Tomorrow, it’s back to minimalism as usual with a new essay: A Minimalist’s Thoughts On Money. You can subscribe by email to ensure that you don’t miss it.
But first, a letter and an update…
A Thank You Letter
Days After the Crash’s first two days saw total sales of 10,000 Kindle books and nine—yes, nine—print books (i.e., 1,000:1 digital-to-print ratio). Does anyone wonder which direction the publishing industry is going? Ahem, did someone say Asymmetrical?
First, I want to say thank you to everyone who supported the launch of my new book. By the time this hits the web, Days After the Crash will have been downloaded by 10,000 people, for which I’m very pleased.
Most New York Times bestsellers sell 5,000-15,000 copies in their first week, so 10,000 copies in two days was beyond my expectations (as was beating some dead guys). And while 10,000 copies is impressive, I’m not asking you to be impressed by the number. Don’t be. The number itself is meaningless.
I once had a boss tell me “giving is not selling,” and I agree with that sentiment (the book was free). Good thing I’m not worried about selling then. Convincing someone to download or buy a book is one thing; getting them to take the time to read it is another (we’ve all paid good money for a book we’ve never opened).
Thus, I’m not grateful for 10,000 sales. I’m grateful for—indebted to—everyone who reads what I write. I write to be read, and I appreciate all of you who read my words. Thank you for giving me a purpose. I’m equally grateful for the stellar 5-star reviews that are spilling in; I’m delighted by the breathtaking reactions to my prose.
My Whole Process
I couldn’t have done any of this a year ago. But I’ve learned much over the last year. If you’d like to learn more about my soup-to-nuts writing and publishing process, below are links to two essays I wrote this week exploring the step-by-step methodology behind bringing my book to the world (it was a 13-month affair for Days After the Crash).
