Writers Tricks of the Trade Vol. 6 Issue 1 | Page 33

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DON’T GET STARRY EYED TOO SOON (CONT’D)

money from their sales, there are many who can buy an ice cream cone each
month with their royalties, if that. Even at a low price, the reader should be
entitled to well written content which in turn should generate some buzz.
However, this is not always the case, and some self-published books are rushed
to market full of grammatical and spelling errors or weak plots. Don’t let this
be you! Be proud of the product you put out and you will build a following.
Because eBooks are mostly sold online, the online booksellers display a
thumbnail image of the cover along with the link to the book. When
considering your cover remember you need a well designed cover that looks
strong in a small size and grabs the reader’s attention quickly.
Next comes the title, genre and content. Some genres are in much higher
demand than others. A few years back, one of my friends was told by her agent,
“Give me a Vampire book with Elvis and we’ll see what we can do with it.” But
some genres also have popularity cycles. If you are strictly choosing to write a
book in a certain genre because it’s hot at the moment, think about how long it
will take you to write the book and whether you are going to self-publish or go
the traditional route. With the length of time it takes to get a book to market
via traditional publishing, the popularity could fade if you’re near the end of
the cycle, and publishers and agents consider that.

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Genres less in demand still might be able to establish a niche, because there
are fewer books to choose from in that niche. For example, in my main field,
mystery, the competition is stiff.
Speaking of genres, fantasy still sells well. My friend Maxwell Alexander
Drake has done well both with eBooks and print in his Genesis of Oblivion
series published by a traditional publisher. The covers are amazing works of art
and command instant attention. Fortunately for Drake, he is also an excellent
writer and quickly established a following.

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While all of us would like to reach for the stars, and we should, don’t get
carried away. It takes time and lots and lots of energy and creativity to build a
following. Heed what best seller Amanda Hocking said about more people
selling less than 100 self-published eBooks.
As long as you know what is ahead, you can make educated decisions.
Maybe you’ll be the next eBook millionaire, or thousandaire, hundredaire or
heaven forbid, only sell a few copies.
But, if you’re considering laying out big bucks, do the math first and have
realistic expectations.

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WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE

PAGE
25

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016