9 - Launch Day Damage, with Sunyi Dean & Scott Drakeford
Publishing Rodeo: The Good, The Bad, and the Bloody Ugly · Sunyi Dean
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Show Notes
You know the drill: same genre, same publisher, same debut year--but very different deal sizes, and very different publisher treatment. But how does that actually translate to a book's performance, and what impact does it REALLY have? With the help of some Captain Morgan rum, Sunyi and Scott talk about the months surrounding each of their launch dates, and how their books did, or didn't, perform sales-wise.
Other topics include:
How Scott hired a publicist (and other things he tried to give his book a boost)
How ARCs create the "word of mouth" effect
The importance of Goodreads, trade reviews, and influencers
Sales data for the first 6 months, from both Scott and Sunyi's respective launches
Pubs supporting you when things go wrong, as well as when things go right
Why your editor relationship might be the most important one you have in publishing
Scott's biggest piece of advice for authors on sub
Additional Notes:
Blog guest posts (scalzi blog)
Bookseller letter (example on Sunyi's site)
Shelf Awareness (wiki article)
Whitebox mailing (link)
Su Blackwell (Sunyi's cover artist)
The Orbit cover photo shoot video (youtube)