19. My first Kindle free promotion, and to my surprise, #1 in 5 categories. -- Reflecting on those 3 days with gratitude to all my readers.

I would like to record my journey after Kindle publishing, one step at a time.

Kindle Publishing Record #19

*This article contains links that use the Amazon Associates Program.

🔷Introduction

First of all, to everyone who downloaded my book during the free promotion.

To everyone who came to visit my publication celebration party.

And to everyone who supported me on X, Threads, and note.

Thank you so much.

These three days were a series of surprises and gratitude.

Today, I would like to look back on those feelings and
leave them as a record.

🔷My first free promotion

If I'm going to publish on Kindle, I should try a free promotion at least once.

Thinking that, I set up my first 3-day free promotion.

The goal was to have as many people as possible read it.

I wasn't aiming for the rankings.

......Having said that, once it started, I couldn't help but be curious.

I opened the Amazon page over and over to check the number of orders.

Actually, there was a happy event even before the free promotion started.

People who saw the publication announcement on note or X in advance downloaded the book immediately and wrote reviews.

I was a little nervous reading the reviews.

"I wonder what kind of feedback I'll get."

When I opened the screen with a pounding heart, there it was—what I had wanted to convey all along.

"I'm interested in AI, but I don't know where to start."

"It's not just something that gives you answers, but a presence that thinks along with you."

When I read comments like that,

"It really got through."

I thought.

It made me truly happy to see what I had written for AI beginners reflected back in the words of my readers.

This review gave me a great deal of confidence before the free promotion even began.

Saturday, July 25th, 4:00 PM

The free promotion began.

At first, it was about five copies.

"People are downloading it."

I remember being happy enough with just that.

By that night, it was ten copies.

"It's increasing little by little."

Thinking that, I drifted off to sleep that night.

And the next morning,Sunday, July 26th

When I looked at the number of orders...

21 copies.

"Wait, this many?"

I found myself double-checking the screen.

Since it was my day off, I kept opening Amazon out of curiosity.

Every time the order count increased,

"Someone else has read it."

Thinking that made me so happy that I never got tired of checking.

And by the evening,

40 copies.

Furthermore,

Ranked #1 in the Lifestyle Information category.

"Is this for real?"

I refreshed the Amazon screen over and over.

I couldn't believe it, to the point where I even took screenshots.

July 27 (Mon)

The number of downloads was 67 copies.

When I checked further,

I had also reached #1 in Computer & IT, General & Introductory Books, Society & Politics, and Sociology.

"Wait, Computer & IT?"

"Society & Politics?"

Honestly, that was the moment I was most surprised.

On the final day, Tuesday, July 28th,

as of the morning, it was 79 copies.

I had taken the day off work, so I was checking the Amazon ranking page on my home PC every now and then. And by the evening when the free promotion ended,


it was

90 copies.

It was a strange feeling, a mix of joy and bewilderment, that so many people had picked up my book. Everyone, thank you so much.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

🔷 Looking back at the category settings

Actually, one of the things I struggled with most in Kindle publishing was the category settings.

Since it's an AI book, should it be "Computer & IT"?

Or should it be "Living, Health & Parenting"?

I thought about the book's positioning many times while doing market analysis using ChatGPT's Work for the first time.

"Not a book that teaches how to use AI, but a practical essay on living with AI in daily life."

That is the mindset with which I published this book.

And during the free promotion,

• Computer & IT #1

• General/Introductory Books #1

• Society/Politics #1

• Sociology #1

• Lifestyle Information #1

I achieved #1 in the rankings across 5 categories 👑.

On the other hand, in the parent category where I thought it might land,

"Living, Health, and Parenting," it was ranked 10th.

When I saw these results,

"So this is how it was being received by Amazon and the readers."

I had a new discovery myself.

🔷 What made me happiest

Of course, I was truly happy about the rankings.

But,
looking back on it later,
there was something that left an even deeper impression on me.

Those who wrote reviews.

Those who shared it on social media.

To those who came to visit my publication celebration party.

"I read it."

"I downloaded it."

Every single one of those words reached me every day.

Beyond the numbers, there was always someone's support.

I am the only one who wrote the book.

However,

it was all of you who supported me that delivered this book.

That is why what made me happiest was not the #1 ranking, but

"I'll give it a read."

the fact that there were 90 people who thought that way.

Those three days were a series of surprises.

But what remains in my heart most is not the numbers, but
the connections with people.

Thank you so much🌱

🔷 Regarding future publication records🌱

Looking back on the free promotion,

"Why did this lead to these results?"

I have started to think about it again myself.

Things that were not visible through rankings and download counts alone.

Things I realized after publication are gradually becoming clear.

I plan to take my time and look back on the rest of this in another article.

[Postscript] I took a deeper look at the results of the free promotion🌱

Why was I able to deliver 90 copies?

I have organized the "gateways to readers" that existed beyond the numbers, such as categories, social media, and interactions on note.

▶︎ Kindle Publishing Record (20) | What I saw beyond the 90 copies

*The Kindle Publishing Record series is compiled in a magazine. If you would like to read from the beginning, please click here.

📚 My books are here

"Living with AI 🌱 How to get along with AI"

You're curious about AI, but don't know where to start. This is a book written based on my own experiences for AI beginners in their 50s.

PR
▼Amazon
If you are a Kindle Unlimited member, you can read it for free 📚

🔷 Announcement

In July, not only did I debut, but all my colleagues from the Kindle Publishing Club who have been learning together also made their debuts ✨

Rukonomirai-san

The head of the Kindle Publishing Club. She reached #1 in two Amazon categories with her gentle guidebook for note beginners 👑.
Congratulations 🎉

Himawari Jimanyan-san

The long-awaited book version of a hugely popular series serialized on note✨ A must-read for anyone aiming for a side hustle. A 3-day free campaign is currently underway.

Rashomon SKY-san

A book adaptation of a novel published on note. A mystery about searching for the missing Momotaro. The anthropomorphized Dog, Monkey, and Pheasant are so cool. It seems there are also stories not included in the note version.

And Jimanyan-san took a group photo of everyone at the photo spot for the publication party✨
Thank you so much, Jimanyan💓

I believe it was only because I had companions who were struggling and walking the same path at the same time that I was able to see this view.

If you'd like, please go and show your support🌱

#HowToInteractWithAI
#LivingWithAI
#RelearningInYour50s
#KindlePublishing
#SideHustleChallenge
#TakingTheFirstStep
#MovingForwardWhileLost
#RecordOfChallenges
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