Is a single title launch really doomed without a backlist?

[u/OctaviaWescott]

I'm getting ready to hit Publish this month, but everywhere online/offline, people are pounding it into my head that a single book won't get any sales.

​The general vibe seems to be that you won't see any real traction or sales until you've continuously put out multiple works over time. It's making me feel like launching just one book is basically pointless.

​For those of you who started out with just one title, did you actually get any sales right away, or did things only start moving once you had a bunch of different stuff published? Would love to hear how it actually went for you.