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Rayne Hall
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Why Does My Book Not Sell? 20 Simple Fixes: Indie Publishing Success - Sell More Books (Writer's Craft) Kindle Edition

by Rayne Hall (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings
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Does your book sell as well as it deserves?

If it doesn't, one of twenty blocks may hinder its sales—blocks you can easily remove once you're aware of them. Sell more books!

Each chapter reveals one area where indie authors are sabotaging their books' success, and shows how you can free yourself from that trap. Whether you want to sell 100,000 copies or would be happy with just 100, this guide helps you raise your book above the hundreds of thousands of titles competing for attention. All strategies are proven and ethical - no cheating, no aggressive methods, no hype.

Rayne Hall is the author of over 60 books published under several pen names, in several genres, in several languages, by several publishers ... and all the recent ones are indie-published. As a trained publisher with thirty years experience, she knows the business. In this book she reveals the strategies that worked for her, and the mistakes she made and learnt from along the way.

To see if this book would be helpful for you, click Look Inside or Send Sample Now.

 

 

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    Writer's Craft
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  4. Publication date
    September 20, 2014
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Writer's Craft
Writer's Craft
Bundle price: Kindle price
$14.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$22.95
Bundle price: Kindle price
$47.90
Bundle price: Kindle price
$175.62
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rayne Hall has published more than fifty books in several languages under several pen names with several publishers in several genres, mostly fantasy, horror and non-fiction. She is the author of the bestselling Writer's Craft series and editor of the Ten Tales anthologies. She is a trained publishing manager, holds a masters degree in Creative Writing, and has worked in the publishing industry for over thirty years. Having lived in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has now settled in a small dilapidated town of former Victorian grandeur on the south coast of England where she enjoys reading, gardening and long walks along the seashore. She shares her home with a black cat adopted from the cat shelter. His name is Sulu and he likes to snuggle into Rayne's arms with his paws wrapped around her wrist when she's writing.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00MT3TKIE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rayne Hall (September 20, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 20, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 133 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings

About the author

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Rayne Hall

Rayne Hall

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Rayne Hall MA is the author of over 100 books, mostly Dark Fantasy and Gothic Horror, e.g. The Bride’s Curse: Bulgarian Gothic Ghost and Horror Stories. She is also the acclaimed editor of Gothic, Fantasy and Horror anthologies (e.g. Among the Headstones: Creepy Tales from the Graveyard) and author of the bestselling Writer’s Craft series for advanced-level writers, including and the bestselling Writer’s Craft series e.g. Writing Gothic Fiction Writing Scary Scenes, Writing Vivid Settings, Writing Vivid Dialogue, Writing Vivid Characters, Writing Deep Point of View.

Born and raised in Germany, Rayne Hall has lived in China, Mongolia, Nepal and Britain. Now she resides in a village in Bulgaria, where men perform the annual demon dance, ghosts and sirens beckon, and abandoned decaying houses hold memories of a glorious past.

Her lucky black rescue cat Sulu often accompanies her when she explores spooky derelict buildings. He delights in walking across shattered roof tiles, scratching charred timbers and sniffing at long-abandoned hearths. He even senses the presence of ghosts… but that’s another story.

Rayne has worked as an investigative journalist, development aid worker, museum guide, apple picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, belly dancer, magazine editor, publishing manager and more, and now writes full time.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
197 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book provides useful information and insights for self-publishing. It offers sound advice and compelling examples. Readers appreciate the straightforward and honest advice, which is easy to understand. They find it a good value for money and refreshing. The section on using social media to market books is appreciated, with tips on etiquette and Twitter.

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KnowledgeInsightMarketingEase of readingValue for moneyRefreshment valueSocial media
64 customers mention "Knowledge"64 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides useful information and advice for self-publishing. They say the tips and suggestions are well-thought-out and explained. The book is helpful for indie writers and contains everything an author needs to know about publishing. Some of the advice is eye-opening, such as how asymmetrical cover design works.

"...Why Does My Book Not Sell? is divided into 20 chapters, all concise, with detailed information on how to improve what you’re doing now to sell your..." Read more

"...I like the way you write and the advisors that you give. Very helpful. I will certainly read more of your books." Read more

"...a feeling of "we're in this together" and gives her a very likable quality...." Read more

"...It does an excellent job at breaking things down and answering questions you didn't even know you had, but you totally did!..." Read more

22 customers mention "Insight"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's insights and advice sound. They appreciate the author's real-life examples and personal experiences that lend credibility to her advice. The examples are plentiful and clear, and the tone of writing is enjoyable.

