01/02/2020
This past year, we reached the ten year mark for both Storm of Prophecy and Wodan Publishing. We've had ups and downs but we're still here. This update is meant to discuss where the series is going.
First, let's talk about the importance of reviews.
Reviews control just about everything. In our largest market of the United States, a series of low reviews for books 4, 5 and 6 as well as a lack of any reviews for book 8 have made a large difference. The books used to come out at a steady pace of about one per year. I know some people were unhappy with the sequential nature of them and the length of time necessary for the whole series to come out, something they are absolutely entitled to feel. Some used negative reviews specifically to air their suggestions or desires for the series. However, negative reviews lead to lower sales. Lower sales make justifying editing and post-production costs more difficult, causing delays. Negative reviews are also less likely to influence change in forthcoming book content because a low review suggests that the poster has already been lost as a reader. Books cannot be written and stories cannot be changed for people who have expressed disinterest in reading them. In the long run, low reviews make subsequent books either take more time or become less likely to exist. Positive reviews do the opposite.
The only voices that have any influence are constructive remarks made by fans. While major elements of the story are already planned, positive feedback and suggestions can have a significant effect.
In the past, we attempted to influence this by offering free copies of the first book to some people whom we believed were more likely to post a positive review. This is seen as normal for the industry but was against Amazon policies, and we were punished for it. Positive reviews were taken down while negative ones remained. As such, we stepped back and decided that we would not attempt any promotional assistance that could violate Amazon's rules. However since we aren't sure of precisely what counts for this, we have had to refrain from essentially all promotions other than Amazon's own Prime system of occasional free promotions, with no connection to reviews. While these have generated a couple of reviews over the past few years, at the current rate, it could take a decade to repair the damage.
On the surface, the inability to solicit reviews from people who view the series favorably by receiving a free copy appears genuinely intended to maintain a level playing field. However, we have seen large companies with dozens of reviews for books that were not even available yet, all extremely positive. It is highly unlikely that all of those reviewers had to pay for their pre-release copies. When compared to other entertainment industries, making reviewers pay for early viewings/copies would be unthinkable.
There are also negative reviews posted by those who see themselves as our competitors. These sometimes remain in part because those making them apparently know the workings of the system in areas such as how quickly they can post reviews without triggering any retaliation from Amazon. For example, at a time when we saw a burst of negative reviews over a short period, despite going for months or sometimes years without any new reviews, we saw those that advertised other indy books. Sometimes Amazon catches this and they are removed, sometimes they don't.
In short, we had to learn the rules to the game while playing it and while seeing others play by entirely different rules without us knowing that they had special privileges.
Unfortunately, Storm of Prophecy has been the one to take the hits while we figured this out. Writing of course continues. Werner would never leave the story unfinished if he has any say in the matter. The next book is already larger than the size of previous installments, but it is not going to be ready for publication anytime soon. We had previously hoped to have it out this winter, then our estimates shifted to next summer. At this point, we can't give even a seasonal estimate or commission a new cover until we get more editing done and are closer to the actual release itself.
So what does this mean for the future of the series? Eventually book 9 will come out. Over time, there will likely be three more books to end the series. Once it is finished, we'll release an anthology-style set with 4 volumes, each having three books within. There may also be a collection of short stories set at various periods around and during the main series although this idea is just at the concept stage. All of these are the long-term plan. In the short term, any estimates are premature. Unless things change, we must consider Storm of Prophecy to be almost in a state of hiatus. Book 8 came out in May of 2017 with 382 pages. In the U.S. it has yet to receive a single review, making it the lowest performing title of the series. It should be noted that the U.K. has been far more favorable in its reviews and support, but cannot carry the series alone.
We are a small business. This means our operating costs are low but we have limited manpower hours available during the year. We also cannot ask people to work for free. We have to focus on products that generate the most revenue in order to exist. At the least, we need to focus on projects with the greatest potential for revenue. Before things become too dire, we are going to be shifting some resources into a different project: Felix's science fiction. There will be a book involved at some point but the primary method of delivery will be an RPG for the PC video game market. This will require the majority of our efforts for the foreseeable future, the coming year at least. The better this product performs, the more likely it will lead to sequels for both series.
If you want more Storm of Prophecy, please post positive reviews. Indeed, post positive reviews for any book you enjoy because they matter tremendously. Regardless, we are committed to making sure our readers have a satisfying ending to such a long journey no matter how much time it takes. Positive reviews are crucial to speeding this along.
In summation, thank you to all of our fans for your years of support and patience. We hope to provide you with more during the next ten years.
