A Novel Experience

Ad-Ventures in Book Selling

I am reasonably well-versed in marketing, and I also think writers are too dependent on "advice" from people who make money selling advice.

You have to think about who your core demographic is and what they likely read the most.

One key demographic for my new geopolitical thiller 'Degrees of Intelligence' is the military and IC crowd. But even within that, I have to try to zero in on specifically who this story will most likely resonate with. My guess is: active-duty and retired over-40 and probably predominantly male (I don't want to discourage any women from reading the story, this is just my gut feeling).

I decided to try some advertising with 'Stars and Stripes,' the pre-eminent news source for the military and Washington/defense crowd. I have to say, I've been super impressed with the ad sales guy I got: not even slightly slick, incredibly informative, and really willing to stretch my small ad budget for max effect.

I asked him if he'd had any other authors advertise on Stars, and he could only recall one. That's just less competition, in my eyes.

They have many ways to reach audiences, and he's gone above and beyond in being helpful with trying to tailor-make an ad program for me. Will it work? Who knows. We're going to do a three-month trial and see what happens.

I did the math, and if I get .002 return (i,e, sales), I am slightly in the black. Just 2/10ths of one percent: that seems like a very low number, but I am assuming book sales ROI and say, car sales ROI are not comparable. You have to assume you will get a lower buy-through rate, and all the ad really does is get people to your website with a short headline and book graphic and a hyperlink to your site.

I do have my site set up for an easy buying experience already (I always say, when you want people to do something, make it easy!)

Here's the thing, my fellow writers: you have to take some chances in life. Personally, I think social media is overrated as a place to hawk books, generally speaking. On top of which, I am off all sm and have no desire to return.

So I'm going to give this a try, and we'll see what happens. The thing with Amazon is every sale boosts your visibility, so potentially that's doubling your ad dollars.

Stay tuned. If this is a success, I can make more big bucks pretending I know what I'm doing with other authors.

The Day One Amazon Launch: January 28, 2025

I don't even know where to start. After five long years of writing and research, followed by several months of final refinements to the cover art, creating various versions, and the ever-delightful format proofing process...'Degrees of Intelligence' is online at last.

Amazon has been smooth...Barnes and Noble online, not so much. A reflection of resources, fixes, experience in the indie market...anyhoo...

First, let me say I have been pleasantly surprised at Amazon's print quality, after years of hearing horror stories about case laminate hardcovers in particular. At least my proof copy was flawless from a print standpoint--my only negative being that somehow the binding, or perhaps the way the case laminate cover is applied, made one slight gap in the middle of the interior.

I put it under something heavy overnight, which fixed the issue about 80%. It doesn't affect the reading experience at all. The paperback is just plain flawless--no issues whatsoever. I had heard stories about fingerprints on matte covers--nothing whatsoever on mine.

January 28 was the official launch day. I had previously had it set for much later in February, but once I saw my two proofs, I decided to just let 'er rip.

By January 29...and mind you, this is with no social media presence in about 16 months, no ads whatsoever, and no reader reviews (I do have three amazing editorial reviews on the back cover, from extremely credible and respected members of the writing community)...anyway, by January 29, everything started to go crazy.

Suddenly I was in the top 100 on Amazon's Jewish Historical Fiction list...a category that I have to assume is not small. At one point, I was at #57. As of this writing, I am #96. But what is crazier is that pretty steadily for the past 24 hours, I have been at #5 to #7 for New Releases in Jewish HistFic.

Obviously this is a level of exposure that no amount of money can buy. And while my numbers haven't been as stunning in my many other categories, right now, the paperback version is at #484 in Historical WWII Fiction and #854 in Military Thrillers, both of which must be quite large categories.

I would tell you how many books I have sold if I had any clue. Amazon is apparently so overwhelmed by the tsunami they literally haven't shown a single sale for either paperback or hardcover, and only six pre-orders for the Kindle edition, which officially hits Feb. 1.

Since there's nothing I can do to speed them up, and since I hear this is commonplace, I am just going to impatiently wait for the big, big money to show up. Seriously, I imagine it has to be a couple hundred to hit these categories, but we shall see and all y'all will be the first to know.

Meanwhile, I have been most amused at my new massive AI biography on Google. It's largely stolen from my self-written bio and story overview, which is why you should make sure--now more than ever--that yours is brilliant.

I have also been mildly amused that AI cannot appreciate a good triple entendre, and thus has completely missed the "college" degree aspect, as represented by the story opening at Harvard in 1943. Personally, I am ever delighted at AI's lack of brilliance, but I will say the sales pitch they've done isn't bad.

Hilariously, they have noted there is no public information on any degrees in espionage I may hold hahah. The irony of that on five levels is truly very, very funny.

Ok, I need to go check my Amazon stats for the 419th time in 24 hours. Please buy a copy and keep me defying reality as an indie author/publisher.

And I thank you.

A Novel Experience...

Ad-Ventures in Book Selling

The Day One Amazon Launch: January 28, 2025