"...Another helpful feature was that she listed her personal experience with each of the chapter topics, including the mistakes she made and how to..." Read more

"...doing, having it laid out in clear, concise English, with the most common mistakes (and how to fix them) grouped together, I know I'll be coming..." Read more

"...I never thought much about that, but her examples were compelling...." Read more

"I find Rayne Hall's writing books to all be succinct, practical, pragmatic and thorough...." Read more

20 customers mention "Marketing"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for marketing their books. They say it provides useful information on researching readers, targeting marketing, distribution channels, and promotions. The book offers simple ideas to increase sales and relief from book marketing headaches. Readers appreciate the book's corrective approach to marketing hype and myths.

"...cover blurbs, sample pages, landing pages, researching readers, targeting marketing, distribution channels and pretty much everything else an indie..." Read more

"...It makes her books more accessible and gives a feeling of "we're in this together" and gives her a very likable quality...." Read more

"...She does a good job at looking at promotions too. I love how she even looks at Twitter and what your tweets might do or not do...." Read more

"...It is a short book with simple ideas to help increase sales. Rayne Hall has written and sold many books in different genres...." Read more

7 customers mention "Ease of reading"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and straightforward. They say it's a quick study with practical, no-nonsense advice.

"I just finished another excellent how to book for writers from Rayne Hall. Why Does My Book Not Sell?..." Read more

"...It works great and it wasn't a chore to read like some other instructional-type books...." Read more

"...that block your sales from gushing" and offers honest, doable suggestions on how to unblock your book's potential...." Read more

"...This is definitely an eye-opener for all authors. And it is a quick study. Highly recommended...." Read more

6 customers mention "Value for money"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book useful and good value for money. They say it's well-written, with valuable points for better book sales.

"...a no nonsense, buttoned down, real book - about how to write and sell a real book." Read more

"...It can also save you a lot of money, because it teaches you how to publish and market your book on a budget." Read more

"This book was money well spent. I learned much from Rayne Hall. I made many of the mistakes that she did...." Read more

"...of the advise I'd already worked out BUT it is very useful and good value for money. Even if your book is selling its a good one to read..." Read more

5 customers mention "Refreshment value"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's information practical and refreshing. They say it helps them catch up and fix things. The book is described as myth-busting and liberating.

"...This is what this book did for me--caught me up so I can now fix some things that were not working...." Read more

"...Rayne Hall advises differently which is very refreshing...." Read more

"...I found this information practical and extremely refreshing. I have books that don't sell well...." Read more

"...Though I'm not a newbie writer, much of what I found here helped refresh my sagging memory and at least one chapter delivered a eureka!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Social media"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides good tips for networking, social media, and advertising. They appreciate the section on using social media to market books. The book also offers lessons in etiquette and how to use Twitter effectively.

"...I love how she even looks at Twitter and what your tweets might do or not do...." Read more

"This book had some good tips for networking, social media and advertising in order to sell indie published books...." Read more

"...The other section I found particularly helpful was the section on social media...." Read more

"...I especially liked the section on using social media to market books. Her comments ring true with my own experience with using Twitter...." Read more

Another homerun in Rayne's Writer's Craft series!
5 out of 5 stars
Another homerun in Rayne's Writer's Craft series!
You won't be disappointed with this read. Pick a chapter that applies to you or do what I do read cover to cover. Check out the other books in Rayne's Writer's Craft series. GREAT resources to add to your library.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Carol Holland March
    5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Advice for Indie Authors and Publishers
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished another excellent how to book for writers from Rayne Hall. Why Does My Book Not Sell? is by a writer and indie publisher whose books span fantasy, horror and eminently practical guides to help writers write and market their work.
    Why Does My Book Not Sell? is divided into 20 chapters, all concise, with detailed information on how to improve what you’re doing now to sell your book. She covers all the bases, starting with cover design and ending with how to freshen up your writing voice. The chapters cover blurbs, sample pages, landing pages, researching readers, targeting marketing, distribution channels and pretty much everything else an indie author needs to know to successfully market a fiction or nonfiction book.
    I learned something from every chapter, but what gave me the most giggles was the information in the last two chapters, Overused Openings, and Freshen Up Your Writing Voice. They list clichéd opening scenes and overused words in the opening pages of fiction that will reduce your reader to yawns. I was grateful that my latest manuscript did not contain any of these errors, but I also remember, with embarrassment, some early stories that did. Rayne is a former editor and fiction writer herself, so she knows what she’s talking about here. Those chapters alone were worth the price of the book.
    Since I’m not overly affected by book covers in general, I was fascinated by her take on what makes one effective. The sample designs she includes made the point, and I will keep her suggestions in mind for the future. I also rewrote my blurb based on her recommendations.
    Another helpful feature was that she listed her personal experience with each of the chapter topics, including the mistakes she made and how to recover from them if you’ve done the same thing. It brought all the advice down to earth. There’s nothing like hearing how somebody else messed up and recovered to save yourself from throwing time and money down the same rabbit hole.
    Rayne’s book is not a get rich quick scheme. She has integrity, and speaks from experience about how spamming and intrusive marketing will not work in your favor. I have read several of her other books, and appreciate that I am listening to the wisdom of someone who cares about her reputation as well as making a living.
    I highly recommend this book to any current or would be indie author or publisher who wants to learn from the experience of one who has been there.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • F. More
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm glad I chose your book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Rayne has been a new discovery for me. She has been a great source for my plans to become an outstanding writer. I like the way you write and the advisors that you give. Very helpful. I will certainly read more of your books.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kimiko Alexandre
    4.0 out of 5 stars Better suited for the Published
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Rayne always has great writing knowledge to share. As she mentioned in the beginning of this book it is not really for the newbie, though there are a few things to be learned.

