlist. One book. An agent wanted to see it. I sent it. Haven't heard anything back. So I'm working on getting it submitted to Kindle. Ready to see what the world thinks.
ReplyDeletewww.peelingcheek.wordpress.com
Hey JE,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for saying that. I consider you a friend too and I'm rooting for you! I know how hard it must be to hear all these stories, but you've been very patient and your patience will pay off!! Before you know it, your books (plural) will be out and gaining fans and admirers.
I can't wait!
Aaron
I think many of us are nowhere near where we would like to be. I am a firm believer in the the idea that those that persist will always see the 'spoils' for lack of a better term. I do appreciate this open era that we are in but I am looking to build up a body of work over 10 years as opposed to right now. It keeps me sane to think that way too.
ReplyDeleteMy major goal is to keep learning and continuing to offer increasingly better material for my readers. I figure everything else will fall into place. I'll accept huge numbers in a flash but I am willing to gain huge numbers by sheer effort over an extended of time too.
Hi J.E.,
ReplyDeleteThank you for answering my question over at Joe's blog about what kick started the book sales. What you said certainly makes sense.