2023 is winding down as I type this. It’s been a crazy year in so many ways, but I’m thrilled to announce that 2023 sales for Accidental Intelligence hit 160 units.
I call that a win, a huge win! As a self-published, debut author, that’s a very strong showing for the first six weeks. I’ve also received many amazing reader reviews (Amazon, Apple Books, GoodReads), and I appreciate everyone who has read my book so very much. Please reach out using my Contact page, or hit me up on Threads or Instagram (GeekTells on both) if you have something to say.
I wanted to break down my sales for those following along at home, just like I did when I hit 100 sold units in the first two weeks. This is partially for other authors weighing tying themselves down to a single bookstore (spoiler: don’t).
2023 Sales for Accidental Intelligence: Amazon
No surprise that Kindle has more than half my sales for my book—83 units all told. They’re the market leader with something like 90% of the market. What is a surprise is that Kindle represents just barely more than half my sales at 52%.
Kindle offers many tools for authors, but I did not sign up for their exclusivity deal, which means that I’m not on Kindle Unlimited (KU). I think KU is a terrible business model for authors, one that devalues our work in Amazon’s perpetual race to the pricing bottom.
I did, however add a Kindle hardback. My proofs are due any day, but if you prefer hardback/soft back, you can get them on Kindle, as well as Barnes & Noble. All told, I sold 23 print copies of Accidental Intelligence and 60 Kindle ebooks.
2023 Sales for Accidental Intelligence: Apple Books
My book has sold 59 copies on Apple Books—two of them on the last day of the year. I love that! That’s 37% of all the books I’ve sold. As I noted in my last update, I attribute at least some of this to my history with the Apple-centric community. I love you guys for buying my book on Apple Books!
While I’m a fan of Apple Books in terms of the reading experience on my iPad, I feel like Apple could do a ton more for self-published authors. Getting your book on Apple Books is about as hard (or easy) as getting it on the Kindle platform, but I feel like Apple could do more to let me market my book within the Apple ecosystem. Perhaps there’s a mechanism for doing so that I simply haven’t found—but that would in and of itself be a shortcoming.
I also wish Apple would give us a mechanism for selling print books in the Books app. That’s no more outside of Apple’s wheelhouse than the photo books and other print products Apple offers. I also feel like Apple could offer a very high quality print option for self-published authors.
2023 Sales for Accidental Intelligence: Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble has also been a lovely upside surprise. I originally put my book on Barnes & Noble for the people (meaning friends and family) who wanted a hardback with a dust jacket, but it’s sold beyond that circle. There’s at least one hardback in Hawaii (Hey, Tokio.kid!), which is amazing. 🥰
All told I sold 18 copies of my book from Barnes & Noble—17 print and one Nook ebook. That’s 11% share for Barnes & Noble.
What’s Happening in 2024?
2024 is going to be a big year for me. I have at least one short story ready. It’s set in Mason Truman’s universe, though it doesn’t directly involve him. It does touch on some of the themes of Mason’s broader story, though.
This short story will be a free release, and I’m currently deciding whether to simply make it a free story, or to release it in a special way (this story would still be free, regardless). I guess you’ll find out about this “special way” if I decide to do it. 🙊 I have some other shorts in this universe I’m working on, as well, and I will be releasing them throughout the year.
Work also continues on Inside the Mirror, book two of Mason’s overall arc. Inside the Mirror will be released later in 2024.
Thanks to All of Mason’s Readers!
Thanks to everyone who supported me, encouraged me, and was otherwise a part of my writing fiction. And a massive thanks to everyone who has bought Accidental Intelligence and made my year amazing!
