Forever Friends anthology

Has anybody any updates about its sales? We're now into the second year of this great anthology supported by 48 authors...

I sent in a picture of my blue telescope:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Friends-Shelagh-Watkins/dp/1409232905/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3


As if that might trigger a new and sudden surge of buying interest!

LOL! Abdul, only six books sold in the past six months!

Did 48 books sell, at least one to each contributor? My understanding of published books is that the average for a new release is a little over a hundred books if it's not with a mainline publisher.....

The target was for each contributor to sell ten books. We fell well short of that target. I bought more than ten books and Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow (who bought the six books mentioned above) bought a total of over thirty books. Some contributors did not buy a single copy.

I had a book signing in a small store. I sold 20 books. Four of the twenty were two anthologies. The other 16 books were novels. Some people have a lot of luck with selling anthologies; but I think they are more difficult to sell. However, the anthologies in which I have stories are part of my carry alongs - sort of an advertising tool - that I use for hostess gifts, etc. since the novels sell better.

I do know that I have author colleagues who do very well selling anthologies at book fairs and festivals.

The forty-seven contributors are a random sample that represents well the different attitudes of authors seeking publication today, Alice.

There is no relationship between the talented writer and his/her expectations. Some very poor writers with low skills have high expectations and some of the best writers see their work as not good enough and have low expectations. The latter category are more likely to succeed because they work hard to improve, and they are happy with a modicum of success: something on which they can build.

The authors who did not buy any copies complained about not receiving complimentary copies. They put a value on their contribution that was far above its worth.

This isn't directed to the FF book or anyone here. Just a take-off on the "writers need to support writers" sentiment, since I've seen that posted before, and not just here.

I don't view supporting other writers as buying their books. That's a pity purchase, no different from buying Girl Scout cookies from your co-worker or MLM products from a neighbor. I think strangers should be the ones buying one's books, not friends and family, unless the latter genuinely want to and offer to do so.

About the FF book, I do find it odd that some would expect complimentary copies -as Alice noted, who is supposed to provide them? It is basically a self-published book.

I would have considered giving every member a copy but it soon became apparent that some members were not going to buy a copy for themselves and were not interested in promoting the anthology. In other words, they expected other contributors to buy the book and work hard to promote it to raise enough money so that they could receive a copy for nothing.

As I said, they were a random sample that represents well the attitude of writers seeking publication.

For those who are wondering about any profit from the book. There was very little, but it is intact in an account and will be added to the proceeds from the Christmas anthology.

That's sad, Shelagh. People are still looking for something for nothing, and nothing is what they deserve.

I personally bought two copies. First one was a pre-release proof copy and the second was a post release copy straight off the market. I have asked several friends and contacts to buy this book, because I enjoyed virtually ALL the stories in there.

Any product bought only because the customer is prevailed upon to buy it is a pity purchase.

I have no interest in Pampered Chef products, but a neighbor sells them, so to maintain cordial relations, I pick out the least-useless item from their catalog when she asks me.

I have no interest in war books, so if I bought one because someone asked me to buy it to further a personal goal, it would be a pity purchase. It would never get read.

Sure, but my reason for buying it would still be because I was prevailed on. Giving it away is simply a productive means of dealing with what is basically an unwanted item to me.

The point Alice is trying to make is not about whether someone purchases through pity or not.

The point she is trying to make is that, no matter how badly some authors write, they are only interested in sales of their own work.

The discussion on the PA boards often led to someone suggesting that it would be good for everyone if PA had a bestseller. Of course, as Alice has already stated, they wanted their book to become the bestseller.

I know that wasn't Alice's point. I just went off on a tangent on what "supporting authors" means. To me, it doesn't mean buying their books, but I suppose that's because I don't buy books to support authors. I buy books to read content I'm interested in.

Shelagh wrote:

The point she is trying to make is that, no matter how badly some authors write, they are only interested in sales of their own work.

Does this mean you thought some of the stories in FF were badly written?

alice wrote:

LC,

Your books are textboks?
People have to buy them.

Only if they're interested in the content. Otherwise, they don't even sign up for the class.

LC wrote:

Shelagh wrote:

The point she is trying to make is that, no matter how badly some authors write, they are only interested in sales of their own work.

Does this mean you thought some of the stories in FF were badly written?

We were talking about PA authors who suggested how good it would be for everyone if PA had a bestseller. They always considered that their own book was good enough to be singled out for bestseller status.

Sometimes, or often, there is no point in telling others how inept they are when the only way of judging them is subjective. A high handicapped golfer can hardly claim to be proficient at the game. Anyone who can put pen to paper can believe that s/he is as good an author as any other published author. You cannot convince them otherwise.