    She goes from how to create an enticing cover to a catchy blurb that will get your readers wanting to buy the book. Where the book overwhelms the new writer but helps those who have one or more books out is explaining how to get reviews that are honest, marketing that seem reasonable that really aren't, and how to promote to readers instead of the billion of writers communities you probably are a part of.

    For the new writer, her advice about how to chance up your first scene and make it more memorable, words to avoid that make you look like a newbie, and again how to write a great blurb and set up your book cover to get the best buying reaction are invaluable. (But I'm going to tell you what was going on in my head when I was reading it....finish your dang book first THEN you can read her helpful hints.)

    As always I love that she shares what's she's done in the past that hasn't worked for her. It makes her books more accessible and gives a feeling of "we're in this together" and gives her a very likable quality. The pictures only add to the book to lighten up the mood if you find you've been doing things that aren't making you sales.

    Very worth the read. Thanks Rayne.
    24 people found this helpful
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  • J.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Indie Writers!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Like many other people have pointed out this book is best suited for people that are already published - indie writers to be exact. I do think that any writer can learn something from this book... I don't think that newbies won't learn anything from this book, I mean we can all learn from everyone's mistakes, right? But the book is meant for already published writers.

    Rayne writers the Writer's Craft series and this is a piece of it. In this book she really looks at things like how to make an awesome cover and blurb that will bring readers to you. Through the 20 different chapters, Rayne looks at different things that might hinder you in getting those much desired sales and reviews. She does a good job at looking at promotions too. I love how she even looks at Twitter and what your tweets might do or not do.

    If you're looking for a book that presents answers to a lot of common questions many writers face or haven't even thought about, this is the book for you. It does an excellent job at breaking things down and answering questions you didn't even know you had, but you totally did! I'd love to get a print copy of the book because I feel like it's something I'd happily go back and reference to recheck things! Check it out, at the time of this review it's only $0.99! That's $0.99 that could help you potentally make a ton more!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jillian Savage
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good practical advice
    Reviewed in Australia on May 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    very good read for authors just getting books out there and trying to promote. I should have read this before I published, would have saved me a lot of time and money wasted on slick promotion programs that produced no sales. Highly recommended.
    Report
  • Richard Schwindt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Upends much conventional wisdom
    Reviewed in Canada on July 26, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Rayne Hall is a successful author of fantasy and scary stuff. Like many successful online authors she has turned her attention to helping other writers succeed. What makes this book unique is that much of her attention is placed on upending conventional wisdom and challenging practises that have not worked for her (and others). She is a good writer and her candour is welcome. She goes into detail on her own mistakes and offers you fixes. For example she goes into some detail on standard marketing practise (twitter, web logs, etc) and identifies which - to her - represent helpful practise. and which are time sinks. Worth a look for discerning writers.
    Report
  • Terry Tyler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rayne Hall, you rock!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I HAD to read this book when a writer friend emailed me to say that it was really good, and it made him laugh because two of the 'simple fixes' were something I'm always nagging him about!! Namely: 1) don't waste time and money advertising, making profiles and promoting on dedicated indie author sites/groups, because the only people who look at the sites are other indie authors, and 2) don't get into writer review swaps and review clubs and groups, because of the pressure to give rave reviews to books that don't merit it; these ruin your own credibility and mislead the reading public.

