T.I.E. (Entry 12): The Inevitable and Resonating Thud
A beautiful smackdown!
By Thio Isobel Moss
After the success of my five free promo days, it seemed almost inevitable that transitioning back to paid sales would be difficult. It was more than that — it was poetic.
I had 698 downloads while Blind Spot: The Covenant’s Forfeit was free — and several print sales, which I hadn’t expected. Today, marking my book down to $0.99 and securing a competitive promo with a wide readership, I’ve had no activity. I mean zero — no eBook sales, no print sales, and no KU pages read.
The higher up you go, the more magnificent the thud! You might have heard it around 5 PM CST — that’s about when I finally accepted that this day might be a dud.
It’s possible there’s a lag on Kindle’s dashboard, but the fact remains: I am falling in the ranks. I don’t believe there were any issues with the promo site — I saw the promo on their website and received the newsletter. Even so, I did my due diligence and emailed them.
At this point, my best guess is that I had zero activity of any kind.
I won’t lie — just typing that tasted bitter and frightfully sharp. My first instinct was to find another promo to squeeze in at the last moment. I found myself in a doctor’s office — not my appointment; just the ride-or-die — furiously stabbing at my phone. I would have gone through with it, except I didn’t have all the relevant information on hand.
Sanity, or something like it, started creeping back once I realized I couldn’t throw money out the door right then and there. Maybe the issue is the time of year — people have a lot going on. I already have another promo Monday, and I don’t want to cross-contaminate the numbers. Maybe KDP is on the fritz. Maybe this, maybe that.
I don’t know, and I’m fairly unlikely to find out. Regardless, there will be ups and downs in writing. Even big, fat zeros.
Which means, while promos are fun — and a bit like gambling — results are not guaranteed. They don’t necessarily create a loyal readership. So, I’m redirecting myself toward things that slowly but surely build a community.
This week, I’ll release my first newsletter. December’s will be posted to the blog as a preview; after that, only subscribers will have access to future newsletters. I won’t give spoilers, but I’m excited by what’s to come!
The long and short of it is, this is a capricious business. The best practice is not to sweat the day-to-day (far easier said than done). Focus on the day after — on what you can do. It sounds like I’m assuming the world is full of authors — well, it is; some people are just slower to pick up the pen than others — but this applies to almost any endeavor. Success is dusting yourself off, admiring the Thio-shaped imprint in the earth, taking a couple of snaps for posterity, and moving on.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I’ve got work to do!
