As promised, the stats for the copies of WolfSong sold for proceeds going to the Japan relief. For some reason the screen grabs are not co-operating though, so I've copied & pasted the figures.
First though, a massive thank you and a bit of a mini-rant.
Thanks to the bloggers and Indie authors who got on board, whether for this or similar projects, and blogged, face-booked and tweeted about this.
The mini rant is in two parts - one at the darlings who seem to think that No, Japan really doesn't need or want any help, thank you very much, including this post at Reuters titled "Don't donate money to Japan."
Let me know when your space ship lands, Mr. Salmon. I'd like to introduce you to Planet Earth. You know, the one we actually live on, where people realise that everything involved in helping out a country in this situation takes money. A lot of it. Whether the donations are earmarked for Japan or not is immaterial; the cost is still liable to outweigh the generosity of the givers.
The second part is partially aimed at myself. Why?
One of the comments left on Naomi Clark's live journal entry about this. To quote: "I'm not saying you're doing this for the same reasons, but be careful of using tragedy for your own ends."
The link the poster attached leads to an article about a backlash against Microsoft and their campaign.
I'm sure the poster had the best intentions. But that comment left me feeling like I'd been punched in the stomach.
Maybe the person who wrote that hadn't actually read the details of what we were trying to do. Maybe they missed the part where all profits went straight to the fund, & are somehow under the impression this benefits us.
Of course, now that I've thought about it, I'm not sure how this benefits me personally. I haven't sold a huge amount of books this week - I never expected to, and that wasn't the point.
The point was to try to give in the only way I knew how.
But the result was that I let that comment get to me; to the point where after I read it, I couldn't bring myself to tweet or facebook or blog about the fund raiser any more.
And right now, I'm kicking myself, because I let someone put me in the same mental category as the scum out there who are scamming for donations. That nasty taste in my mouth? It's regret.
Amazon.com:
Amazon.uk:
Nothing, unfortunately, on the other sites, although I've heard from other authors that there is sometimes a reporting delay. If anything changes, I'll update here:
First though, a massive thank you and a bit of a mini-rant.
Thanks to the bloggers and Indie authors who got on board, whether for this or similar projects, and blogged, face-booked and tweeted about this.
The mini rant is in two parts - one at the darlings who seem to think that No, Japan really doesn't need or want any help, thank you very much, including this post at Reuters titled "Don't donate money to Japan."
Let me know when your space ship lands, Mr. Salmon. I'd like to introduce you to Planet Earth. You know, the one we actually live on, where people realise that everything involved in helping out a country in this situation takes money. A lot of it. Whether the donations are earmarked for Japan or not is immaterial; the cost is still liable to outweigh the generosity of the givers.
The second part is partially aimed at myself. Why?
One of the comments left on Naomi Clark's live journal entry about this. To quote: "I'm not saying you're doing this for the same reasons, but be careful of using tragedy for your own ends."
The link the poster attached leads to an article about a backlash against Microsoft and their campaign.
I'm sure the poster had the best intentions. But that comment left me feeling like I'd been punched in the stomach.
Maybe the person who wrote that hadn't actually read the details of what we were trying to do. Maybe they missed the part where all profits went straight to the fund, & are somehow under the impression this benefits us.
Of course, now that I've thought about it, I'm not sure how this benefits me personally. I haven't sold a huge amount of books this week - I never expected to, and that wasn't the point.
The point was to try to give in the only way I knew how.
But the result was that I let that comment get to me; to the point where after I read it, I couldn't bring myself to tweet or facebook or blog about the fund raiser any more.
And right now, I'm kicking myself, because I let someone put me in the same mental category as the scum out there who are scamming for donations. That nasty taste in my mouth? It's regret.
Amazon.com:
| 03/05/2011 | WolfSong | J H Sked | B004OEKG3E | 3 | 0 | 3 | 35 % | 0.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.05 |
| 03/19/2011 | WolfSong | J H Sked | B004OEKG3E | 4 | 0 | 4 | 35 % | 0.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.40 |
Amazon.uk:
| 03/05/2011 | WolfSong | J H Sked | B004OEKG3E | 3 | 1 | 2 | 35 % | 0.62 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.44 |
| 03/12/2011 | WolfSong | J H Sked | B004OEKG3E | 2 | 0 | 2 | 35 % | 0.62 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.44 |
| 03/19/2011 | WolfSong | J H Sked | B004OEKG3E | 2 | 0 | 2 | 35 % | 0.62 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.44 |
Nothing, unfortunately, on the other sites, although I've heard from other authors that there is sometimes a reporting delay. If anything changes, I'll update here:
| Channel | Sales Reported Through | Balance Adjusted Through | Accrued Sales (reported, not yet payable by retailer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smashwords.com | Today | Today | N/A |
| Amazon | Pending | Pending | None |
| Apple | Jan 29, 2011 | Jan 29, 2011 | None |
| Barnes & Noble | Jan 23, 2011 | Oct 31, 2010 | None |
| Diesel | Feb 28, 2011 | Feb 28, 2011 | None |
| Kobo | Jan 29, 2011 | Jan 1, 2011 | None |
| Sony | Feb 26, 2011 | Sep 30, 2010 | None |
I had the same reaction to the comment and it definitely stopped me talking about it as much as I could have, which is a shame. But like you, I never expected to raise a massive amount; I just wanted to do my bit in the only way I reasonable could. I made £10 to donate to the cause, which is more than I could have afforded otherwise. I'm annoyed that I let the comment put me off saying more, but I'm glad I did something to begin with!
ReplyDeleteYou and me both, Naomi. I think I'd have felt a lot worse if I'd done nothing.
ReplyDeleteAdd me to that list. Earlier this year I had done a fund-raiser for my local SPCA organization and over three months raised $400, yet through it I was blasted by critics who accused me of being a scammer and worse. We can't let people like them get us down, though it stings and I felt the same frustration, I knew then and now I had to do what was right in my heart.
ReplyDeleteAt present I've sold a total of 112 books since March 1, which is my start point. (Funds prior to that were already donated to the NJSPCA.org) That brings the total earnings to be donated to pennies below $40... and this will be in addition to a personal donation my family made immediately following the earthquake and tsunami.
People may hide behind the anonymity of the internet to attack others rather than using their energy to make this world a little better, but in end I know I've done what is right.
Hi C.E. Really good point there. I have to wonder how many of the people attacking fund raisers over the net actually do anything themselves?
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on the amount raised, both for this cause and for the NJSPCA.
Absolutely loved the book, by the way - it was a real page turner for me.
Precisely. While others may criticize what we've done, how much have they done? For years I've made monthly donations to the ASPCA as well as local animal welfare, and have fostered and rescued many animals as well. It's a cause I believe in personally and one I do all I can to aid. As my book's sales have risen I've made a point of sharing that good fortune. Some people are skeptical of unselfish acts, and it's my suspicion that while some might be wary out of caution (perhaps they'd been scammed themselves) others simply can't comprehend unselfishness -- it's not a behavior they know first-hand. As for me, there was no way I could watch the events unfolding overseas and not lend my support for the victims.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments on my book; I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had purchased yours as well though I hadn't had a chance to dive in just yet. I will keep you posted once I do.