I think if it takes five years to build a fan base, it's not likely to happen. It may take five years or more for you to hone your craft to the point where you write something successful, but if you write something that is going to be successful it will not take five years for it to take off.
You're writing as if success is about the quality of the work ("if you write something that is going to be successful"). But it's not--a good book is necessary, but it's definitely not sufficient. For any decent number of people to even look at a self-published book to find out that it's good is going to require...something big. Possibly some fame in some other area. Possibly a long-established (established over years) blog or other Internet presence. Possibly a long, industrious, careful effort of bringing people's attention to the work without being dismissed as spam. Whatever it is, it's not at all unlikely that it's something that would take five years or more.
At the rate information used to spread, it was likely that many were not successful during their lifetime. The rate of information dissemnation has grown exponentially. The need to be your own advocate when it comes to marketing remains near constant.
It's not enough that it be a good book, it has to be the type of book that will attract an audience. In self-publishing, the genre and niche is everything. You can write the best general fiction book that was ever written and it won't make you money in five weeks or five years, unless, as has been said, you're already "famous" for other reasons. But if you write a very good science fiction or romance book (or even one that's not that good but is what people want to read, a la 50 Shades of Grey) and self-publish, you can be very successful very quickly. I am going by my personal history here. I put two science fiction books out on Amazon back in 2011 and sold 30,000 copies the first few months. That opened the door to write sequels, which I did, and they have sold thousands of copies as well. Military science fiction, sword-and-sorcery fantasy and romance all sell particularly well in self-publishing.
You're talking like there's a formula to writing a book that will "attract an audience" and there isn't. You can write a great military sci-fi and it's not guaranteed to be the type of book that will attract an audience.
No, actually I never said that. You're arguing a straw man you set up yourself. What I said was that some genres sell better than others.
Um, no. I quoted you directly. ChickenFreak said it's not sufficient to have a good book to be successful. You said no, it has to be a book that attracts an audience. You're still talking like there is some way to guarantee success, and there isn't.
No, you are arguing against a point I never made. I never said there was a guaranteed formula for success, I said that certain genres are more successful than others in self publishing. I don't know why you can't address what I said rather than what you wish I said.
I wish you would stop ignoring the exact words you wrote, but hey ho. Would you like to clarify exactly what you think your quick success is down to, so nobody else can be accused of building a strawman?
What I said was very clear and I'm not ignoring any of it. I never said there was a formula for sure-fire success, I just said that some genres are more successful than others in self-publishing. Period. If you self publish a general fiction novel and aren't previously well known, it will take a lot longer to see results, if you see them at all. If you self publish in certain genres, it's easier. Period. It's not a hard concept to grasp, nor is it put in a way that says "this is the formula and it's all you have to do" despite what you keep claiming.
I just did. You're conflating two things I said into one thing that was never said. I was using my own experience as an example that it doesn't take five years after you publish your book to build a readership, and also using it as an example that the right genre is crucial for self publishing success. I also said that if a self-published e-book isn't successful after five years it most likely won't be, no matter how much research you do. I am not sure how you took these and came up with the idea that I said there was a guaranteed formula for success, because I didn't say that. I don't know why you're so set on arguing that I did.
To be fair, I didn't read any of Rik's posts as saying there was a guaranteed way to be successful, just that you've got far better odds in some niches than others. Which seems a pretty reasonable statement, IMO.
Mm but he thinks he's successful because his book attracts an audience, and the only reason he's given for that is that it's in a certain genre. He won't offer up any other reasons. So what else are we to conclude, apart from that it's luck - which I think is the correct answer?
Well, sure - something can be successful because it's a military sci-fi without that meaning all military sci-fis are going to be successful. I think there's a large chunk of luck involved in anything like this. There's things you can do to help - you can write in a popular niche, you can write a series instead of a single book, you can do that social media thing, you can build a blog and advertise that to get an audience, you can throw your book at any reviewer/celebrity/random passing commuter you can find - but all they're doing is trying to skew the odds in your favour. My point was just I didn't read any of Rik's posts as saying he had a guaranteed formula, rather he was just talking about what he thought helped his specific situation.
If it's the only thing they publish I agree but a later book could strike a cord with readers and zoom that writer into the top ten. That even happens with trade publishing. Some writers don't catch on until their fourth book. Than as readers check out the prior works there is a surge of sales. Fame has more to do with publicity, consistency of output ( quantity ), branding and especially timing.
Well, the conversation was about what's necessary to be successful in self-publishing, so I don't think it was a big leap. Anyway, there's no point arguing about what Rik meant when he won't actually clarify
Hi Guys, Not to take sides but the point about genres is well made but pointless if you'll excuse the pun. Yes certain genres like romance and paranormal romance are very hot and likely to sell well comparitively to others. But if that's not what you write or where your passion is, just writing one of these genres is not likely to help you since you'll be unlikely to put out a book that's either your best, or which will attract readers. The old adage is write what you know. I'll add to that - write what you love. What you're passionate about. Cheers, Greg.
I'm not suggesting anyone change genres, I'm simply saying that if it is not in a genre that tends to do well in self publishing then it will indeed require the author to be known apart from that work in order for it to succeed, which was the original point we were discussing before a couple people took it far afield.
