Well its that time of the year again…royalty statement time. You’d think I’d be happy for this time, but as it is, I’m not. Why? Because I don’t really truly want to see how many books I’ve sold. I want to remain in this euphoric fog of delusion that I am selling my ass off.
When the truth is, I have no real clue if I am.
On one of my publisher’s loops we are talking about our statements and sharing numbers. I think this is fantastic and will help all of us in the end, but I have a sense of trepidation every time I open an email from one of the members and see their numbers. Do I really want to know that Author X is selling more than me? Um, not really. It is a huge blow to the ego.
On the other hand it really puts this business in perspective. And really that’s what this authorly thing is, a business, a career. And any information, whether it destroys me or not, is good to have to help me advance forward or take a different path.
But still it hurts like hell!
After comparing numbers it makes me wonder what really sells a book. What factors go into one book doing better than another? Let’s say they are equally well written and in the same genre…what makes one book sell more than the other?
Cover art - a better more evocative cover sometimes can give a book an edge
Subject matter - maybe one book is about vampires and the other about witches, maybe vampires are selling better
Publisher promotion - certainly that helps, getting that book and author’s name out to more people
Higher print run - goes with publisher promotion, a higher print run sometimes can mean the publisher has confidence that book will sell more in more places
Author promotion - maybe the author is a master at self-promotion
Positive word of mouth - I think this is one of the most powerful forms of promotion and can make a book
What say you? Any ideas?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Ah, Vivi–you’ve hit on a worry I often have. And those statements will be arriving soon, won’t they? I am very curious about exactly what it is that best promotes a book. I’m a cover sucker–I’ve picked up many books because I was caught by the cover. The cover catches me, then I flip the book over to read the blurb. If the blurb is good, I’m sold.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Denise A. Agnew
May 9th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Oh, gosh, you and me both. Royalty statement time is either a time of rejoicing or depression. LOL. It’s so hard to know how your book is selling. Nothing seems to be a reliable indicator (buzz, amazon rankings, ect).
I would say you’ve got a great list. I’d add to it LUCK. I think luck plays a big part in sales for certain books. Luck in timing, for example. Hitting the market with just the right book at just the right time.
Also, I’d add VOICE. Some authors just have that special voice, you know? The one that seems to whisper golden things into the ears of readers everywhere and drives up their sales to astronomical levels.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
“I want to remain in this euphoric fog of delusion that I am selling my ass off.”
I pick this answer