[robin_hart]

I don't write romance but I am going to ask for the insight of some of you folks that have been around here longer than me. I publihsed oon Nov 28, my first book and it has maintained a rank of 500-800ish for over a month now. Since I used a pulisher I cannot track sales, can anyone tell me, kinda, maybe a little, what this could mean for sales? I have no idea and it is driving me nuts. I know that rank is pretty good, but how good?

Sorry to step into the thread, but I would really, really appreciate some help.

I have no idea, because I don't know how amazon does rankings, if it's just sales, or if it's also ratings and reviews, newness, etc. Also, a lot of sales one day might get up in the ratings, but not stay there.

 

[Error404]

...Self-medication with chocolate and/or bacon and/or ice cream...

Bacon ice cream

 

[Isabella Cummins]

I have no idea, because I don't know how amazon does rankings, if it's just sales, or if it's also ratings and reviews, newness, etc. Also, a lot of sales one day might get up in the ratings, but not stay there.

Have a look at this for a rough estimate - it kinda works for me:

http://kdpcalculator.com/index.php

 

[Writerly Writer]

Have a look at this for a rough estimate - it kinda works for me:

http://kdpcalculator.com/index.php

It's fun to type in no. 1. According to the calculator there is no discernible sales difference between no. 1 and no. 5 so from now on I want to be a no. 5 best seller.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

It's fun to type in no. 1. According to the calculator there is no discernible sales difference between no. 1 and no. 5 so from now on I want to be a no. 5 best seller.

I like where around 100k it says something like "close to 1 per day" . . . So people are selling 5/8ths of a book.

 

[Isabella Cummins]

It's fun to type in no. 1. According to the calculator there is no discernible sales difference between no. 1 and no. 5 so from now on I want to be a no. 5 best seller.

I like where around 100k it says something like "close to 1 per day" . . . So people are selling 5/8ths of a book.

It correlates with Theresa's Algo's: http://www.theresaragan.com/p/sale-ranking-chart.html

Seems like 8,500 and below is the magic number we should be aiming for.

 

[60865]

In true emergencies I suggest bacon ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup.

You have got to come visit France. If you're going to self medicate with food we have MUCH better options here!

 

[Christa Wick]

It's fun to type in no. 1. According to the calculator there is no discernible sales difference between no. 1 and no. 5 so from now on I want to be a no. 5 best seller.

I think I now understand why Amazon doesn't give us sales data with date of sale on each book like BN does. It would go a long way toward figuring out the basics of their algorithms. I have something ranked at #3615 at the moment. It has 1834 sales month to date, but my sales for it this month have been frontloaded - e.g. it was at #839 on January 3d and that is not its best rank (just what Amazon recorded for the day in authorcentral). Simple month to date average is 76+ copies a day.

I think with my next few releases, I'll track daily sales and daily rank. (Now to go finish my next release!)

 

[Christa Wick]

Oh, and A. American - that may be the best performing Xlibris book EVER!

 

[Al Dente]

I just wanted to chime in and say congrats! I'm so happy for you. I read the sample for Someone Like You and found it to be pretty touching stuff. You deserve lots of sales! 

 

[Anne Frasier]

yep, not normal.   enjoy!!!  i have over 30 books out, have been writing for 30 years, and i've never had a book (traditional or self-pubbed) debut with that kind of ranking. nice!!!!!!

editing to say that this is one of the things that is so cool about writing. the X factor.

 

[robin_hart]

yep, not normal. enjoy!!! i have over 30 books out, have been writing for 30 years, and i've never had a book (traditional or self-pubbed) debut with that kind of ranking. nice!!!!!!

editing to say that this is one of the things that is so cool about writing. the X factor.

Yes well your writing is crushingly beautiful, so that's my kind of X factor.

 

[B.A. Spangler]

Assuming KB is a typical model of the indie publishing world, a debut week for a romance author should look something like this:

Publish.
Make some sales.
Experience ecstasy.
Have a return.
Experience a moment of crippling self-doubt.
Get pirated.
Hate all of humanity with a burning misanthropic rage.
Sell more books.
Get a good review.
Forgive humanity.
Get a bad review on Goodreads.
Heavy drinking.
Late-night angst online.
Self-medication with chocolate and/or bacon and/or ice cream.
Commiseration with others who've been there, done that.
Get more good reviews.
Sell more books.
Experience yet another bout of crippling self-doubt, hurriedly revise your blurb, your cover, and possibly even the title of your book.
Consult the Internet for advice, be told to suck it up and write another book.
Self-medicate some more with chocolate and/or bacon and/or ice cream.
Start writing the next book...

Yup!

 

[Anne Frasier]

Yes well your writing is crushingly beautiful, so that's my kind of X factor.

oh, gosh. thanks!!