[Steve Shelley]

Hi all,

I'm currently writing my second book 

I'm so prawny a single sale is cause for a seven day bender and ticker tape parade. Indulge a bright-eyed acolyte and regale me with tales of the second book.

What happened for you? Spike in sales? Uptake in subscribers? A plethora of promo combos?

In short, was there a change in gear? First to second, or more like first to *gasp* third?

Everyone remembers their first  but how was your second?

 

[SRWitt]

My second book only came out a few days ago, and today was my first promo day, but there was a sizable (for a prawn) increase in rank for my first title (which is free and being promoted by all and sundry) and sell-through to my second book. Push on, fellow prawn, to victory!

 

[Steve Shelley]

My second book only came out a few days ago, and today was my first promo day, but there was a sizable (for a prawn) increase in rank for my first title (which is free and being promoted by all and sundry) and sell-through to my second book. Push on, fellow prawn, to victory!

Judging from those covers you might already be in third gear, brother!

 

[rachelmedhurst]

This is a good thread because I actually rushed my second release and I think that's something I would change if I went back.

I didn't write the second book in my trilogy after releasing the first. I wrote the first in my serial and put it out free straight away.

I did that before I found these boards. I think it's great that the information is here now!

I think the time that it got exciting was when book 2 of Avoidables came out and I started to get a little bit of a sell through.

 

[MonkeyScribe]

Please forgive the unsolicited advice, but we're doing some work in a similar category, and I took a look at your sample. It's pretty good. The blurb is solid. I think you could do a lot better than single sales and seven day benders.

Your cover is killing you and your title is weak. The title is easy to fix, since you've already got it there: Aegis Colony. As for the cover, I'd acquire a BV Larsen-style cover. You'll have to pay for it, of course, to the tune of several hundred bucks if you want something good. But if you write well and keep producing, I'd be surprised if it didn't make a big difference.

 

[80593]

This is a good thread because I actually rushed my second release and I think that's something I would change if I went back.

Thank you for this. I'm having a six month gap between my first and second and judging from the production schedules of some indies, have felt insecure about that from time to time. It's the best I can do and still have it be a better book than the last (always my goal). Your comment makes me feel better.

Cool thread, OP! I'm releasing the second in my series in April and I'm interested in people's stories as well. (I'm prawny too, but my sales are unrelated to my benders.)

 

[Steve Shelley]

Please forgive the unsolicited advice, but we're doing some work in a similar category, and I took a look at your sample. It's pretty good. The blurb is solid. I think you could do a lot better than single sales and seven day benders.

Your cover is killing you and your title is weak. The title is easy to fix, since you've already got it there: Aegis Colony. As for the cover, I'd acquire a BV Larsen-style cover. You'll have to pay for it, of course, to the tune of several hundred bucks if you want something good. But if you write well and keep producing, I'd be surprised if it didn't make a big difference.

You know what Michael, this is one of those things I've been mulling over myself. Just had this nagging feeling of being a bit too arty with the title and cover.

The book doesn't reflect that, being more a knockabout, old-school matinee SF.

Cheers mate, I think you've just kick-started a new campaign

 

[Steve Shelley]

Thank you for this. I'm having a six month gap between my first and second and judging from the production schedules of some indies, have felt insecure about that from time to time. It's the best I can do and still have it be a better book than the last (always my goal). Your comment makes me feel better.

Cool thread, OP! I'm releasing the second in my series in April and I'm interested in people's stories as well. (I'm prawny too, but my sales are unrelated to my benders.)

If us prawns ever make it big, Jen, probably a good thing to unlink sales to benders

 

[Shiriluna Nott]

Thank you for this. I'm having a six month gap between my first and second and judging from the production schedules of some indies, have felt insecure about that from time to time. It's the best I can do and still have it be a better book than the last (always my goal). Your comment makes me feel better.

You're not alone. By the time I get the manuscript finished and sent through three weeks of editing, the sequel to my debut novel is going to be released about six months after "A Call to Arms". I'm a pretty slow writer anyway (working on improving that) and I've definitely began to feel the pressure to get it done faster, but I hope my fans will forgive me when I put out an awesome sequel.

That being said, I am so jealous of the people who can pump out a quality 100k novel every third month, and it's a goal of mine to someday be able to do the same!

 

[jillb]

I didn't gain much traction until I published my 5th book. Granted I write NF and most authors here are fiction writers.
My "breakout" (but still prawny) book is a standalone.
After my 6th book, I didn't publish for 2 months but sales continued to rise.
I then published 3 more books this month so it remains to be seen how sales will continue .