My Children’s Book Hit #1 on Amazon
Super Gay came out on September 22, 2022 after half of a year of extensive review and much anticipation. (Note: I will delve into the distribution and review site Netgalley after my next release. Stay tuned!)
I had made some changes to Super Gay during this time of internal and external reflection. Initially, my children’s book started as 12 pages; but over the course of feedback from reviewers, it eventually became 26 pages overall! These reviewers from all walks of life — including teachers, bloggers, and librarians — helped make this a reality.
It all started with some hateful reviews, which I unfortunately expected. Sadly, hate is commonplace when it comes to any LGBTQIA+ topics, and my book about pronouns was no different. However, the message of my book rings true. Hate may dwell in the hearts of some, but love will always conquer all. Thankfully, the constructive criticism appeared next and brightened my world. I was sure to consider these reviews with great importance, and took note of what reviewers were looking for with a children’s book about pronouns.
After finally publishing Super Gay, I never expected what would follow. My book reached Amazon’s #1, let alone #2, for almost a entire week in November. It started November 13th and went strong until November 18th, fluctuating between the #1 and #2 spots. This was an incredible accomplishment; but I would have never been able to do it alone. I have my friends, family, and fans to thank for rallying behind my message. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported and continues to support the book. Currently, the majority of my books are in Amazon’s 20–25% with the exception of Super Gay and Colorless, as they are new releases. If you’d like to read more of my work, feel free to check out my other books. These include my poetry book, Lit Soul: My Journey Back to Faith and Who You Are, another children’s book in my series that predates Colorless.
The fact that Super Gay was able to reach this point on Amazon is momentous in what it proves. I want kids and adults of special needs like myself to know that they can get here, too. This wasn’t an easy task; it took 6+ months of advertising and generating awareness around the release of this children’s book before it was even available to the public. It began with just a picture, later having a link to the pre-order. The process involved building a Facebook page to generate buzz. I recruited family, friends, and fans of my writing to help spread the word if it inspired them. Finally, I used Netgalley as a resource for the first round of in-depth reviews and advice.
It’s all about discoverability and spreading the word. You can do it, too. As I continue to learn, I will be writing more Medium articles on this topic and keep everyone informed when my classes are available for purchase on my site. Thanks for taking the time to read this little celebration. If you like what I write, please follow and subscribe to my email newsletter — it’s a great way to keep up with each new post!
