This week I give you an update on my lockdown projects, work in progress, hint at my ten year plan and short term plans for the future.

Personal Update

Everything is ticking over nicely and I’ve very nearly completed my first lockdown projects, as you can see below.

The first one is a three tier book stand covered in felt (the tricky bit), to show my books when I eventually can get back out and sell to the public again. I’ve already been asked it I can make one for another author, so it could be another income stream in the future for my ten year plan! (Maybe one day soon I’ll tell you all about my long term plan).

The second project is a simple four-sided box / stand to hide things away on the stall and give me a platform to sign on. It’s sized to fit perfectly over one of the plastic boxes I use, so it’s easy to transport.

And all in a colour that matches the tables coverings I use. Can’t wait to get back out there!

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This weekend I’ll have another rummage through the shed and see what other inspiration hits!

Sales & Marketing

Sales have slowed right back as I’m only advertising on free sites. I’m currently running a boosted post to offer my free audio codes for audible on Facebook. If I give away five codes then it covers the cost of the campaign plus hopefully gives reviews and sales for BEFORE THE END. I’m also providing the affiliate link for Audible, which pays out if anyone signs up for an account.

Looking back on the month, and there’s still a week to go, I’ve broken my record for the number of Kindle books sold in a month, but I’m way behind in total sales if you take into account pages reads and audio.

Other authors are reporting very poor sales at the moment, despite still running Amazon Ads, so it’s important to understand that this market is not usual which makes it very difficult to know how well my campaigns are going.

Next month I plan to run Facebook ads again, testing out new copy which I lifted from and review and running them only until they start to lose profitability, then I’ll turn the off for the rest of the month. The aim is to see how much I can coast after the ad with residual sales coming in.

Publisher Rocket

I am now an affiliate for Publisher Rocket, so if you want to try it free for 30-days to see if you can boost your organic or AMS advertising performance by finding profitable keywords then click the link below to take a look. If you don’t cancel the order then I get a payout. The jury is still out for me.

I’ve also provided a load of free information / tools which you can access on the links below.

Publisher Rocket – 30 day trial

Free AMS Course

Free Book Description Generator

Guide to choosing keywords

How to choose categories

Work in Progress

With two days off this week I’m hoping to forge on with AFTER THE END. Having already had one of those days, yesterday I met a third of my target and I’m finding out just how dirty my original draft is in places. Hopefully things will pick up today!

Either way it’s going to be tough going to meet the target for the end of next month.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve started thinking about my next project which I hope to take up when all my current books planned are either published or well on their way. This will be a non-fantastical (i.e. no zombies or other creatures) post-apocalyptic adventure. So think of IN THE END without the zombies. There will be a levelling event, such as a EMP or super weather system that takes the world, or parts of it, back to the dark ages. I won’t be able to work on this for at least another 18 months, but I’ve started thinking about ideas in my down time. At least I’ll know that for realism the first thing people will do is stockpile all the toilet roll!

Part of the reason for choosing this genre is that I’m very comfortable marketing this kind of work and I’m already known in the field due to IN THE END, whereas I’m yet to find an audience group / hangout for my James Fisher and Carrie Harris books. What I’d really love to do is drop Carrie Harris in a post-apocalyptic world. Now that would be fun!

That’s it for me, I REALLY need to get on with editing. I love getting your comments, suggestions and details of your experience, so please drop them in the comments below!