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Writer's Haven => Quill and Feather Pub [Public] => Topic started by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 02:50:46 AM

Title: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 02:50:46 AM

[font=]Hi all.[/font]

[font=]Glad to see the new forum is up and running, I was having trouble getting logged in recently.[/font]

[font=]It's been a long time coming, but I've finally published my first book - INFINITE LIVES (https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Lives-Online-Book-ebook/dp/B07HMM98NF/ref=sr_1_38?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1538475943&sr=1-38&keywords=litrpg) [/font]


[font=]There have been highs (the fact that my book got tot 6,484 on amazon.com and managed to reach 7,383 in the UK, mind blown) and lows too (like the look inside feature distorting my images on the preview, despite the ebook itself being totally fine, grrrr. I've reported it to the contact us, but I didn't so much as get a 'we've received your request' email.)[/font][font=&amp][/font]
[font=&amp][font=]A concern has popped up, though, one I'm hoping someone with experience of launching a book can advise me on. Despite those nice looking figures, the sales dashboard has only suggested 2 new sales for the few hours[/font][font=]I had 19 pre-orders before I launched, and when the book went live my sales rank was in the 100,000 region. Now it says I have 21 sales overall (2 more than pre-launch), despite the fact my book has been climbing bit by bit throughout the day, in a way that suggests multible sales.[/font][font=]As someone who is new to all this, i guess what I am asking is, is this normal? I'd hate to think royalties are dropping off.[/font][/font][/color]
[font=&amp][/font]
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 02:51:44 AM
Wow, I have no idea what happened to that message. I better try again
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 02:53:36 AM
Hi all

Glad to see the new forum is up and running, I was having trouble getting logged in recently


It's been a long time coming, but I've finally published my first book - INFINITE LIVES (https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Lives-Online-Book-ebook/dp/B07HMM98NF/ref=sr_1_38?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1538475943&sr=1-38&keywords=litrpg)


There have been highs (the fact that my book got tot 6,484 on amazon.com and managed to reach 7,383 in the UK, mind blown) and lows too (like the look inside feature distorting my images on the preview, despite the ebook itself being totally fine, grrrr. I've reported it to the contact us, but I didn't so much as get a 'we've received your request' email.)


A concern has popped up, though, one I'm hoping someone with experience of launching a book can advise me on. Despite those nice looking figures, the sales dashboard has only suggested 2 new sales for the few hours


I had 19 pre-orders before I launched, and when the book went live my sales rank was in the 100,000 region. Now it says I have 21 sales overall (2 more than pre-launch), despite the fact my book has been climbing bit by bit throughout the day, in a way that suggests multible sales

As someone who is new to all this, i guess what I am asking is, is this normal? I'd hate to think royalties are dropping off.
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Becca Mills on October 03, 2018, 03:00:35 AM
Congrats on the great launch, Elven Steele!  :clap:

Your book is in the Kindle Unlimited program, so the rank boost is coming from people borrowing it. You'll see income from those borrows when they actually get around to reading pages.

ETA: That warning about the Look Inside you added to the top of the blurb -- good idea!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Cathleen on October 03, 2018, 03:01:52 AM
I'm afraid I can't answer your question, but I just popped in to congratulate you on your release. I don't know exactly how many people say they're going to write a book and fall off along the way, but it's most of them. But that doesn't include you. Way to go!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: idontknowyet on October 03, 2018, 03:04:15 AM
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :banana: :dance: :banana: :dance: :banana:
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Becca Mills on October 03, 2018, 03:07:11 AM
I borrowed your book to check the images, and they do in fact look fine in both the cloud reader and the Android phone app. How totally annoying that they're messed up in the Look Inside.  :Hqn66ku:
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Post-Doctorate D on October 03, 2018, 03:09:03 AM
Congrats!    :clap:
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: RCoots on October 03, 2018, 03:42:45 AM
Congratulations!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: LD on October 03, 2018, 03:45:01 AM
Quote from: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 02:51:44 AM
Wow, I have no idea what happened to that message. I better try again
haha! 


same thing happened to me
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: DrewMcGunn on October 03, 2018, 03:49:32 AM
Congrats. I'll be borrowing it soon, too. :hands
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Simon Haynes on October 03, 2018, 03:51:56 AM
Congrats on the release!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Max on October 03, 2018, 03:52:19 AM
Smashing! Congrats!
Stop checking the dashboard. It'll make you crazy. Seriously.
Paid books don't show until peoples' methods of payment clear. That's assuming their CCs did not expire. That their card is not maxed out, etc. etc. Then (one day) there will be returns which will mess things up. Don't fret those. Only fret the stuff directly in your control. What's that? Word count. That's all you can control until you start promoting. 

