How are book sales? Zero? Oh, that’s right, you don’t have any books for sale.

by | Sep 27, 2015 | Marketing, Writing

Not a lot of cash is going to exchange hands if you have nothing to sell.

If you don’t have anything for sale, it makes it a bit harder to make sales.

If you have something for sale then there’s at least the statistical chance that it make some sales. My kids love math word problems*, so let’s do it that way.

  1. If Sally has 4 books for sale and 3 of them sell 2 copies each for 6 days, how many books did Sally sell? Bonus: if each book earns her $2.00, how much did she make? **
  2. If Gertrude has 0 books for sale, but thinks about writing a book and tells her friends at the company water cooler that if she did publish her book she’d make 7 sales per day, how many books has Gertrude sold after 6 days? Bonus: if Gertrude makes $3 profit for each book, how much money did she make? ***

Answers below. Careful, they’re both enlightening and shocking.

You can’t win if you don’t play. — California Lottery tagline

Sally Struts her Sales

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Markree Castle Book Cover

At least there’s a chance for sales!

Are sales guaranteed for Sally? Absolutely not. But there’s a chance. She’d have to work at it, promote the books and all that hard stuff. But she opens up those book sale stats weekly and they are growing. Slowly, but surely, they’re growing. Her dream of being a published author, a respected expert in her field and someone with a story to tell at cocktail parties is coming true in front of her eyes.

Gertrude Grins, Gossips and Groans

Gertrude has it easy. She doesn’t have to do any math, make any projections or do any of that yucky marketing! Even better, Gertrude doesn’t even have to write! Whew, she’s sure relieved she’s off the hook. There’s also security and consistency for Gertrude in that the chances of her making a sale are guaranteed at zero. She doesn’t have to fret about whether or not she’s making sales, she can rest assured and sleep soundly at night knowing that she won’t make a sale ever.

Really to Strut with Sally?

It’s September 27, 2015. In celebration of NaNoWriMo 2015, we’re going to prepare, outline, write, publish and promote a book and have it on the digital shelves by December 15 (that’s still 2015). Sound like fun? Or if not exactly fun, at least something that’s been smoldering like a rancid ulcer in your gut for as long as you can remember? Let’s heal that ulcer and cure your writing habit.

You know you have a book in you.

Whether it’s the vampire meets hacker girl or a non-fiction how to on, ahem, digital photography using macro lenses to shoot bugs, let’s get it done together. Interested? We’re going to make it happen, we’re going to start and finish. We’d love to have you join us, the more, the merrier. Find out more.

So are you Sally or Gertrude?

  • Possible: Gertrude
  • Impossible: Sally
  • Repossible: Join us to become Sally

Answers to the Word Problems

* In my dreams. It’s good I don’t let them play editor on this post (only on their own chapters).
** 36 books sold. Bonus: $72 profit.
*** 0 books sold. Bonus: $0 profit.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]