Pre-Orders and Wattpad

I am about a month behind in everything except for my writing.  With my books, I am right on schedule, so that’s good news.  But I’ve been definitely struggling with trying to catch up with other areas.  If you sent an email or message and I haven’t replied, please send it again.  I’m not ignoring anyone.  It’s just with moving and having to fix up the new house, I’ve had a hard time keeping up with everything.  I seriously need more hours in the day. 😛

Since I am having trouble juggling everything, I have decided to go back to pre-orders.

I don’t feel comfortable doing a pre-order on Amazon.  I know there are good reasons to, but I’ve heard of stories where authors messed something up with the pre-order and got banned from being able to do any more of them for a year.

The sad truth is, I’m not super organized, and I am prone to making mistakes.  I’ve had to go back and update things, shift things around so they are easier to understand, and after uploading a manuscript, I’ll catch something and have to go back and fix it.  And if you’ve ever watched my videos, you know I’m not eloquent at all.  I’m the type of person who trips and bumps into things.  Graceful is just not my way.

So I feel safer by just using Smashwords to do the pre-orders.  At Smashwords, if I goof up, I won’t get banned from being able to do more. It’s pretty much built in to be mistake-proof.   So the pre-orders will only be on iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.  I think Smashwords will only let you put the book in your library.

Anyway, I really want to simplify my life as much as possible, and pre-orders will help me do that.   I’ll try to have some fun with them along the way.  It’d be nice to get creative.  But mostly, if I can get everything set up for the book before it’s due out, then I can focus on letting everyone know the book is available.  Otherwise, it takes me a couple of days to do everything.  That’s a couple of days I could work on emails, answering comments, checking out Facebook, and buzzing around other parts of the Internet.

So I’ll try to get things up soon with the pre-order stuff to keep you informed on what I’m doing.  What I also want to do is make it fun.  I want it to be entertaining instead of the “reserve your copy now” general message.

I’m on Wattpad.

Click here to go to my Wattpad page!

Click here to go to my Wattpad page!

Okay, I’ve been on Wattpad for a couple months.  I started it because Smashwords was running a promotion for contemporary romances, and I was asked to join in on it.  I figured, “Why not?” I’d been tinkering with the idea anyway.

I was able to keep posting over there while in the process of moving, but it hasn’t been until now that I sat down to get the “follow me on wattpad” symbol off their site (with the help of my cover artist).  I have an Apple computer, and it doesn’t let me right click an image like the Windows computer used to.   My tech know-how isn’t my strong point.

I chose to put up the Across the Stars series for the promotion via Smashwords.  Right now I’m posting Catching Kent.  What I’d like to do is actually get a first draft up at some point. I’m still working up the courage to do this.  After going through some stolen books, it’s hard to do it, but I have had a few people help me find and remove stolen books in the past.  So I try to keep reminding myself you guys are looking out for me.  I’m not alone in this. 🙂

I can’t post anything that will go to my publisher.  Wagon Trail Bride and the rest of the Pioneer Series is off limits.  But I was thinking of posting The Convenient Mail Order Bride once I have enough written in the story.

If you are on Wattpad, I hope you’ll stop by and say hi.  Or let me know in a comment, and I’ll see if I can follow you.  I’m still learning the ins and outs of Wattpad.  On one occasion I had deleted a chapter in one of the stories and didn’t realize it until someone pointed it out.  I was able to get it back, but I still can’t figure out how I deleted it.  See what I mean about making mistakes? 😀

About Ruth Ann Nordin

Ruth Ann Nordin mainly writes historical western romances and Regencies. From time to time, she branches out to other genres, but her first love is historical romance. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and a couple of children. To find out more about her books, go to https://ruthannnordinsbooks.wordpress.com/.
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8 Responses to Pre-Orders and Wattpad

  1. Let me know what you think of Wattpad. I posted most of the chapters for one of my free books there, plus a chapter or two of another book (maybe two), but never saw much happen with them. Maybe I was doing it wrong. I know some people say you have to spend time reading and commenting on stories other people post, but I’m just not organized enough yet in figuring out hot to allocate time enough to do everything I have to do. 😀

    • I know the point is to read other stories and comment, but honestly, I am so strapped for time as it is, I can’t unless it’s something short. All I’ve done so far is browse some stories and mark them as something I’m interested in. But my interest is mostly psychological horror at the moment. That doesn’t do much to build up any interest in my stuff.

      I don’t know how people expect authors to be able to do all this stuff while trying to write books and care for their families. Then for the ones who also work outside the home while trying to juggle it all… Yikes! This is why I’m back to pre-orders. I just can’t keep it all up, and I don’t even have a day job to worry about.

      • I could probably find some time to read short stories there but it just feels like the thing that was going on when I first got started in 2011. “Like my page and I’ll like yours” – to the point where the only likes any of us had were other authors. Not that it’s a ‘bad’ thing, but I just felt it wasn’t very productive for me so I stopped. Unless I actually get to know them. I had dozens of people who never interacted with me after I liked their pages – so I went back and unliked theirs so they would do the same for me. 😀

  2. I’ve wondered about Wattpad but have never done anything with it. I can see putting a free book there and a couple of chapters of a book that’s not, but I wouldn’t put a complete non-free book up. I need to look into it.

    • I hear Wattpad is more popular with the young adults and teens. I think I read it in a blog post somewhere. I started with a free book then figured I should complete the series because it didn’t seem right to only do the starter book. I am now putting up a book a reader requested. What I’d like to do is try one of my first drafts over there and see how it goes.

      If you do go on Wattpad, let me know, and I’ll follow you.

  3. I’ve started posting on there recently but have had the same “no action”. I think I have averaged 11 views on each item I posted LOL!

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