Alright, if you’ve been following my blog, you know it’s been a bit now since I started this self-publishing experiment, and I want to tell you a few things I’ve discovered.

First: If you don’t put in the work to publicize your books, no one will just stumble upon them. I’ve experimented with various methodologies, and while some work better than others for driving readers to deals, (Freebooksy/Bargainbooksy are favorites), the cold, harsh reality is if you don’t actively promote your work often, it will go unnoticed. Have a plan, and follow it regularly to increase awareness and drive traffic.

Second: Reviews and ratings are crucial to increasing your download and purchase numbers. The more reviews I get, the higher the percentage of conversions I see when people follow a link to my Amazon page. This makes perfect sense, of course. Don’t just focus on Amazon, however. Goodreads is also a great source to introduce your work to new readers, and the community is a bit more self-policing than Amazon.

Third: Quantity is king. A single book won’t do much for you, but if you have several, or better yet, a series, you can drive traffic to your other books when you do a promotion for just one of them. I publicized a giveaway of Worst. Superhero. Ever. for five days (each with a different listing site, which is when Freebooksy became a favorite). The result was over 3,000 downloads (over 2,000 from Freebooksy alone), and in the weeks that followed, my other books began to see an uptick in purchases. A freebie isn’t always a bad thing. If you provide something that people like, a good many will purchase your other works. There’s no guarantee, and it may take months (some people download everything they find for free and eventually get to them), but it’s definitely worth looking into.

Fourth: Set up a mailing list (here’s mine for those interested in quirky short stories). People who enjoy your work and sign up for your list will most likely purchase your other books as they come out. Additionally, they’ll promote your work for you. Build a solid base of fans and interact with them, but don’t spam them. One thing I like is running potential cover designs by them for opinions. Another is to occasionally send a free short story, just because. These are people who genuinely enjoy your work, so treat them as such. They’re not just consumers, they are people who appreciate what you offer. Create a loyal fan base (by not being a dick) and you’ll stand a much better chance of gaining traction with every new release. MailChimp is a great resource for mailing lists, by the way. 

Fifth: Few will sell millions, but if you’re feeling frustrated or unsure, read this article about Amanda Hocking. She self-published her works (rejected by numerous traditional publishers) to help her fund a trip to a convention. Much to her surprise, they were a hit, and she has now sold over 1.5 million copies of her works.

There are no guarantees, but it’s better to try, and possibly fail, than to never try at all.