Better stories more professional production stronger marketing none of it automatically translates to more sales. Sometimes the market responds and sometimes it does not and there is no clear formula. But what matters most is the work itself and the creative identity you build over time.
The Fisherwoman may have sold fewer copies but it represents a creative high point for you in terms of maturity ambition and depth. That is not wasted effort. Every well written story builds the foundation for long term trust from readers and that can pay off later even if it does not in the short term. You are also building a body of work which matters far more for a sustainable career than one book’s performance.
I think your instinct to explore alternative promotional formats like YouTube shorts is smart. Short form readings bring your voice directly to potential readers allow them to make an emotional connection to your storytelling style and provide ongoing visibility. Paired with a consistent presence on your existing social platform this could create an audience that is primed to buy your work. Even if sales remain modest the reach and recognition will grow and the next book might benefit from that accumulated attention.
The takeaway is that creative persistence combined with tactical experimentation in marketing is the only hedge against the unpredictability of book sales. Keep refining both the craft and the outreach and you stack the odds a little more in your favor even if you never control them completely.
Better stories more professional production stronger marketing none of it automatically translates to more sales. Sometimes the market responds and sometimes it does not and there is no clear formula. But what matters most is the work itself and the creative identity you build over time.
The Fisherwoman may have sold fewer copies but it represents a creative high point for you in terms of maturity ambition and depth. That is not wasted effort. Every well written story builds the foundation for long term trust from readers and that can pay off later even if it does not in the short term. You are also building a body of work which matters far more for a sustainable career than one book’s performance.
I think your instinct to explore alternative promotional formats like YouTube shorts is smart. Short form readings bring your voice directly to potential readers allow them to make an emotional connection to your storytelling style and provide ongoing visibility. Paired with a consistent presence on your existing social platform this could create an audience that is primed to buy your work. Even if sales remain modest the reach and recognition will grow and the next book might benefit from that accumulated attention.
The takeaway is that creative persistence combined with tactical experimentation in marketing is the only hedge against the unpredictability of book sales. Keep refining both the craft and the outreach and you stack the odds a little more in your favor even if you never control them completely.