Brian S. Pratt, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Brian S. Pratt
Can posting too much information kill sales? 11/2/2007 8:48:43 AM
An author's conundrum. Early on when I first began writing, I created a website which at first had only the bare bones information posted. Back then, I would receive emails from readers quite frequently asking when the next book was out, along with a plethora of other questions.
Those emails kept me motivated and I wrote practically non-stop for a year. I love hearing from my readers, their questions and advice on possible upcoming plotlines.
Throughout this time, I kept adding to my website, posting more and more information about my books, thoughts, plans, etc. And coincidentally, my sales dropped off as well.
Now it's been mentioned to me that I should slow down in publishing my books, and post less information. This in turn would cause people to begin asking questions. Now, if I don't supply the answerers, then they are forced to seek them elsewhere.
Can you see where this is leading?
By withholding information and creating a lag time between installments, readers would begin talking about me and my books. Just like Jordan, Goodkind, and others who seem to take forever between releases.
I've been told it doesn't matter what they are saying, just that they are talking. The more readers talk to other readers, the more readers will be introduced to my books.
It's sort of like seeing someone staring intently at something off in the distance. You don't know what it is, but since they are looking so intently, can you not? Curiosity now piqued, you look. Therefore, if someone is making a fuss about waiting for the next book to come out, others want to know why. Sales are then generated.
Unfortunately, I can't do that. I like informing my readers. I like to answer emails. I like to let them know what is coming, when to expect the next book, and what I am doing right now. Sure, emails are at an all time low, but I'm still getting sales, enough to support me and my kids and that's all that matters.
When I started writing I made a commitment to my readers and to myself, that I would not become an unapproachable author, and everything that annoyed me as a reader, I would strive to eliminate as an author. Wait times, being kept in the dark, etc.
Perhaps sales could be better if I did less and had a sparser website, but that is something I doubt if I'll ever know. Happy Reading!!
My website can be found at www.briansprattbooks.com if you are interested.
