How I sold 150 copies in 60 days

There is truly nothing scarier than that first moment you press the "Publish" button...

There it is. Your baby. Your work. Out there to be seen, read, and judged. Truthfully, I didn't have high hopes for my book. I was afraid that I'd be let down, in all honesty. It sounds so incredibly negative, but it was almost my way to "cushion" the disappointment. My ultimate dream was to hold my own novel in my hands, that was all I ever wanted. Publishing it was just the icing on top of a very tasty cake.

"Catatonic" is a psychological thriller. It is raw, real, gritty, and creepy. I was a little skeptical to get this book into the hands of people who may still see me as a child, even though I'll be twenty-two next month. Hell, I was afraid my mother would slap me upside the head for using the word "fuck"! (She totally didn't, by the way.)

Anyways... onto my marketing strategy. I've always been a bit of a social butterfly on social media. I gained a little following from a lot of the military wife support groups that I've been in over the years, as well as some followers from writing groups & communities. This made things a tad bit easier, because when I announced that I was publishing my debut novel, I got nearly 400 likes on Facebook alone! I was completely blown away, even more so by the amount of people who followed through with their promise of snagging a copy. On day three or four, over twenty copies sold and shipped. I was overwhelmed, amazed, and extremely excited. It almost felt surreal.

But then, panic ensued. What if people didn't like it? What if my writing isn't all what its chalked up to be?

I've had many (many) beta readers, which helped tremendously. That honest feedback from several individuals helped shape the story into what it is today, and I truly couldn't have done it without them. If you're on the fence about beta readers...trust me, GO WITH IT. Even if they charge a small fee, the result is astronomical. They'll point out things that would've never crossed your mind. The raw honesty and constructive criticism is what every author needs, especially when self-publishing. Small plot holes? No worries, beta readers will find them and they'll be a thing of the past! (Really. Get beta readers. For your own sake. Just do it).

Most of my sales originated from both Twitter and Facebook, so if you're struggling with sales or even getting your name out there, I highly recommend creating a Twitter account and fishing around the #WritingCommunity tags. You'll find plenty of supportive individuals who want nothing more than to encourage you to be the best writer that you can possibly be. I've met SO many Indie Authors this way, and it was also a way for me to get my book into their hands, and vice versa. That double-sided support is sometimes all it takes to get a jumpstart on the road to success. I also made an author (business) page on Facebook, another AMAZING outlet to selflessly promote my book and connect with my readers. Being overly active in the social media community makes your readers feel as if they're special, and they matter (which they DO! Your readers are awesome!!!). Never underestimate the power of Facebook and advertising. Sometimes, spending that couple extra dollars on advertisements can really go a long way. I spent only $15 on Ads and sold about six copies. It's a start, and I intend on doing more in the future!

Another piece of important advice is to get active within your immediate community. Do author interviews with local blogs or newspapers, get your name out there for people to see. Sometimes, stumbling over the right person at the right time can transform your life. Don't be afraid to gloat about your novel. Hell--go out and scream it from the rooftops! I'm a published author!!!

Just a simple conversation with someone at a grocery store could turn into a sale. You never know who needs your book. You never know who needs your writing. You never know who needs YOU.

Don't ever be afraid to talk about your book. You worked hard on it, and you deserve success. But with success comes bumps in the road, and sometimes... those dreaded negative reviews. Perhaps the most difficult thing for me is accepting the fact that not everyone is going to enjoy reading my colorful array of adjectives or descriptions. I've had people give me some not-so-nice feedback and some genuine constructive criticism. But, don't let it ever discourage you. One bad review will never outweigh the many, many good ones.

So, don't be afraid to really jump out there! Make some friends online (I promise they won't bite). Join writing groups on Facebook and even websites like Wattpad to get your work noticed. Building a fanbase can be difficult, but with the right motivation and enough work, your book will be in the hands of 150 people, too. And damn, does it feel so, so good.