Chasing Shadows, thanks to the final editing changes I just finished, is that much closer to its release date of 5/7/14. As excited as I am to finally get it into the readers' hands, I'm also drained.
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So much to plan. I don't have a publicist--although some day, when I win the lottery, I'm going to--so that's just another hat I wear.* I wish it was something that came easily to me.
I know "free" is part of any good marketing strategy these days. Chasing Memories, book one, will go free for the five days upon the release of Chasing Shadows, book two. Free still bothers me. Maybe it's because I'm just finishing another book, and I know all too well how much work is involved.
But I also love getting my book out to more people and love to gain new readers. From everything I've read from other authors, the best use of free is in a series. This is my first series, so we shall see.
How do you feel about free? What is the best use of it?
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A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) Update
My immediate goals...
Last edits--by Wednesday, 4/23--✓
eARCs out to early readers--by Wednesday, 4/30
Update website--asap
Set up GoodReads giveaway--by Wednesday, 4/30
Set up Release Day signups--by Monday, 4/28
Prepare Release Day posts--by Wednesday, 4/30
Only one check mark, but it was an important one. Off to work on more.
* An aside: as I was re-reading this post for errors, I noticed a Freudian slip. I had put "that's just another hate I wear". I had to chuckle, so I thought I'd share.
3 comments:
I feel drained after I finish a big project, too.
I know free books and .99 books and $1.99 books have this almost impulse buy effect. I know it seems to be effective for some people. We really are working for free until that first dollar rolls in though.
I offered my first book for free, Tia, a few months after it was released. Lots of downloads, but I should have waited until I had the sequel out.
Now, I don't do "free" anymore. You could discount the first book to 99c, and likely still see increased sales.
Looking forward to your release!
This is what's known as a sales funnel. :) First book free, second book $0.99, third book $0.99, fourth book $1.99, fifth book $2.99, Omnibus $3.99. Saves them a couple of dollars, and you make more. I know a TON of people who won't buy the first book in a series until all the books are out. They hate waiting :)
Free is always gonna drag people in. But perma-free shouldn't even be considered until the third (or fourth) book is out.
My Mystic series went live on Smashwords (thereby all platforms besides Amazon) last month. Bronya (book 1) is perma-free. Sales for the subsequent serials have gone from none to many. Just saying.
You'll have more checkmarks to add to your list soon ;)
WRITE ON!
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