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Weekly Roundup #4
Weekly Roundup #4
Weekly Roundup – February 18th, 2020
Welcome to the fourth edition (two weeks late, family emergencies and the like) of “weekly roundup”; a new weekly blog post discussing the latest updates from my own writing adventures, the world of literature, Twitter, and more.
As the weekly roundup segment grows, so too will the type of discussions had here.
Before we start, go ahead and register for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all the latest and greatest updates.
Self-Publishing Journey with Amazon
Quick Note: Over The Creek is on Amazon. Woohoo!
Self-publishing with Amazon has been….an interesting journey, to say the least. First, the excitement following the official publication on Amazon. Second, a few friends and family purchase and receive the book. Third, checking the reports section of the Kindle Direct Publishing dashboard.
Still checking.
More checking.
Where are the accurate numbers?
Long story short: there is no clear answer from anyone at Amazon why the reports are not showing accurate and updated data/earnings from books sold.
Needless to say, this has become infuriating because many other authors are experiencing the same issue.
I wasn’t expecting my first ever children’s book to sell hundreds or even thousands of copies. Hell, wasn’t even expecting more than a couple dozen in the first few months. I’m grateful for the amount of sales I’ve received so far – it’s truly validating. Not to mention Over The Creek is currently a 5-star reviewed book.
Do I find somewhere else to self-publish? There are alternatives to Amazon like Ingram Spark and other services. However, Amazon is currently the most “notable” retailer and option.
The downside?
If I’m selling a color-printed book at roughly $15 a copy, that’s only $5 in royalty earnings.
Talk about a steep cut.
Take the good with the bad, right?
Finding My Way Into Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble is a giant bookstore franchise with stores all over the United States and beyond. Being published is just one part of my dream as a writer – books being sold at Barnes & Noble is the other part of that dream.
Happy to report that a Barnes & Noble store here in Surprise, Arizona happily agreed to order a few “test run” copies.
Over The Creek will officially be sold in a B&N store later this week.
That very same day, I announced the wonderful news on several Surprise Facebook groups.
The response was more overwhelming than anticipated. News of the book release garnered 200+ “Likes.” What’s more is several dozen people have stated they want to purchase a copy for either themselves or for their family members when it arrives. Furthermore, I will be setting up an “Author/Signing” event at the same store.
This has given my writing a new life, if I’m honest. The response has made me feel validated as a writer.
Look out for more on Twitter news of the author/signing event and more.
Find Me On Twitter
On Twitter, not only do I work to promote my book, but share other writers’ works as well. Using the hashtag “#WritingCommunity”, I like to connect with other writers, asking various questions, keeping things lively and engaging. Just last week alone, I earned 800+ followers.
If you want me to showcase your work on this blog, subscribe to my newsletter above or leave a comment below.
Conclusion
That’s it for Weekly Roundup #4.
Check back every Monday or Tuesday for a new roundup post and more.
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