Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more
Episode Description
This one's a numbers-and-behind-the-scenes episode. I share a full preorder update across all five of my current books, platform by platform, the good and the zero, and where I'm at ten days into a thirty-day TikTok experiment in 2026 (I know, I know).
The BookTok part is genuinely interesting to me: one video crossed 2,000 views and somehow racked up more than eight hours of total watch time, while its near-identical twin stalled at 94 and I have no idea why. That's kind of the whole lesson.
I get into what's working, where in the world people are actually watching from (hello, UK), how many of them clicked through (spoiler: two), and yes, what it's costing me in focus, because I opened the app nineteen times in one afternoon and that felt worth admitting out loud.
Plus: the Belgian VAT answer that arrived in eleven pages, the Barnes & Noble payment I'm still chasing, a trip to the ER that cancelled a posting day, and trying to use my phone less.
And I'm going to interview the chemical engineer about how to write a believable one. If you've got a question for him, send it to elodie@elodienow.com. He refuses to see them in advance. So. :-)
If you've tried TikTok and it worked for you, or really didn't, come tell me. We can commiserate, or you can show me your data.
- BeccaCon + Becca Syme's Write Better-Faster Patreon — the author-business conference and the experiments-homework that started all this: https://betterfasteracademy.com (Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/beccasyme/posts)
- Wide for the Win Circle (where I posted about the Barnes & Noble delay): https://wideforthewin.com/
- L. Penelope — "The Fire That Forges You" (My Imaginary Friends), on documenting your process while you're in it: https://myimaginaryfriends.substack.com/p/the-fire-that-forges-you
- Jami Albright — The Summer That Changed Us — the book that wrecked me (Steel Magnolias meets Schitt's Creek with the heart of This Is Us): https://books2read.com/b/mdZvPW — jamialbright.com
- My Christmas Wish-List (preorder, now July 31st): https://books2read.com/MyChristmasWish
- Cancer Is Not My Brand (preorder): https://books2read.com/cancerisnotmybrand/
- Nice Guys Don't Kiss Like That at Christmas: https://books2read.com/NiceGuysDontKissLikeThat
- A New Year's Eve Like No Other (third in the Nick & Em series): https://books2read.com/ANewYearsEveLikeNoOther
- French editions — Ma Liste de Noël and Un Réveillon Pas Comme Les Autres
If the episode was useful, a rate-and-review would make this self-published author's day. Happy writing, and happy, happy reading.