I am sorry you are feeling so discouraged. What has worked for me is free first in series, even for my science fiction series when it was a trilogy, and then periodically spending between $75 to $150 using the relatively inexpensive email promotion sites, Fussy Librarian, FreeBooksy, Hello Books, etc. (and making sure my books are in the right categories.) This usually gets these free books up to best seller lists in these categories, which slowly builds up reviews, and sell through. My books are wide, but this also worked when in KU, using the 5 free book days. I have found 99 cents for the first in series just doesn't work very well with this strategy.
I'm not convinced that is the right strategy for me, just because it is so hit-and-miss for people. I've had too many free books get grabbed that never are read. It was really disappointing my last go-round running things through KU before going wide, because lots of people grabbed the books...but only one person who grabbed a free book actually bothered to read it, much less open it.
I know there's a market out there for science fiction westerns, but finding it isn't happening with the typical "first in series free" or even discounted. Until the last year or so (because of Kindle Vella), I sold much more wide than I ever have on Kindle. Even now, if I subtract the Vella bonuses, I'm still selling better wide.
I have been wide for years, so I don't have any idea how many people who download the free first in series actually read the book, beyond the fact that reviews do start to go up, and people buy the second book. I have been patient with the science fiction series, but I could see the sci/fi western category might be harder to sell.
I am sorry you are feeling so discouraged. What has worked for me is free first in series, even for my science fiction series when it was a trilogy, and then periodically spending between $75 to $150 using the relatively inexpensive email promotion sites, Fussy Librarian, FreeBooksy, Hello Books, etc. (and making sure my books are in the right categories.) This usually gets these free books up to best seller lists in these categories, which slowly builds up reviews, and sell through. My books are wide, but this also worked when in KU, using the 5 free book days. I have found 99 cents for the first in series just doesn't work very well with this strategy.
I'm not convinced that is the right strategy for me, just because it is so hit-and-miss for people. I've had too many free books get grabbed that never are read. It was really disappointing my last go-round running things through KU before going wide, because lots of people grabbed the books...but only one person who grabbed a free book actually bothered to read it, much less open it.
I know there's a market out there for science fiction westerns, but finding it isn't happening with the typical "first in series free" or even discounted. Until the last year or so (because of Kindle Vella), I sold much more wide than I ever have on Kindle. Even now, if I subtract the Vella bonuses, I'm still selling better wide.
But thanks for your encouraging words.
I have been wide for years, so I don't have any idea how many people who download the free first in series actually read the book, beyond the fact that reviews do start to go up, and people buy the second book. I have been patient with the science fiction series, but I could see the sci/fi western category might be harder to sell.
It also is heavily dependent upon the subgenre within sf, alas.