Experience rules

Here's an interesting perspective on self-e-publishing from a veteran of the traditional publishing industry: Five Things I've Learned by E-Publishing.

I already broke the first rule (don't do the cover yourself).  Oops.

And, of course, the fifth one:

5.) Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Though this headline could also apply to the idea of self-publishing itself (and it is true, just because you can do it, doesn’t mean it’s your best option), I’m actually talking about checking your sales records on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords.  It’s going to be difficult not to wake up and immediately open the relevant sites to check on sales, and then to check them every fifteen seconds thereafter.
Just because you can figure out how many people have bought that week, that day, or even that hour, doesn’t mean you should.  It’s like how you occasionally have to give yourself a Twitter break, lest you realize you’ve done nothing all day but talk about squirrels in literature.  So remember to give yourself a break.  You (and your friends) will be happier if you do!

Day 20

Checking Amazon sales stats is a little bit like weighing yourself.

You know it won't make you happy; and it probably hasn't changed much since you checked five minutes ago.

But still you just can't help yourself.

Thank goodness for vacation and internet disconnection.

Day 2

I'm at work today.  Meant to do work-related things.  I mostly manage, in between sneak peaks at my amazon page.

That damn stats counter is incomprehensible and plays with my nerves.  I went to bed on Day 1 around the 14,000 mark and twelve hours later I'm down in the depths of despair at 22,000.  Surely none of the books have been returned?  (I now suspect it has something to do with the time of day as by the evening, I'm back to 14,000 and change.)

Do the stats actually mean anything or are they simply intended to drive authors mad?  My self-worth is now encapsulated in that single number.  Like a junkie, I hit refresh repeatedly.  My mouse doth protest.

The afternoon brings me my second review.  Another friend who is far too kind.  I start thinking maybe someone should say they hate it just to make the whole thing a bit more realistic.

Then total happiness.  I've been linked on friends' facebook pages (Mr Zuckerberg, I love you) and two people (two!) I have never met say they will buy my novel.  One even proclaims an intention to introduce it to her bookclub.

I do a little dance in the office.  Then I panic when I consider the possibility that these new readers, these readers who owe me nothing, may hate it and trash it on amazon.

People, I have a perfect 5-star record to uphold.  Please.

It's the end of the day and I have sold 10 copies total.  That means 6 the first day and 4 the second day.  The downward spiral has begun.