How to Sell 10,000 Books in a Week—Part One

How to Sell 10,000 Books in a Week—Part One

When you're self-published, just what does it take to sell 10,000 books in one week? Hard work, dedication, a well-written book, or none of that!

By Mel Dawn

If you’ve spent any amount of time marketing a self-published book you have realized that it’s not only hard work, but it’s lonely too. You simply don’t possess a big name, such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, Stephenie Meyer, or JK Rowling. Each time one of these writers releases a book, they’ve got a guaranteed $5 million plus in sales. 

It seems like it could be a short path from starving novelist to millionaire writer, after all, self-publishing worked for Hugh Howey, Amanda Hocking, and many others. 

The main problem you’re going to discover is that it’s easy to market your book to your friends, family, colleagues, and even acquaintances. What’s difficult is marketing your book to strangers. These are people who don’t know you from Commander Adama of Battlestar Galactica, even if they’re geeks.

So, just how do you sell 10,000 books in a week? This is part one of a two part series. 

1. Own a famous publishing house.

If your daddy owns a publishing house you’ll be first in line for a publishing contract. Likewise, if you’re married to the president or related to anyone who works there. 

• Penguin
• Simon & Schuster
• St. Martin’s Press
• Random House
• Harper Collins

2. Have a prior bestselling book.

The Stand
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Aqua Marine
Fahrenheit 451
The Girl on the Train

3. Be a celebrity.

If you’re a celebrity it’s an instant guarantee to a book deal. You don’t even have to know how to write. Someone else ghostwrites your book and they stick your name on it, while you earn the millions. 

• Kim Kardashian
• Jennifer Lawrence
• Brad Pitt

• Johnny Depp
• David Beckham

4. Spend $50,000 on a media campaign.

There are some writers with the bucks to spend for self-promotion. These are the ones who will sell more books, but at the cost of a profit. 

There’s a fine balance between spending cash on marketing, and making a tidy profit. If you’re James Patterson, or Danielle Steele, your publisher is going to spend a good million dollars promoting your books to the masses. This amount of cash simply isn’t available to most of us peons. 

You can read Part Two now!

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Queen Victoria's Wisdom on Writing

Queen Victoria wrote a minimum 6000 words in her journal each day. She received her first journal in 1882, when she was a young girl of thirteen years old. It is unclear where her journals were stored as she finished each one, but a staff member of the royal household deemed them valuable enough to store away in the archive of her life.

This year HM Queen Elizabeth the II is presenting Queen Victoria's entire journal collection online at the Queen Victoria's Journals website. 

Women have extremely busy lives with work and famiy but Queen Victoria fitted a week into one day. She had the time to pen 6000 words each day, so I do believe that I can find the time to do the same, minus a zero or two!

As my vacation looms, I have promised myself to work on my steampunk writing projects at least 5 days in a row. It's been discussed whether I'll go into hiding, perhaps at a seedy hotel, or will I inhabit the local coffee shop and pretend to be JK Rowling? 

Ironically I was heading home one day when I nearly had to smack myself on top of the head! It's so true that we don't pay attention to our surroundings after the first few months. Stay tuned for my further writing adventures. I do know that the Queen did not stress about where to write, she just set pen to paper and wrote it.

If anyone here should finish reading Queen Vic's journals in their lifetime or write 6000 words a day, do come round for tea.