I am not quite sure what it is I am doing wrong, but I actually seem to be losing money. My sales from copies I order to be sent to me at home have dried up… because I never go anywhere where people buy books.
I sell a few direct orders online when people click on the links on my blog, but the margin of profit is so small that so far, I have gotten only one royalty check from the publisher… for $43.37.
My mom is my best sales rep… she has lots of friends with grandkids, and so far, everybody say the kids love my books for children. But when she sells a few, she wants me to send her more, so I order more to be sent to her house… and between what I pay for the books, even with my author’s discount, and the shipping, I seem to be paying almost exactly as much as I am making.
I could charge more, but that would drive the sales down even lower.
On top of all that, the princess novel I am working on… The Seven Kingdoms… is driving me crazy. My older daughter makes a good point. I can’t make it too intense, because preteens won’t be able to read it, but, as Jessica points out, teenagers have no interest in stories about princesses, no matter how kick-ass they are. So who is my target audience? Who is going to read that one?
I am trying hard not to let this get me down… but I really need to focus on getting an agent.
Pouring My Art Out 
Neil Gaiman might disagree on who would or wouldn’t read a princess story and intensity isn’t an issue either. I read this intense series about an iron throne. 🙂 Check out Amazon and Smashwords (there are other distributors, but I’m partial to Smashwords). Libraries in my area like to showcase local talent so check with them for information on readings and how to submit your work. Good luck!
Thanks so much. I think the target age issue is sort of confusing me. I mean, Harry Potter had violence. The Hunger Games had children fighting to the death. What age is that appropriate for? It has to do in some ways with the relevancy of the other topics, and how well it is written I think.
Yes, those books deal with heavy issues and violence, but what made them appropriate for YA, were the ages of the main characters. At least, that’s how a librarian explained it to me.
then I am covered, because I have everything from 13-year-old princesses to 20 year-old ones… HA!
🙂
…ooo000ooo…
Have you heard of Creative Space? Owned by Amazon (so I am told.) It’s ay easy way to self publish and have your books go online to Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc. I checked it out and it looks pretty easy.
Thanks, I will take a peek at that.
What company are you using to distribute your book??
I’m currently using CreateSpace to release my youngadult novel here in the next few weeks and I’ve been having trouble marketing already. I figured it’d be a good idea to try and get a following now, even before my book is available, to boost sales.
I use Thebookpatch.com… or something like that… they print the books to order.
My book, Time Trip: A Dinosaur Musical, has only been out for a month. It’s not easy to sell a kids’ book via the Internet because my audience isn’t on Twitter or Facebook or WordPress. I’m not going to hang out on the Internet sites where kids do congregate because that would be creepy. Besides, kids can’t pick up a credit card and order a book from Amazon the way an adult can. It’s also hard to market to teachers because the ones I meet online are stressed, broke, and spend so much time drilling kids for standardized tests that they don’t get to do fun things like school plays and musicals.
I can’t speak from personal experience as far as marketing a YA book goes, but I expect it would be easier for you. Your audience is on social media. I’m not saying you should go out and friend a lot of random teenagers, but you might be able to find some teen book bloggers or some teens with a YouTube show where you can discuss the best way to move forward with your princess story. My nieces are 13 and 17. They know kids at school who are into My Little Pony and Pokemon. If they’re not too old for that stuff, then I wouldn’t think they’d be too old for a princess story.
Thanks… this is all sort of a delicate balancing act, isn’t it?
You might try networking with an authors guild or other local groups. Set up contacts with book clubs and do some speaking engagements. Acorns from Ivy. Healing through forgiveness. Authormaryannbrantley@facebook.com,
Thanks… I just suck at the marketing. I am all art-side-of-the-brain.
How about a book signing in a local coffee shop or book store?
I would have to get them to invite me somehow… but good idea
You could approach them. “Hi, I’m a local author, I was wondering if you’d be interested in hosing a book signing.” A little confidence would go a long way. You’d have to buy some stock to sign, but you could also make up some simple cards with the URL to buy your book to hand out. One of these days I’ll do that.
I might have to give that a shot… thanks so much.
Reblogged this on perfectlyfadeddelusions and commented:
I know when I was a teen, I would have loved a kickass princess story. I still would want to read it as an adult.
I’m not sure about self publishing, but it sounds really difficult. I know a lot of people make ebooks, and alot of people have kindles now, or read from other devices.
But I wish you good luck 🍀
I just had to blow off some steam
Try comic con dude even if you have to travel, sometimes good stories take time to get out
well, I actually live in San Diego…
Like the way Ron Burgundy says it?
more or less… maybe… I suppose
I’m the mambapajamba, hehe 🙂
is that a poisonous snake in pajamas???
No, it’s what Will Farrell says in the new zoolander trailer
oh… phew
Lol I know, random right?
indeed
I don’t think it’s true that teens don’t want a story about princesses. What teen doesn’t like The Princess Bride? It just has to be a very well told story, and it can’t be too simple if you’re aiming it for teens, new adults, or adults. Still, self publishing is definitely difficult. Have you created an Excel to track your margin? That might help.
Best of luck to you, my friend! It sounds like you have the need to write, so keep doing your thing and you will find your audience. 😀
Thanks. Sometimes I just have to blow off steam. I figured out that I have enough unsold books around between my house and my mom’s house to account for more than the outgoing funds… which means I am at least making a few cents off each book… so… yay!