January Stats | Good Things Come to Those who Wait

A success

Add 28 subscribers to my newsletter from BookFunnel. I added my books to about 7 lists. A Water Horse is seeing much success, it seems. I remind myself—they are adding it to their TBR. They may or may not like it. They may like it and go and find my other books. They might not like it and unsubscribe. All good—forward momentum. I've been discovered by 28 people! There's potential for 28 new, independent sales in my future.

A Distraction

Clean up my blog posts and scan over all my social media channels. Perfectionism is avoiding school homework by dusting off and 'perfecting' formats or cross-links, images, and follow-ups. Maybe someone somewhere will appreciate my attention to detail. This is just feeding my OCD.

A Reality Check

Check my sales funnels for any upticks. People keep saying they've bought my books, but I'm not seeing it. There's a lot of trust placed in Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark for their reporting capabilities. The reports they provide are abysmal. Ingram Spark reports I sold 1 copy of A Lion's Head, hurrah! I must keep in mind that these reporting models are slow to update, and oftentimes it takes a week or a month to see purchases.

Don't look at the reviews—I looked. Nothing new there. My ARC readers received the books last week. LIFE happens. They may or may not be reading them. I have trust issues. I have fears. As much as the fear of a book that goes DNF as a review that doesn't get posted.

A New Hope

This weekend, something incredible will happen. UK-based Wishing Shelf will be promoting my book, A Lion's Head, via their Goodreads and Facebook platforms.

I take a quick look at my BookBub ads and see impressions in the 2000s. None of this has translated into an uptick in new sales from people who have never met me in person.

Final Thoughts

It's easy to be discouraged.

Then I remind myself—I'm going broad on discoverability.

It's three times being seen that may get that future reader to add me to their TBR. It's three more times that may get that future reader to read my book.

Game Changers Waiting in the Shadows

Hoopla will eventually add A Lion's Head to its digital offering. A Lion's Pride is already there. I'm also waiting for the approvals on my audiobook submitted to Inaudio. Having the audiobook out will be a game-changer—yet to be seen.

The potential energy is building up.

It's good that I have a distraction in the form of my schoolwork and assignments. There is a critical threshold to be crossed from being a relative unknown to being discovered. That takes time, patience, interest, perseverance, and dumb luck.

I don't expect the books to magically fall into someone's lap without working like a dog to make them discoverable.