Mr, D sent me an email the other day after we had been discussing the latest sales figures for my books. Attached to the email was an article from The Wall Street Journal which I have included as a link for you to read at you leisure. Anyway, when I read the post, I was totally blown away, and I truly haven't been able to stop thinking about Hugh Howey! Not because he's gorgeous and sexy, although he does look pretty cute, no because this man, a former college dropout who has worked as a yacht captain, a roofer, and a bookseller before self-publishing has achieved such phenomenal success.
Hugh Howey is the author of the best-selling Wool series!
Initially, he was selling Wool at 99c as an e-book novella in 2011, which is now available on Amazon at $5.99.
The five-part post-apocalyptic series is set in a time when the thousands of human survivors live in an enormous, 144 story underground silo.
Blurb from Amazon!
"This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside."
This guy was selling 20,000-30,000 digital copies A MONTH!!! What the heck???
How does one do that? He was making so much money he was able to give up his day job and focus on writing further books in the series which is mind-blowing and I'm left wondering what on earth do I need to do to make it happen to me?
High Howey has sold over a half a million copies of his digital books and has over 10, 000 reviews on Amazon. I am totally fascinated by his story and rise to fame because in a world in which millions of books are published every year how in all that's holy do you make YOURS stand out???
My next question is once a wonderful and incredible book-loving person takes that chance on your unknown and first novel, how do you get them to post a review?
Did he pay for reviews? Have multiple friends post them? Blackmail, ply them with gifts of chocolate and wine, it would be enough for me but honestly whatever his strategy it worked big time! I would LOVE for him to write a step-by-step guide as to what he did and then I would follow it in the hopes of achieving a modicum of his success. I understand he was active on Goodreads which although I'm a member, I don't lurk there often, but I will definitely be searching to see if the readers of YA Fiction are there AND willing to leave those precious reviews.
Obtaining reviews still doesn't guarantee success. If your story sucks, the reviews will suck too which brings me back to this, no matter your background or how your journey started as an author if you have a GREAT story it will sell.
I BELIEVE THAT!
And you just need one great story to bring attention to you as an author and hey ho Ridley Scott may come calling to buy the movie rights to your books?
Congratulations, Mr. Hugh Howey, I'm pleased for your success and very, very jealous!
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