    I've read Ms Hall's book about writers and Twitter and loved the way it was written, so I was interested to read this. Hey, and guess what? It taught me stuff I hadn't thought of! The first bit, about book covers, is particularly good, and I very much like how Rayne gives you the advice most people don't (see paragraph above). There's a really good chapter about finding a promotion partner, which is a brilliant idea for writers who have busy lives and are perhaps not that au fait with social networking sites. I'd never have thought of that!

    As with the Twitter book, Ms Hall's advice is easy to follow, never patronising, doesn't make assumptions (apart from the fact that your book should be worthy of promotion in the first place, of course!), and I admire how she details her own mistakes, too. No advice is worth following more than that from one who has been there, made the mistake and suffered the consquences, after all.

    I'd recommend this book in particular for those who have just published their first book, but it's also worth getting if you're thinking of publishing in the future, if you've been published for a while but haven't been able to find a readership, or if you're an old hand like me who's always thinking, yeah, my books do sell.... but I wish they sold ten times as many!!!
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  • Mary Ann
    4.0 out of 5 stars I recommend this.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I found this a useful, informative book.
    It is also concise, which is always tempting. That being so, it is a bit unreasonable of me when I say further down that I wish that there could have been more of it; still, I suppose that is a compliment.
    Also, the author has a lively sense of humour, always a selling point with me. She doesn't hesitate to quote her own past mistakes, which is always refreshing.
    I found it particularly helpful in pointing out that methods of promoting your books quickly become ineffective. The role of free downloads, for instance, has massively reduced as the number of free books offered has grown over the last few years.
    There were some sections which I wish were longer and more detailed - the tricky business of finding sub-categories on Amazon, for instance. I believe there used to be a much more detailed drop-down menu, but that seems to have vanished, and that makes it still more tricky. I spent two hours the other day looking at various books in what appeared to be sub-categories and still couldn't find a suitable one with less competition for a couple of mine (whinge, whinge).
    But here, I am being demanding, and the point of a concise book is that it is precisely that. I must approach Amazon, clearly, on sub-sub categories...
    One thing that particulary intrigued me was the author saying that, 'I hope your story isn't about (a writer's) fictional characters invading her real life - or you have written the story that just about every other author has written.'
    I love to read about that theme, and have only been able to track down a couple of stories on it! Perhaps the the author saw all these on the slush pile as publishers obviously detest this theme. There is, of course, that 2008 film on it, 'Inkheart'...
    Another topic that has always fascinated me was how much classical novelists got away with, in an age when there was so much less competition. I noted it applied here, on the section which warns against massively clichéd openings.
    For instance, Daphne du Maurier's 'Jamaica Inn' begins with the heroine gazing through the coach windows and reflecting on the past experiences that have brought her on this journey. Maybe it wasn't as well worn when she used it, though...Further back stll, Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' begins before the journey even starts, though I suppse there is Becky Sharp's dictionary throwing performance...
    The modern author has to be so much more alert to the dangers of boring her/his audience. Obviously, the culture of hurry has a lot to do with it, and competing stimulation from all sources.
    Defintely, recommended.
    Report
  • Alex Binkley
    4.0 out of 5 stars Like a trusty style manual
    Reviewed in Canada on October 16, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A guide every writer can benefit from
    Author and writing coach Rayne Hall has published a guide for self-published and small press authors that is loaded with helpful ideas for all the steps from writing to publishing to marketing a book.
    Why Does My Book Not Sell? draws on Hall’s lengthy experience in the publishing business, teaching on-line writing classes and authoring numerous novels and books on the craft of writing. She also has a guide Twitter for Writers on how to promote books and engage potential readers using that popular social media. Hall is an active contributor to Twitter and offers advice on how to create followers without becoming a nuisance.
    She brings a down to Earth approach to writing, publishing and marketing including imparting the lessons she’s learned from her own missteps. Her starting point for a writer is to create a book that will appeal to the intended audience otherwise no marketing strategy can make it a success.
    Why Does My Book Not Sell? is an eye opener on the first read through that should resonate with anyone who had completed a book. Like a trusty style manual, a writer will want to consult Hall’s book regularly for advice on the details of book cover design, the blurb, which are often the first words a prospective buyer encounters, the kinds of readers the story might attract and onto the all-important marketing phase. It has often been said that writing a book is a major task. Marketing it is just as difficult and requires a whole different set of skills that Hall’s book walks the reader though.
    She also has plenty of suggestions for not letting social media interfere with life and writing and adapting to the ever changing book promotion and marketing techniques.
    Why Does My Book Not Sell should be in every indie writer’s resource collection for regular consultation. It is available as an e-book and a print version is in the works.
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