I launched my first book, Infinite Vampire I: BLOOD 4 LIFE three weeks ago, and although sales have been low, they’re meeting my expectations (my very very very low expectations).
Many an experienced self- or indy-published author will tell you that the first book never does much until it has sequels. Some even advise not advertising until there are four or more books in the series released. I’m using the time now to run tests, and I’m okay with using this time as a loss-leader; to lose money but gain a future benefit.
Alright, so here are the numbers so far:
- I’ve sold 178 books! Woohoo!
- I’ve earned $86.50 in royalties! (Most sales were while the book was on deep discount)
- I’ve spent $305 in advertising to keep my book in front of people.
So on the balance sheet, I lost $218 the last three weeks. I spent tons more before the launch, but still, only losing $218 is a bit of a surprise (I thought I’d lose more!).
In this time, I also gained 28 reviews, averaging a 4.8 out of 5, and I’m VERY excited about that!
(Don’t ask how many books I sent out for ARC readers; the answer is a multiple higher than actually reviewed the book. Again, that inexplicable phenomenon is pretty standard, so it’s not a surprise.)
To reiterate, I’m ecstatic that I have so many reviews. Sure, I hoped for more, but again, for a first time author to launch and have more 5-star reviews than the number of days the book has been live is pretty rockin’.