A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Why are sales from my book dropping off so radically?

It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. 

This week's conversation takes another look at the question of sales. This time, we attempt to answer the question that accompanies an unpleasant experience that many authors have: Why are sales from my book dropping off so radically?

There are always ups and downs in book sales. Some are natural. Others are the result of the times. Yet others are the result of the times in the author's life, interest, and commitment

The "First" Effect

The first month after book release is almost always the best for any author. That is the time that specific book launch activities take place. That is when friends and relatives jump in to buy. That is when the book is the sheen of "new." That is when Amazon lists its hot new releases. In the same way that the first month is usually the best for sales, so is the first year. As the years go on, generally book sales do drop, sometimes radically. 

Life Goes On

After 4-5 years, books become dated, the information is no longer new, the Zeitgeist has moved on, and the book no longer is swimming in the main river but may be off in an eddy somewhere. Friends who bought the book for support because you wrote it already have the book -- at least, all of the friends who really are going to buy the book. 

Sometimes, the time for the topic has passed. All of the books we produced specifically for the pandemic books are backlisted now. Books connected to politics generally have a short shelf life. Medical advances can make some health topics obsolete. And so on and so forth.

For niche books, the target audience is small. Over time, it becomes saturated, and there is no room for more sales of any volume.

As time goes on, authors tend to reduce their book promotion efforts? It is easy to get bored, distracted, or discouraged as month rolls over into another month. All those emotions, however, will naturally lead to depressed sales.

Late Blooms

A word of hope, however, should be spoken. There are books that bloom late. There are books that bloom quickly, fade, and then bloom again. We have had both kinds. With late bloomers, either an Influencer discovers the book a few years in or the author slowly makes headway with constant effort; even a small marketing effort on a daily or weekly basis builds attention to the book, and sometimes those small efforts can ultimately snowball. It has happened.

Bottom line: Book promotion takes constant effort not to fall victim to the spiraling descension in the life cycle of books.

See more Publisher Conversations with Authors HERE.

 Learn more about publishing from an acquisitions editor -- how to get your book proposal accepted, why proposals are turned down/accepted, and how to find the right publisher for your book. On special sale for $5 while inventory lasts at MSI Press webstore. Also available as an e-book and an audiobook.

The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic that you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 18 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.

                             

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Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.

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Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.

   

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