Stacy Black- Rough Beginnings- On Promo Right Now

Hiya All,

the promo for Stacy Black has just started and the book can be downloaded for free.

Any LIKES and REVIEWS would be welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Beginnings-Stacy-Black-ebook/dp/B009NWWOD2/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350057624&sr=1-12&keywords=Stacy+Black

Thanks and Huggles,
Katja

Quick question for all you experienced folks out there.

In the first 6 hours that Stacy Black has been up on Kindle, I sold 4.

In the 8 hours that the promo has been running 27 have been downloaded.

Are those ok figures? What are some of the experiences that you guys and gals have made with this?

Huggles,
Katja

That sounds average if not OK. People will download free books at a far greater rate than they are willing to pay for them.

And as some have discovered, they will write ugly reviews about their free book! Congratulations on your promo and I hope it leads to many, many sales and great reviews.

Thanks for the wishes and support.

I just check again and got 104 downloads in the US, 24 in UK, and 1 in Germany, all from the promo, not counting the 4 that were sales in any of them.

The promo runs for another 24 hours I think.

I am actually looking forward to the reviews and hope that I will get some... I think I am prepared for the bad ones, too... since I have never written for other people-- I am very curious to see how people that I am not related to or friends with- respond to my writing.

Oh, remember that I have posted that I have sent one of my book in to an agent... yup, I got my first very nice, very gentle, very kind ... NO...lol.

The strange thing was... after I read the first chapters, I started editing over it and thought... yeah... I would not have taken that one either....

has that ever happened to any of you?

Any-who, time for bed,
Huggles,
Katja

Katja,

Your response to your own work is one of the reasons why readers get upset about self-publishers releasing their unpolished work onto a paying market.

This morning, I read a reply on a newspaper website in response to a comment (by a self-published author) that said: "You're probably right on publishers but my ego prevented me from ever sending it to one in case they judged me." The response was: "You didn't dare send it to publishers in case they said it was less than perfect, but you're happy to inflict it on readers? For shame, sir."

@ Shelagh

I disagree in parts with what you say.
The story that I have sent to the agent was the first sstory that I have ever submitted to anyone. I have worked hard on it and (at the time) it was the best that I could do.

The reason why I submitted it was, because those folks who have read it- told me they like it- so, I thought that maybe an agent/ publisher would, too.

While writing Stacy Black, I believe that my writing has evolved some.

I have seen that many times with other authors' works that I have down loaded on my Kindle. The improvement from their first work to their second and so forth. I think it is a process.

So, when I read over the work that I have send off and I read over it, with the things that I have learned while writing SB my look at the Gabe series was more critical... and I am editing over it again.

I am not vain about my work... and I would love nothing more than being able to afford an editor to help me brush it all up, but- sadly- I cannot afford one. I have a friend now, how is a native English speaker who has said that she would edit over my work for me- and I am totally giggidy about her offer to invest time in something that sprang from my imagination.

I look at my writing as a creative outlet and not something that I am trying to make money with- hence the excitement about all of the downloads. The thought that someone, somewhere in the world is curling up with something that I have cooked up; much like I curl up with the things that I download from Kindle is just amazing to me.
The thought that my characters come alive in someone else's head is just .... WOOOOWWWW.

Now, in the end I look at Kindle and self/ free publishing much as I look at any other market that self-regulates. It will all come out in the wash... meaning that those who write something that the public enjoys will get the downloads and the likes etc and those who are not appealing will not.

I have no idea where I fit in, but I am curious and excited to find out.

BTW, I have joined this forum to learn more about the process of writing - beyond just me sitting at the keyboard and sharing my stories. I know that you have a lot more experience than I do... and any and all advice will always be greatly appreciated.

For example, when you went over DM's chapters, I learned from that, took it to heart and edited over my work based on the suggestions that you gave him. That was VERY helpful!
So, if you are one of the folks who have downloaded Stacy Black, or any body else in this forum, point mistakes and other stuff out... don;t hold back, because that is the main reason why I am here--> to learn.. and maybe in the process, as I learn more to share that knowledge with others.

Huggles,
Katja

Katja,

Your first submission to an agent was in better shape than mine, which was riddled with typos and downright mistakes. I still enjoy reading that first submission as much as the edited version (self-published ten years after writing the novel). Here on the forum, you can read the first chapters (first draft that I sent out to publishers/agents) and the edited version:

First draft (Part 1): http://www.publishedauthors.org/t2955-the-power-of-persuasion-version-1-part-1

First draft (Part 2): http://www.publishedauthors.org/t2956-the-power-of-persuasion-version1-part-2

Edited version: http://www.publishedauthors.org/t2957-the-power-of-persuasion-version-2

Hi Shelagh,

I have read both and the second one is much easier to read.

I am still working on my first cup of coffee this morning, but once I am totally awake I am going to look at them side by side to look at the changes from 1 to 2.

Last night, I started editing over the "Coin of Zeus" Part 1 - the one that I had sent off to an agent - and so far I have dropped it by a good 5000 words... and more are certain to be cut.

I find the realizing... the noticing (OMG I can't find the right word)... the learning and working on the process facinating. Kind of like something is growing within... if that makes even a lick of sense to anybody else, but me...

Stacy Black, received one review... I am tickled pink... it is a 5 star one and the reader liked the twist at the end, but said that it started off kind slow. Mission for the next part in the series... don't start off slow

Huggles,
Katja

Early rejections can be beneficial, especially the kind ones with a suggestion or two. That's why I stay away from self-publishing because I don't trust my judgment. I'd rather send it off to some small presses who are selective for the genre they publish; then I know the book has some sales chance.