📈 The Algorithm Struggle, Writer’s Block, and "Cosy" Contents Pages
How do you create more sales when social media doesn’t like your content? Honestly, it’s a question I cannot answer. If I could afford a dedicated marketing manager, I’d hire one tomorrow, because whatever I’m doing at the moment doesn’t seem to be hitting the mark.
Then there’s Pinterest. I was told this was the holy grail for bloggers to get traffic, but for me? It feels like a waste of time. My blog gets about 3k views a month, but who are those "people"? Blogger stats are notoriously "generous"—sometimes counting bots and scrapers alongside real readers. I noticed the other day that an hour after posting, I had zero views. I put a link on my socials, checked back, and saw 11 views... yet the social posts themselves still showed zero engagement. How does that even work?
I’ve tried being "wide" on all stores, I’ve tried being exclusive to Amazon, I post as much as I can, and yet, I’m still spending more than I’m making. But that’s the reality for many of us starting out. I knew this would be organic growth: no bells, no whistles, just persistence.
✍️ The Confession: A Writing Hiatus
I have a confession to make: I haven’t actually written a word for this series in months. In fact, I haven’t touched A Newman Adventure since last year.
I started a novella that I intended to be a prequel—a free ebook for anyone who signs up for my newsletter. I stopped, though, because I worried it might feel disjointed if people hadn't read An Irish Mystery yet. But the truth is, I just need to finish it.
As for Book 4, I haven’t touched it in probably 18 months. It’s sitting at 45,000 words, but I’m so out of touch with the plot that I’ll have to re-read the entire thing just to remember where I was going! I keep telling myself it’s fine, Book 2 has only just launched and Book 3 still needs work, but I do need to find that spark again. Usually, reading motivates me, but even that hasn't worked lately.
I even have a fantasy story sitting in the cloud that I wrote years ago. It’s completely out of my comfort zone, yet it’s the one book people keep asking me about: "Are you ever going to release the fantasy one?" For now, the answer is no. I want to get the four books of the Newman series out first before I consider a standalone or a new genre.
📖 The "Proof" is in the Pudding
My proof copies of An American Treasure turned up last Wednesday, and they look great. Holding the physical book is always a buzz. However, because I use a free formatting programme, there are a few "picky" bits I’d change if I could.
The contents page looks a bit odd—the chapter titles are on the far left and the page numbers are on the far right, with a massive, empty gap between them. In An Irish Mystery, those gaps were filled with "leader dots" which looked much tidier. I’d also love to add a few more blank pages for spacing, but for now, it’s a case of "done is better than perfect."
Despite the formatting quirks, the book looks fantastic. Now, I just need to sell some so I can justify ordering more stock!
📊 The Numbers Game: Does a "Mum" Sale Count?
May actually started off very well. By the 8th, I had reached 900 page reads on KU, alongside two ebook sales (which were pre-orders) and one paperback sale.
Now, full disclosure: I found out the paperback was bought by my brother, and one of the ebooks was my mum. So, I have to ask myself—does that really count? In the world of an indie author, I’ve decided the answer is yes. A sale is a sale, and a ranking boost is a ranking boost!
The page reads, however, have been the most encouraging part. Last month was my best ever, and this month followed suit... until it didn't. Suddenly, I hit a wall: 3 page reads here, 5 there. An American Treasure currently has just 5 page reads showing. Either the readers didn't like it, or they just haven't had the time to dive in yet. Let’s hope for the latter!
🕵️♂️ The KDP "Glitch in the Matrix"
I’ve been doing some digging, and it turns out I’m not the only one staring at a stagnant dashboard. There have been reports this month of a massive KDP reporting glitch—some sales data is reportedly off by up to 50%, and page reads can take days (or even weeks) to sync up if readers are offline.
It’s normal to obsess over the charts, but knowing that the "zeros" might just be a technical lag makes me feel a bit better. Sometimes I look at social media and see someone celebrating their first sale of the month, and I realize I have five times the page they do. It’s a good reminder that I’m not alone in this.
🔗 The KDP Linking Saga
I ran into another issue yesterday. A few weeks back, I realised that my latest book hadn't been linked on Amazon. On the KDP bookshelf dashboard, there is a button you can click to link your titles, it sounds simple enough. I did this, but 12 days later, the books were still sitting on separate pages. "Frustrating" is the polite word I’d use.
I eventually contacted KDP support. After battling an AI help desk that didn’t help at all, I finally got through to a human. I explained the situation, supplied the ASIN and ISBN-13 numbers, and within five minutes, the issue was sorted. Well, so he tells me! He stated it can take up to seven days for the merge to actually take effect on the live site. It was a lot simpler than I thought it would be, and hopefully, that is another technical hurdle cleared.
📚 What I’m Reading...
(Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Supporting indie authors helps the whole community thrive!)
The author's name is Dante Coman, and the book is called Thiago. It’s Dante’s debut adventure novel, set in the remote islands of Indonesia. It sounds like pure adventure from start to finish: hidden treasure, ancient art, drug smuggling, and a WWII secret buried deep in the jungle. It hits all the notes I love, so I ordered a paperback copy on Monday, and I am expected to recieve it by today (Wednesday). I will update you next week. Want to check it out yourself follow the link to the book on Amazon.
Enjoyed the ride? 📖
I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.
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📚 The Newman Adventures
An Irish Mystery A fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession. The story that started it all.
An American Treasure The journey continues! Cedric Newman returns in a high-stakes hunt for the lost riches of Mosby's Rangers. Action, mystery, and a new enemy await.
Available in Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Hardcover
📱 Let’s Connect
You can also find me on Instagram, Bluesky, X, and Facebook, where I share writing updates, research snippets, and behind-the-scenes moments from the school building and the writing desk.
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