I know, it's like asking someone to stop looking at a wreck when you drive by, but you've got to not look too often. As mentioned above, KU borrows raise rank. Otherwise, get on book #2. That's where the money is. Or should be, all things considered.

Finishing book one is such a hurdle. You've done a great job and something many never accomplish!

Best of luck.
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Ace Fletcher on October 03, 2018, 04:07:58 AM
Congratulations on publishing your first book.
 :thumb
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: guest120 on October 03, 2018, 04:18:58 AM
Congrats, ES!  :cheers
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Lex on October 03, 2018, 05:37:59 AM
Congratulations!

The Look Inside images being distorted has been going on for at least a few weeks now, so it's not you. Hopefully Amazon fixes it soon.
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: munboy on October 03, 2018, 06:12:09 AM
Congrats and much success!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 06:15:25 AM

Hi, thank-you to everyone for all the support. It's been a long time coming, and it seemed like I'd never get there (chiefly because I try to write too many books at once) but it's good to finally have my work out in the wild.  grint 


I hadn't realised KU factors into the rank like that, but that makes sense. I think the distorted 'look inside' made me a bit paranoid that I'd turned into a glitch-magnet
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 06:20:25 AM
Quote from: Lex on October 03, 2018, 05:37:59 AM
Congratulations!

The Look Inside images being distorted has been going on for at least a few weeks now, so it's not you. Hopefully Amazon fixes it soon.




I ended up having to take an image out of the book altogether, because the distorted mess was the first thing a potential customer saw the moment they clicked 'look inside'. Not ideal, but it's in the hands of the KDP gods, I guess  :shrug


(I just wish they would give me a sign that they exist... has anyone else ever had to contact them? Is it normal to not get an email confirming 'request received'?)
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Jeff Tanyard on October 03, 2018, 06:59:04 AM
Congratulations, man.   :cheers
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Ghost5 on October 03, 2018, 10:25:54 AM
Congratulations!

 :banana-riding-llama-smiley-em
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Rhett Gervais on October 03, 2018, 11:40:02 AM
Congrats!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: katc on October 03, 2018, 07:57:45 PM
 CONGRATULATIONS!!   :clap:
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Michelle Louring on October 03, 2018, 08:26:37 PM
Congratz!  grint
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Lex on October 04, 2018, 12:26:48 AM
Quote from: Elven Steele on October 03, 2018, 06:20:25 AM
(I just wish they would give me a sign that they exist... has anyone else ever had to contact them? Is it normal to not get an email confirming 'request received'?)

Their customer service is very hit and miss, both in terms of the speed of reply and the helpfulness of the answer.

You won't usually get a "request received" email. I say usually because there are different departments, and they aren't all the same. I contacted them through Vendor Support a few months ago, and that time I did get an automated "We'll reply shortly." email before I received a real response.
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: T. M. Bilderback on October 04, 2018, 12:33:11 AM
Congratulations!   :cheers
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Lorri Moulton on October 04, 2018, 02:46:58 AM
Congrats!  This is a big day...enjoy the magic!!!   :smilie_zauber:
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Angela Haddon on October 04, 2018, 02:39:49 PM
Congratulations!!!  :banana: May it be the first of many successes :D
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: Erron on October 04, 2018, 04:39:55 PM
Well done!
Title: Re: I launched my first book today...
Post by: lyndabelle on October 13, 2018, 06:31:36 AM
Congratulations! Good work, and enjoy this triumph.
And the first thing that came to mind reading your thread: "Patience Grasshopper."
Sometimes launches are a slow build, especially for a new author.
 :clap:

So celebrate the book release. Then, go and write another book.  grint