Ruth Kaufman - Award-Winning Author and Romance Writer

Ruth Kaufman is the author of My Life as a Star, My Life as an Extra, My Once & Future Love, The Bride Tournament, Follow Your Heart, At His Command and other books.

My Life as an Extra – preparing for release

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I’m excited about the upcoming release of my first contemporary, My Life as an Extra, a humorous women’s fiction novel in which Chicagoan Marla Goldberg learns to feel special despite a divorce, working as a movie extra, dipping her toes into the discouraging dating pool, being unappreciated in her day job and dealing with her successful siblings.

I had a wonderful time writing this and the sequel, My Life as a Star, and Marla made LOL many times. But preparing to release these books presented several challenges that my other books didn’t.

  1. Contemporary: When researching and writing my medievals, I pored over many sources, doing my best to provide historical accuracy. Yet I was happy when those sources said, “No one knows X or Y,” leaving me free to make certain things up to fit the story. And a “new” invention would stay new in the 1450s, but something trending on social media today, the hottest cell phone features or #1 pop star may seem out of date or be has-been within months when frozen on the pages of a book. Even writing about current locations within Chicago took extra care because things change rapidly (Sears vs. Willis Tower, anyone?)
  2. Not a romance: Amazon, reviewers, and advertising/promotion sites ask authors to classify their books, often literally by checking a box. MLE is not a romance, but could be mainstream with romantic elements or humorous women’s fiction, or, by some definitions, chick lit. It’s a challenge finding as many places that accept a slightly outside of the box category.
  3. Wanting to use many real celebrities, films and pop culture references: I’ve worked as an extra in more than 70 movies and TV shows filmed in Chicago, so my path has crossed those of many A-list, household-name celebrities. Consulting with attorneys and researching our litigious society, even when the author is legally within his/her rights and ultimately prevails, made me leery. Making cuts was painful. Not only that, I didn’t want to date the book with many actual movie titles. I also wanted to use a few song lyrics, but cut those because of the time and effort to track down and ask for permission from multiple rights holders, which may not be granted. To me, the downside of creating new films and changing stories means less instant recognition for readers and more of a challenge for me to convey the mood, tone, or whatever Marla wants to get across.

I’m awaiting my first reviews with bated breath…..

Top 10 reasons why your book isn’t selling

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In the online writing groups I follow, one issue is brought up again and again: how hard it is for new self-published authors to sell any books at all, much less gain some traction.

Why?
1) The competition. As of this writing, 11,667 new romance Kindle books released in the last 30 days, or around 400 per day. There are 326,894 romance ebooks to choose from. What’s a newer author to do to compete in fields with so many flowers?

2) Free reads! Some readers will return a .99 boxed set. Though just a few years ago we willingly went to a bookstore and paid $6.99 or more for a paperback, these days there are so many permafree and temporarily free books that paying even .99, much less $2.99, Amazon’s recommended sweet spot for my historical romances, can seem like a lit. Kindle Unlimited, which is $10/month, and Kindle Owners Lending Library are other options readers are choosing to lower their reading costs.

3) The rapid rise in book discount newsletters. I get at least 5 newsletters every day offering discounted, .99 or free books. I don’t have to search online but merely open and glance at the books available that day. With a click or two, that free book is mine. Even if I never read it. I couldn’t keep up with all of the free books I could get every day if I tried. These newsletters can be costly, so if you’re not selling, it can be hard to justify buying more ads.

4) What I call volume authors. There are some authors who are so prolific and successful that they can dominate the new releases or bestseller lists, making it harder for newbies to rise to the top. In one of my categories, 4 of the Top 10 bestsellers are by one author and 3 are by another. In some areas on Amazon, only the top three show up as recommendations, which I’m sure helps those books sell even more. These volume authors already have a huge following and promotional machine in place, which most new authors don’t.

5) The three bears syndrome. Novellas (usually under 40,000 words), shorter books and boxed sets (usually three or more books for .99) tend to dominate some bestseller lists, so that the standard full-length novel (300-400 pages) is no longer just right. Right now five boxed sets are in Top 10 medievals (I happen to have a book in the #2 box). In the Regency Top 10 are two boxed sets and four books under 300 pages (and that includes front/back matter and any excerpts) and one with 94 pages.

6) Reviews. Many newer authors may not be able to get reviews, so they can’t take out ads on sites that require a certain Amazon rating or number of reviews. Reviews can also be used on websites, in promotion, etc., but not if you don’t have any.

7) You only have one book. Everywhere I go, I hear that
a) one book is rarely enough. Some even advise waiting until you have four or five so you can set up a release schedule.
b) one release a year isn’t enough…to help get your name out there and keep the Amazon algorithms working in your favor. I’d planned to release four of my own books this year, but was invited to be in two boxed sets. So I had a new release every three months…and some say that’s too long.

8) The book itself and/or the book’s presentation. I checked the Amazon page of one author who commented about not selling. The blurb was full of errors.
Did you hire a qualified editor, and then perhaps have that editor or another one read it after you made suggested changes? Did you also use a proofreader? How does your cover stack up against books that are selling well? A newbie author should still have a bestseller-like cover. Is your subject matter in favor? Trends come and go. There’s the dichotomy of writing the books of your heart and writing something readers want. You should learn the market to know where your story fits. My fourth book might combine too many genres…time will tell.

