Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
I woke up this morning and found out that the interview I put on Amazon Kindle--completely as a test of the system--is not only selling, but selling way better than the book itself!
I swear to you, all I was doing was trying to figure out how to do it, technically. I wasn't expecting anyone really to buy it, because it wasn't a finished product yet. It must be all of you who sent the numbers up, since I didn't exactly go on a book tour to to flog it--so thank you, thank you, thank you! (Either that or it was my Mom. Mom, was that you again? If so, thank you, truly, I love you so much, you are the best mother in the world, but I need you to stop buying them so I can properly gauge if there's any non-Mom-driven-demand. That distinction is important.)
Okay, I'm really excited. Now I need to learn how to make a proper cover, and think about the typography, and write a good introduction, and make sure there's a "buy the book" tie-in at the end, and then get the rest of the interviews up there, and then figure out how to market them to the whole wide world of Thatcher fans. You think I can get Meryl Streep to mention them at the Oscars?
This is really exciting. Thank you, Ricochet! I love you guys!
Oh, I apologize if there were typos in the version you bought. That wasn't even the Beta version, it was maybe the Epsilon version, at best. Alpha on it's way! Daloa, here I come!
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Aug '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Claire, Author Barry Eisler published a free ebook called "Be the Monkey" about self publishing. Maybe you should check it out.
http://www.barryeisler.com/ebooks.php
Jun '10
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
I nominate EJHill to do the cover art.
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
US price is now $2.99, not $0.99. For you, I'll pay triple.
Aug '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Also, not really about publishing written material, but sertainly related - Comedian Louis CK recently released a video of a live performance of his by himself over the net, and he absolutely CLEANED UP. You can read about it here. Perhaps you should think about some other pay for content such as your vox-pops with Turkish citizens. It might not bring in the millions that Louis CK has, but if people a re interested, and they admire your work, usually they are willing to pay. ESPECIALLY if the money is going straight to you and not to some publisher/distributor.
I'm not really very interested in Margaret Thatcher, but I will pay $0.99 to buy your ebook just out of principle to support you so you can keep writing all the great stuff about Turkey etc. that does interest me. A bit like Michael Totten's paypal "tip jar".
Edited on December 28, 2011 at 9:21amAug '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Its still $0.99 for me..... do you have your Kindle account set up for the US, or maybe for Israel?
Jan '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Bought the interview for Kindle -- haven't bought the actual book yet (physical or digital). Do I recall correctly reading something about the publisher requesting a new foreword for the paperback edition? If that's in the Kindle edition (or not in the works) I'll go ahead and buy that, too.
Mar '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
So happy for you, Claire. Ain't life weird?
Jan '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
"...go on a book tour to to flog it"! Claire, have you got some Australian heritage that you're not telling us about?
Jul '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Reminds me of the story of the woman who created a website selling tumbleweeds to teach herself how to code for the web. Of course she's a millionaire now...
http://www.switched.com/2007/11/27/woman-finds-accidental-success-selling-tumbleweeds-online/3
http://www.prairietumbleweedfarm.com/
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
I just put up a new version with a better cover and introduction, fixed the typos, etc.--and raised the price to 2.99 (which may account for the discrepancy). It's "in review," so it will take about 12 hours for the new version to come up.
The ones who bought it first got the sale price, because it wasn't really ready. I figure I'll play with the price and see what works best. I actually think that interview is incredibly interesting ...
This is really fun. I sort of wasted a whole day, but if it sells, it wasn't wasted. And now that I have the basics down, it should be a lot faster to get the rest of them out.
May '10
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Congratulations Claire, push your valuable work on Thatcher hard as you can now, in all the forms of media, and reap your rewards.
BTW As ( α < β < ε ) in most Greek letter versioning, your latest release is the one further along the alphabet, and not the closest to the start (alpha). I retire to sleep in Pedant's corner for the night.
Edited on December 28, 2011 at 2:06pmSep '10
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Claire:
I bought one at the $.99 price and I'll buy one at $2.99. And -- don't forget: Typography for Lawyers.
May '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Claire,
Might I suggest that you have an excellent resource here on Ricochet. From what he has said, Mr. Lileks is in the process of writing several books and plans on releasing them in digital format. He has made a number of comments over the last year in regard to digital publishing. You might ask him for any insights he has gotten into the digital publishing realm.
Feb '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Why don't you make your bio of Thatcher available on Kindle? I'd buy it. I am literally running out of room for more books. Give them away after reading them? Are you kidding?
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
That, alas, is up to Basic, who holds the rights. And they won't do it.
That's why self-publishing is the future.
Jan '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Oh no.
For years, I didn't buy music because I didn't want to pay for the extra filler they put into CDs just so I could have the catchy song. But then iTunes came out, where I could pick and choose. Then I learned the deadliest phrase in modern language: "It's only 99 cents." And my music bill went from zero to ... well, my wife occasionally reads my entries, and if she knew how much I've spent, I'd be sent back to the Jesuits.
"It's only 99 cents" is the same justification for one-armed bandits.
And now that phrase is coming to books and articles? I'm doomed. But at least I'll die happy and informed.
Feb '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
That, alas, is up to Basic, who holds the rights. And they won't do it.
That's why self-publishing is the future. · Dec 28 at 7:24am
I thought as much, but didn't know. OK. I'll buy the paper edition, but if this is the book that causes my walls to crumble or house to sink, you'll hear about it. ;-)
Dec '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Claire: I think you're realizing that there really is "non-Mom driven" demand out there for your writing.
Not only that, you are only one click away from selling those people stuff...
So get busy!
(And Happy New Year!)
Tim Wright
Jul '10
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
Now that you are rich, you can buy Istanbul and rebuild it to code. It all comes together.
Sep '11
Re: Holy Cow, It's a Bestseller!
I am reading #1. This woman is dangerous. Note how she gave us a little taster, then made it prettier and put up the price. Yes, it's addictive stuff, and we'll all be regularly at it - until one day she takes off to Dahoa, and we all end up in rehab. Don't say I didn't warn you!