The Mars Run
by Chris Gerrib
Copyright: © 2006
187 pages
$12.93 Paperback
$2.50 E-Book
Today author Chris Gerrib can celebrate the two year anniversary of having published his SF novel called The Mars Run with Lulu.com. I have to admit I’ve never been a huge SF fan, but Chris’s book was a fresh break from the genres I usually read. Astronauts, space travel, pirates, and a bit of sex….what more could you ask for!
Chris has already received many glowing reviews, some of which can be read at Amazon.com. So instead, I asked Chris if he’d be willing to answer some questions about his journey through the great big world of self-publishing.
1. What inspired you to write The Mars Run? I’ve been a science fiction geek since I was 10, riding my bike to the local library. I’ve always enjoyed “near future” science fiction and have had a fascination with Mars. These all came together with a series of articles I read in the Chicago Tribune by Eric Zorn in early 2001. He founded a SIN (Someday Is Now) club to encourage people to do that thing they’ve been wanting to do “someday.” In my case, that was the first version of “The Mars Run.”
2. It’s been 2 years since it’s release on Amazon.com. Did the Amazon distribution package help? Somewhat, mostly for getting reviews. A lot of sites won’t review your book unless it’s available on Amazon. These sites are usually Amazon Associates, and so get a commission for anything bought through them. It’s not a lot of money – for most sites, it covers web hosting and maybe an occasional pizza and beer.
3. Over the 2 year period, how have sales been? Were they strong at first or built up over time? My sales were actually very classical for traditionally-published books. There was a flurry of activity the first six months, and then sales went flat.
4. Did you have any book signings or bookstore in-house events? No – I’m a little too shy to take my show on the road.
5. What marketing tools or strategies did you use, if any? Really, just getting online reviews, my personal web site and my blog.
6. Is the book still selling now? Did you sell more copies through Amazon or directly from Lulu, or another source? I’ve sold more via Amazon, but Lulu is slowly catching up.
7. Was this your first self-publishing experience? If so, how was it and will you consider doing it again? Yes, this was my first time. The experience was what I expected it to be – an entertaining hobby, but not terribly profitable. I’d like to get my subsequent books released via a traditional publisher. Frankly I think the ones I’m working on now are better written and more importantly, more marketable. Traditional publishers are looking for books with a standard, four-act plot (which The Mars Run doesn’t have) and something a little longer.
8. If so, will you be using Lulu again? Will you purchase the distribution package again? If I do self-publish again, which I will if I can’t sell my current works via traditional publishers, I’ll definitely use Lulu. I’ll also buy the distribution package AFTER I’ve sent out books for review, and will create my own imprint. Basically, that way I can get more reviews and hopefully more sales.
9. Do you feel that having your book on Amazon.com helped sales? Is that a significant factor for you in considering a distribution package for your next book? Marketing 101 says you need to sell your product in as many outlets as possible. That’s what a distribution package gets you. Remember – distribution is not just Amazon – it’s also Barnes and Noble, Powell’s, and makes your book orderable by any bookseller.
10. What have you been writing (if any) these past two years and when can we look forward to your next book? I’m just over half-way into a sequel to The Mars Run called Space Rescue, set 2 years after the events of The Mars Run. I hope to get that sold via traditional methods, so it could be a while before it’s out! I’ve also got one-and-a-half books of an unrelated trilogy written.
11. Any advice for Lulu newcomers or for those considering POD? Editing is critical. Pay for it. Also, read and follow Jeremy Robinson’s POD Marketing Guide BEFORE you buy a distribution package. Lastly, remember self-publishing is a business decision. Treat it like a business.
12. What has been the best outcome of your two year journey with self-publishing The Mars Run? Any regrets? The best outcome is that I’ve gotten positive reviews by traditionally-published authors and total strangers, which has validated that I can in fact write. I have a few regrets, but none about self-publishing.
I hope Chris’s words are helpful to you. Congratulations to Chris on an excellent book and thank you for your time. You can keep up with Chris at his blog. his website, and he is also a reviewer for PodPeep.
Good first interview, Shannon! Keep up the good work. Interviews with POD authors seem to have quite a positive influence on their audience. One small detail I would recommend that you change is to increase the font size of the replies. The currently tiny font is difficult to read.
Next you need to convert this to the Kindle format (and preferably keep the price similar to the 2.50 quoted above).