Wednesday, March 12, 2014

What's Luck Got To Do With It?

SELLING eBOOKS

What's Luck Got To Do With It?




             During March, the month of four-leaf-clovers and little green leprechauns, we celebrate the luck of the Irish. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and we can all have that luck! The word luck, beaten and bastardized, gets tossed around like a day-old doughnut whenever Indie authors discuss success (or lack thereof) in selling our books.
            The first time I took advantage of KDP’s Select promotion and placed my suspense eBook, She’s Not There, free on Amazon, I only had 8,202 downloads at the end of the two days, compared to a friend’s 26,000 downloads using the same promotion. She told me, for her, there had been a lot of luck involved, and it was due to the fact that a popular eBook site noticed her promotion and highlighted it for their readers. I know firsthand her success is not all due to luck. She’s a devoted marketer, and spends every available moment working to maintain her book’s sales momentum. Me, I’m addicted to things like golfing, playing bridge and watching The Young and the Restless; my marketing ethic is not nearly as fierce!
Luck is more likely to happen to those who go after it.
How to get lucky:
1. Expect the Best
Lucky people believe they will be successful. Research shows that if you believe you’ll succeed, your odds of hitting a lucky streak go up. There’s no magic involved—expectancy is a real driver of behavior. Expecting something as opposed to wanting or hoping for it, will affect your decision-making and you’ll put in more of an effort than you may normally have.
 Writers—find ways to stay positive and expect success—it works!
2.    Notice What Others Miss
Lucky people are more open to random opportunities. They notice chance situations and act on them. Lucky people are flexible in their thinking, and it’s that relaxed, open attitude that allows them to see what other don’t.
         Keep your eyes open for opportunities—they’re out there!
3.    Say “Yes”
 Lucky people do not remain passive. Instead, they seize opportunities as they come without endless second-guessing.
   When chance encounters occur, don’t over-think them, act on them.
4.    Switch Things Up
Lucky people increase their chances of getting opportunities by meeting new people and trying new things. Luck won’t come looking for you or knock at your door.
      The more you put yourself out there, the more likely it is you will find luck.
5.    Practice Bouncing Back
Lucky people don’t let one failure sidetrack their road to success. When you let a bad break get you down, you close the door on new situations that could lead to a lucky break. Closely linked to the first trait, expecting the best, bouncing back means you will have a greater chance of success with each failure, because you’ll be trying more often.
     Regard every bad break as an opportunity to find the right course for you!
           
Dear readers,
So many of us, myself included, wait for the magical “break,” that will mean success for our novels. You know what magical thinking does—it delays success. Practice the habits of lucky people; they work!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day,
Marla
Note: I seldom repeat a blog, but with St. Patrick’s Day only days away, and the luck of the Irish on our minds, I thought this one would be an excellent repeat! Hope you enjoyed it!


20 comments:

  1. Thanks For The Encouraging Words.

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    1. Hi Tamylee,
      I'm happy to hear you found them helpful. Have a nice weekend,
      Marla

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  2. Your points on Luck are well received.
    Seize the Day and Be Bold and Mighty Forces will come to your Aid!

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    1. HI Dave,
      Thanks for reading. Did you celebrate St. Patty's Day with a green beer or two?
      Hope the book sales are doing well. Have a great week,
      Marla

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  3. I really liked your article, I found it quite inspiring. Your right luck is made up of hard consistent work, never give up, believe it will happen and invariably it does. The timing might be a little off , that's when you have to hang on in there.

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    1. Hi Mike,
      It is so easy to develop a write-it-and-they-will-buy attitude. And to envy other authors when it is up to us to keep going. Good writing and hard work is what it takes!
      Nice to hear from you,
      Marla

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  4. A good post, Marla. The same advice also applies to traditionally published authors like me. Unless you're a big name publishers do little to sell your book, so you've got to approach promoting it with a positive mental attitude, although it can be easy to get disheartened as competition for sales is fierce.

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    1. Yes, the competition gets stronger every day! That accounts for how promotions that are wonderful one day, are not successful the next as everyone jumps on that particular tool. That's why we have to (like you) try to stay positive and keep trying new things.
      Thanks for stopping by,
      Marla

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  5. Great post. I feel like one of the lucky ones. I have remained positive for them most part. I wrote what I knew best at a time when nobody else was doing it. Cozy mystery with senior citizens... oh yeah. I made them very unique with boyfriends and a little on the naughty side. Was I hated, you betcha, lol, but I did land on the USA Today Bestsellers list twice with a BookBub ad. Oh yes, you can't expect to just sit there and not spend money to find your place. My books never do well from the get go, but I crawl my way there with ads. Does it always work out, not, but the single best thing you can do is write, publish and repeat. I had the best things happen to me when I was the lowest, truly. Won't bore you with those details, but staying positive and believing in yourself and your books is so important. I've re-edited, changed covers, you name it. Stay in the game, it's so worth it. One more thing I want to add is that I joined a Meet Up writers group and was pulled into a writers circle with a book signing. I asked for none of it, but I'm so thankful I was invited by a published author in my home state. May all of you stay the course and stay positive.

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    1. Hi Madison,
      Great to hear from you! Love your attitude. Yes, I've heard the bookbub ads work great and I just did one for a free promo, but haven't gotten accepted yet for a "discounted" ad. Yes, we have to keep trying new things and not be afraid to spend money to make money.
      Congrats on getting into the Writer's group. They are a wonderful way to get support.
      Have a super weekend,
      Marla

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  6. Yes. I agree with the saying, 'there's no such thing as luck.' Thanks for the thoughtful advice!

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    1. Hi,
      Glad you found this blog useful. Learning one has to make their own luck is a tough lesson. Always helps to try something new!
      Thanks for stopping in,
      Marla

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  7. Reblogged! Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Hi,
      Thanks for reading and glad you liked the blog. Stop in again, and have
      a great week,
      Marla

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  8. Just came across your tweet for this article - and so glad I did. I'm not as far along as the others who have commented, but found your post one of those which reinforces perseverance - a much needed quality for the business side of writing. Thanks!

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    1. Nice to meet you, Teagan! My number one piece of advice for new writers is to find and join a writer's group. I've been in one for more than 5 years now, and without it, never would have written two, self-published novels. It is the very best way to stay motivated.
      Enjoy the day,
      Marla

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  9. Such a good post - the last one in partic is so true. Too many people allow one experience to blight their lives for years!

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    1. You're so right, Terry. One bad experience, or even one bad review can put a writer like me in the doldrums for days. But the real plus from staying active is that there are always new doors that open and new friends who come into your world. Just the other day, an email from a woman who'd read my books, loved them, and taken time to tell me about it, really pulled me out of the bad place I was in at the time.
      Nice to see you here, have a good week,
      Marla

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  10. Encouraging, thoughtful and fun article. I'm glad you re-posted it!

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    1. Hi charli,
      Thanks for visiting and so happy you enjoyed the article. It's so easy to get discouraged, either about our writing, or any other life issues. I always need to
      remind myself that action is so much better for the soul than sitting here worrying
      about it.
      Have a nice weekend,
      Marla

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