The Business of Writing About Sex: December 2014

It’s that time again. The time where I pull back the curtains, banish Oz, and show you one blogger/author’s view of success. I’m proud of these numbers, proud of what I do as a writer, and I hope this helps someone, somewhere realize you don’t have to get a million views to define yourself as successful. Sure, I want to grow. Sure, I want to write more, touch more people, connect more. But what happens in my little kinky corner of the world is something I’m beyond proud of – and I have my readers and followers to thank for that.

Sex Blogging

A Sexual Being

• 28 posts
• 11,889 views
• 14 new subscribers (this doesn’t include “followers” on WordPress only those who entered their email address in the subscribe bar)

2014 Stats:

• 114,869 views – WOW!
• 103 new subscribers

Top 5 Posts of 2014 (these posts were viewed in 2014, but not necessarily written in 2014):

1. Orgasms Interrupted
2. Playtime
3. Tasks in Dominance and Submission
4. Constant Communication
5. The Boys – a M/M fantasy (this WILL get repurposed into something more)

 

Masturbation Monday

• 4,979 views
• 5 new subscribers (again this doesn’t include followers on WordPress)
• 48 posts shared by various bloggers

2014 Stats:

• 17,969 views (we only started in September, y’all!)
• 191 posts shared

Sex Bloggers Unite Triberr Group

• 15 members
• social reach of 24,644

Erotic Book Sales

Paid – this includes The Adventures of Sir and Babygirl, Sir and Babygirl: Bound by Love, and on Amazon only, The Visitor and The Big Game

• Amazon – 22
• Smashwords – 2
• iBooks – 4
• Barnes & Noble – 2
• All Romance – 3

Free – the only free titles I have are The Visitor and The Big Game

• Smashwords – 109
• iBooks – 6
• Barnes & Noble – 15
• All Romance – 188

I have stories in two anthologies – Erotic Fantasies and Masquerade. I don’t have access to those numbers at my fingertips so I’m not including them.

Erotica written in December: 11,756 words (far fewer than I would have liked).

To recap:

I had a lot of great views on my website. I shared a lot of content (thanks to Triberr). I didn’t sell a lot of books in part because I’ve barely marketed my books since early December. I gave away more books than last month. I didn’t write as much in December (I blame the holidays) but at least I wrote.

The most interesting information was the annual stuff. Over 114,000 views?! Masturbation Monday is picking up it’s own steam – I can’t imagine what 2015 will bring. And I was shocked that my number three post of the entire year was actually written in August 2013 – proof that you never know what people will connect with.

My Two Cents

This is the part where I try to share “wisdom” but to be honest, I’m not feeling the wisdom so much right now. Maybe it’s the hype surrounding the New Year and the enthusiasm with which some people tackle their goals. Maybe I’m just tired. But I’m not as enthusiastic as others. I feel like I’m behind the curve on a lot of stuff. I’ve even caught myself comparing what other people are doing to what I’m doing, and questioned it all. Bad, bad, Kayla! I know it’s because I don’t see what the big deal is about the new year – I’ve been working on my goals for six months or longer (but that’s just me). I’m also competitive as hell, and when I see a good idea, I wonder why I didn’t think of it. (Bad, bad Kayla!!)

Either way, no real wisdom this month except this: be yourself. Don’t be fake. Don’t lie. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not when you market yourself. It’s one thing to write fiction and create personas. It’s another thing entirely to present a picture of yourself online in a way that’s patently untrue. Use a pen name. Use an avatar instead of your real picture. Create an alias. That’s fine. But underneath all of the protective gear, always, always be yourself. It is impossible to appeal to everyone, everywhere, so don’t even try. If you’re quirky, be quirky. If you’re sexual, be sexual. If you can be a unicorn, always be a unicorn.

I’m in the middle of questioning whether what I do is effective or not, whether it matters or not. I don’t know the answer yet, but I do know this. When you find me online, you get the truest picture of Kayla Lords that I’m able to present – good, bad, and ugly.