A Week Into Launching The Human Relief Project: Highs, Lows, and Some Serious Amazon Algorithm Wrestling
Hey everyone,
It’s officially been one week since The Human Relief Project launched! Thought I’d share a bit about this wild ride of a launch week, with its ups, downs, and everything in between.
First things first, a quick favor: if you’ve already started reading, please consider leaving a rating and review on Amazon. Even an early review helps immensely at this stage, and you can always update it after you’ve finished reading. Early ratings and reviews are Amazon’s “love language,” and they help get the book out there.
Now, into the highlights:
Honestly, the support from you all has been incredible! Seeing friends, family, and even people I’d lost touch with diving into The HRP, sharing it, and posting about it has been surreal. There’s nothing like seeing your book in someone else’s hands and reading their reactions to this world and the characters you created. And whereas I used to post rarely on social media, my Instagram has basically turned into a mini-press tour, with lots of snapshots saved under “HRP Highlights” for anyone curious.
This also includes some impressions from the HRP Launch Drinks last Saturday. We had an awesome event to celebrate this big personal milestone. Over tasty finger food and plenty of drinks, I had the opportunity to talk the entire night about how cool it is to be a novelist 🙈 Despite initial hesitations, I stepped out of my comfort zone and held a little welcome speech, did a reading from my book, and even signed HRP cards for the guests. An evening, that will forever remain a wonderful memory I’ll go back to when I need a boost of joy and positivity.
I also had a LinkedIn moment that felt like a mini-milestone — someone I didn’t even know posted about the book, saying it sparked some big questions for her. It’s the kind of reaction every author dreams of, and yes, I may have done a happy dance (I’ll spare you the video evidence 😄)
On the ranking front, The HRP held the #1 spot in Hot New Releases for High-Tech Science Fiction on Amazon DE the entire week, and stayed in the top 5 for Political Fiction. These little wins have kept my energy going strong.
Of course, it hasn’t all been five-star reviews and “I’ve made it!” moments. The Amazon algorithm has been slow to take off, so despite strong initial orders, the book hasn’t yet reached many readers outside my own network. Reviews, especially verified ones, have been trickling in slowly too, partly because Amazon approves them across marketplaces. It’s one of those new-author challenges I’m learning to work with!
A new arbitrary boss: the Amazon algorithm is clearly my new overlord, and I’m still figuring out how to get it on my side! 😅 Amazon mostly promotes based on marketplace-specific sales and reviews (like just Germany), which is tough when friends and readers are spread across the globe. I love that my network spans the world, but Amazon apparently isn’t a fan. It only really cares about the reviews and sales within specific marketplaces, like Germany, which makes things…interesting 😉
Secret author dreams: I knew going in that debut books don’t often take off overnight, but there’s always that hopeful part of an author that dreams of a breakout moment. So when orders slowed after the first few days, it was a bit of a downer. (I may have had a 20-minute “is this it?” moment, but hey, what’s a launch without a few existential crises?) I’m back on track and more motivated than ever to get the word out there. I’m here for the long ride, and The HRP is just the first of many thought-provoking novels I want to put out into the world.
On the bright side: I’ve started experimenting with LinkedIn as a way to reach new readers, and the response has been fantastic. For me, fiction can be just as inspiring for our work and lives as non-fiction — and entertaining on top! — and it’s been rewarding to see that idea resonate.
Lastly, a big shoutout to my friend Rosalee, who created these beautiful HRP bookmarks. They’ve already been making their way onto Instagram and into WhatsApp messages, which is surreal. If you’re in Berlin and want one (or a few to spare the word), just let me know!
That’s a quick rundown of week one. Now, back to promoting my “first baby” — for the first time, I feel genuinely excited to reach out and talk to people about my “product.”
Thank you again for all your support and encouragement! Here’s to keeping the energy high and spreading the word about The HRP far and wide!
PS: I’d love to hear about your thoughts about the book or the launch week! Just reply to this email to share your impressions directly with me 🙃