9) Your platform. What have you done/are you doing to build your newsletter list (this is one thing I need to do better) and social media presence? Do you interact on Goodreads? Do you have a newbie website or one that looks professional?

10) Where is your book available? Is your book in the right Amazon categories? Are you “going wide,” meaning you’re available on many sites, or just on Amazon and perhaps going Select? I hear that more authors are going wide because of changes Amazon has made, but I sold far fewer books on B&N and iBooks, so I’m sticking with that.

What can you do to improve your ability to sell?

What is a “published author?” I am. Finally.

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Not that many years ago, “published” was easy to define. You went to a bookstore, saw all of the full shelves, and knew those books were published. You might have even looked at the spine or copyright page, and recognized the publishing house. You knew that someone, perhaps several or many someones, had loved, approved of and paid for the rights to make that manuscript a book.

Now, anyone can write and make a book available to the world, basically for free via Amazon if they don’t hire an editor(s) or cover designer. That project could be considered published, without any vetting whatsoever. It may be great, or, it may perpetuate the view that self-published books aren’t as good as those that are traditionally published.

I’ve pursued traditional publishing since 1995. Despite many close calls and more than a dozen revision letters on various projects, never got “the call” that an editor wanted to buy my book(s). So after a lot of hemming and hawing, as you may know I finally self-published in 2015. I’ve released two books so far, with a third and fourth on the way. Both books have been reviewed by Publishers Weekly and have earned assorted praise and 5 star reviews. My first is in an Amazon bestselling boxed set. I didn’t feel published, however, until yesterday, when my PAN membership was approved by RWA. I’ve wanted to join PAN for 20 years. What does that mean? Read on.

Some authors’ organizations use member requirements to define published. For example:
Romance Writers of America, with more than 10,000 members, has a Published Authors Network, or PAN. The membership requirement effective 9/1/15 states, “Any RWA General or Honorary member in good standing who has earned at least $1,000 on a single published Eligible Novel* or Eligible Novella** shall be eligible for membership in PAN, provided however that works offered through Predatory Publishing companies shall not qualify.” You must provide proof of earnings. 

I believe sales and earnings are part of the definition of published. For me, it’s not enough to just see my book online or hold one in my hand. So $1,000 on a single book with no requirements to keep publishing and earning isn’t that high. Others may disagree.

Novelists. Inc., which has around 800 members, has these options on their membership application:
“I have published at least two novels over 50,000 words with a traditional, royalty-paying publisher, with an advance of at least $2000 each, or with royalty earnings over $2000 each in a 12-month period.”

“I have independently published at least two novels over 50,000 words, with earnings of at least $5000 each in a 12-month period (proof of earnings will be requested).”

Note that self-published authors are held to a much higher standard. Hmm. 

What do you think “published” means?

What sells books: social media, ads, blogs, reviews?

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I’ve done quite a bit of reading about what helps to sells books beyond writing great books.Unfortunately, there’s no one size fits all. No panacea. What works for you as an author, or what inspires you to buy a book as a reader?

For me, so far:
Fortunately, both versions of AT HIS COMMAND have received great 5 star reviews. “If a book lingers in my mind for more than 2 weeks, I say it’s a keeper!” for the Historical Romance Version, and “All the good stuff with none of the bedroom stuff,” for the Inspirational Version. I have a great review opportunity lined up for my April 14 release, FOLLOW YOUR HEART (currently on preorder for only $1.99, if you’re so inclined). Fingers crossed it and the AHC review I’m awaiting from Publishers Weekly will be good!

Goodreads giveaways have been great. They seem to take on a life of their own as more people enter to win and add my book(s) to their shelves. I hope some convert to sales. My current giveaway is below, and is garnering more interest than the first one I did for ACH. More interesting blurb? Cover? Same readers who entered for AHC?

I tried a few Facebook author page post boosts, which according to FB reached thousands of people (though not always as many as they said before I clicked the buy link). I didn’t get as many new likes to my page as one boost estimated. I did get some clicks/interactions with another, but I can’t tell if those converted to sales. I’m grateful to every friend who has shared my covers and helped get the word out. I still feel a bit lost in the Twittersphere, though I tweet once a day or so and am increasing my number of followers.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Follow Your Heart by Ruth Kaufman


Giveaway ends April 12, 2015. See the giveaway  details at Goodreads. 

I’m also guest posting on blogs. Other things I’m doing:
This ad on page 4 of the March/April issue of BTS Book Reviews magazine:

And, I’m participating in The Romance Reviews’ Anniversary Party with FYH. I’ll reserve judgment until the party is over, but there are so many ads I wonder how many visitors will notice mine or answer the question for my giveaway.

It’d be great if each ad I ran or post I wrote resulted in a big sales boost. So far, I haven’t seen that. But it takes time to build readership. The concepts of reach and frequency from my media research days still apply for building awareness and interest.